# Transom Note vs Notebook

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.

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.

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.

Transom Note ships an update every 3 months, Notebook every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Transom Note | Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (82 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/transom-note-taker-for-writers/id927983947/reviews)** | [4.3 (523 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-notes-and-journal/id1670365742/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 82 | **523** |
| Positive reviews | 69.8% of reviews | **70.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 36 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [VoidMedia](https://appshunter.io/developer/667728532) | [Solitude Colors](https://appshunter.io/developer/1614422096) |

## What reviewers say

### Transom Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/transom-note-taker-for-writers/id927983947)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prompt Credit | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- Add image support
- Word count per day display
- More font choices
- Emoji support
- Assign tags to projects


### Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-notes-and-journal/id1670365742)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked 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 20, 2026 and Notebook on October 22, 2026.

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