Comparison

Transom Note vs Notebook

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Transom Note

Capture, tag, and organize your writing ideas effortlessly. This app helps writers keep track of every thought, project, and tag, making it easy to retrieve them when inspiration strikes. Export your notes in various formats for seamless integration into your writing workflow.

Highlights
  • Capture and tag ideas
  • Organize thoughts by project
  • Search by tag or project
  • Archive or delete notes
  • Export notes as PDF, CSV, or rich-text
Features
Read full description

Made for writers, by writers, Transom lets you capture and tag every little scrap of an idea so that you can easily find it whenever you're ready to write — without having to fumble through emails-to-self, messy notebooks, and clunky multi-purpose apps. How it works: create a Thought to add it to your Transom notes. Easily add Tags and file it under a Project. When it's time to sit down and write, all those brilliant little gems will be right at your fingertips (and not buried in that old notebook — no, the other one. Or was it in an email?). Search by Tag, Project name, or use simple keyword search. Once you've used a Thought, archive or delete it to declutter your list. And if you want to copy your Thoughts to something long-form, export a custom list of Thoughts as PDF, CSV, rich-text file. Questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: help@wearetransom.com.

About

Notebook

Organize your thoughts, plans, and ideas with a versatile notebook and list-making application. Create unlimited notes, manage tasks with checklists, and customize your workspace. Sync across devices for seamless access to your organized information.

Highlights
  • Unlimited notes and lists
  • Folders and organization tools
  • Rich text editing
  • Checklists and to-do lists
  • Cloud sync and backup
  • Quick search and tags
Features
Read full description

Organize Your Thoughts, Simplify Your Life! Tired of messy notes or forgotten ideas?
 Turn chaos into clarity with Notes – Notebook & List Maker, your ultimate space for creativity, planning, and productivity.
Whether you’re journaling, managing projects, or capturing daily ideas — keep everything beautifully organized and accessible anytime, anywhere. Perfect for students, professionals, creators, and anyone who loves to stay organized and inspired! Key Features • Unlimited Notes & Lists
Write, plan, and create without limits — from quick thoughts to detailed notebooks. • Folders & Organization Tools
Sort your notes easily into folders and categories for a clean, clutter-free workspace. • Rich Text Editing
Customize fonts, colors, and styles to make your notes uniquely yours. • Checklists & To-Do Lists
Stay productive with easy task lists and reminders — perfect for daily routines or long-term goals. • Cloud Sync & Backup
Access your notes from anywhere with secure cloud sync and never lose important data again. • Quick Search & Tags
Find what you need instantly with smart search and tagging features. Go Premium Unlock your full potential with Notes Premium: • Ad-Free Experience
Enjoy distraction-free writing and focus on what matters most. • Unlimited Folders & Storage
Create as many notebooks and folders as you like — perfect for large projects or journaling. • Exclusive Themes & Customization
Personalize your workspace with elegant themes and color palettes. • Priority Support
Get faster assistance from our team whenever you need help. Subscription Info Weekly Subscription – $4.99 Use Cases * Journaling & daily reflections
 * Project planning & task management
 * Study notes & class organization
 * Grocery lists & reminders
 * Creative writing or brainstorming ideas
 * Work documentation & meeting notes
 We know how valuable your ideas are — that’s why Notes – Notebook & List Maker helps you keep them safe, structured, and stylish.
Capture thoughts instantly, plan smarter, and stay productive every single day — all in one elegant app. Start writing smarter. Stay organized. Be unstoppable. Privacy Policy: https://solitudecolorsllc.wordpress.com/privacy-policy/
 Terms of Use: https://solitudecolorsllc.wordpress.com

Screenshots

Transom Note4 screens
Notebook4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Transom Note at none against Notebook's shown. Transom Note also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.3). Notebook's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (523 vs 82). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Transom Note sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Notebook sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Transom Note holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 523 ratings behind it against 82, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 70% and 71% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Transom Note ships an update every 3 months, Notebook every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Transom Note versus Notebook: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTransom NoteNotebook
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (82 ratings) — better4.3 (523 ratings)
Positive reviews69.8% of reviews70.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings82523 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.1 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB73 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVoidMediaSolitude Colors

Customer experience

Transom Note

All ratings82 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.1%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive69.8%
Neutral1.9%
Negative28.3%

Notebook

All ratings523 ratings
Positive83.0%
Neutral4.8%
Negative12.2%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive70.6%
Neutral7.4%
Negative22.1%

User reviews

Transom Note

From 82 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Beautifully simple interface
  • ✍️ Indispensable for writers
  • 💡 Great for organizing thoughts
  • 🚀 Easy to use and capture ideas
  • ✅ Helpful for multiple projects

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes frequently
  • 📉 Data loss after updates
  • 🔒 Login required for data access
  • 🗄️ Older versions preferred by some
  • 🚫 Lacks export options

Notebook

From 523 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 💡 Great organization system
  • 🚀 Simple and quick
  • 🤩 Excellent AI-powered features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
  • 💸 Excessive ads disrupting usage
  • 🔒 Lack of customization options
  • 🤯 Confusing navigation

Bugs and requests

Transom Note

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • App crashes while writing
  • App crashes when holding on a tag
  • App crashes when adding emojis
  • App crashes upon opening after updates
  • Notes doubled up after login
Show 7 more
  • Unable to change associated email/password
  • Notes not saving
  • App crashes immediately on startup
  • All notes disappeared
  • New update made app inaccessible
  • App crashes on 9.3.2
  • App won't open, flashes back to home screen

Requested features

16 requests
  • Add image support
  • Word count per day display
  • More font choices
  • Emoji support
  • Assign tags to projects
Show 11 more
  • Set category for tags
  • Dark mode
  • Filter by multiple tags
  • Export in text/document format
  • Add photos to places and pin to map
  • Change work title
  • Group notes/books
  • Add 'Idea' section within projects
  • Add new categories of notes to a project
  • Settings menu functionality
  • Working feedback link

Notebook

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login issues and lost user data
  • Compatibility problems with older devices
  • Copying and pasting not working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add search functionality
  • Improve delete/edit options
  • Provide subscription-free version
  • Enhance calendar integration

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Transom Note

One-time1
  • Prompt Credit$0.99
1 purchases

Notebook

Subscriptions1
  • Weekly$2.997 Days

Questions

Is Transom Note free?
Transom Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Notebook free?
Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Transom Note or Notebook?
Transom Note is rated higher. Transom Note averages 4.6 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while Notebook averages 4.3 from 523 ratings.
Do Transom Note or Notebook have ads?
Notebook shows ads; Transom Note does not.
Which is updated more often, Transom Note or Notebook?
Transom Note ships an update every 3 months, and Notebook every 3 weeks. Most recently, Transom Note was updated on October 15, 2026 and Notebook on October 22, 2026.

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