# Neo Notes vs Goodnotes

The clearest difference is rating: Goodnotes at 4.7 against Neo Notes's 2.3. Goodnotes also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (457K vs 41). Neo Notes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 20) and iOS requirement (9.1 vs 18.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Goodnotes sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Neo Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Goodnotes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Goodnotes has 457K ratings behind it against 41, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Neo Notes ships an update every 2 months, Goodnotes weekly. The most recent releases landed on June 11, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Neo Notes | Goodnotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.3 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/neo-notes/id916072725/reviews) | **[4.7 (457K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 41 | **457K** |
| Positive reviews | 41.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#90** |
| Size | 179 MB | 795 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.1** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NeoLAB Convergence Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/916072724) | [Goodnotes Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708570616) |

## What reviewers say

### Neo Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/neo-notes/id916072725)

This app digitizes your handwritten notes, allowing you to store, edit, and share them easily. It offers transcription to digital text, voice recording synced with notes, and cloud backup options. Enhance productivity and learning by keeping your handwriting accessible anywhere.

**Highlights:** Digitize handwriting instantly, Edit and format notes, Transcribe handwriting to text, Record audio synced with notes, Cloud backup and sync, Share notes in various formats, Tag and search handwritten data

**In-app purchases:** none


### Goodnotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602)

**Currently charting:** #90 Top Grossing · Productivity, #118 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture ideas, enhance productivity, and unlock insights with advanced AI features. This app offers tools for professionals, students, and creatives, including infinite whiteboards, AI-powered transcription and summarization, and customizable digital notebooks.

**Highlights:** AI-powered transcription and summarization, Infinite whiteboard canvas, Digital notebooks with customizable templates, Study Sets for flashcards, Presentation mode with laser pointer, Real-time collaboration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI Pass (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Goodnotes 6 (1 Year) | $9.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Goodnotes Pro (Yearly) | $35.99 | per year |
| Bunny Oasis Stickers | Free | one-time |
| Medicine-Academia Sticker Shee | Free | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $1.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $6.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $8.99 | one-time |
| GoodNotes 5 Unlock | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $10.99 | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 One-Time Payment | $28.99 | one-time |
| Special Edition | $35.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent note-taking experience
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🚀 Smooth writing with Apple Pencil
- 📁 Powerful organization with folders and notebooks
- 🖼️ Ability to annotate PDFs and documents

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🔍 Syncing and iCloud issues
- 🔍 Lack of flexibility with text input
- 🔍 Limited eraser and highlighting options
- 🔍 Subpar performance on Mac app

**Reported bugs**

- Text box issues - unable to edit, resize, or move properly
- Handwriting recognition problems, especially with cursive
- Unreliable scrolling and page navigation
- Inconsistent behavior when using the zoom feature

**Requested features**

- Add bullet point and formatting options for typed text
- Implement a full-screen writing mode
- Improve the straight line and shape tools
- Integrate audio recording and synchronization
- Allow more customization of the toolbar and interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Neo Notes free?

Neo Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Goodnotes free?

Goodnotes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Neo Notes or Goodnotes?

Goodnotes is rated higher. Neo Notes averages 2.3 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Goodnotes averages 4.7 from 457K ratings.

### Do Neo Notes or Goodnotes have ads?

Neither Neo Notes nor Goodnotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Neo Notes or Goodnotes?

Neo Notes ships an update every 2 months, and Goodnotes weekly. Most recently, Neo Notes was updated on June 11, 2026 and Goodnotes on October 1, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*