Not Emacs vs Inkdrop
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Not Emacs
A programmer's text editor that mimics common Emacs keybindings and supports iCloud document syncing across devices. It offers syntax highlighting for several languages and is optimized for external keyboards, with an extended virtual keyboard as a backup.
- Emacs keybinding support
- iCloud document editing
- Syntax highlighting (Lisp, Scheme, JS, CSS, XML)
- External Bluetooth keyboard optimization
- Extended virtual keyboard
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Not Emacs is a text editor for programmers that supports many of the most common emacs keybindings. It allows editing iCloud documents that are automatically available from other devices. The app has been designed to be used with an external Bluetooth keyboard, but if you forgot it at home, it is still possible to get by with the extended virtual keyboard. This app is based on the ymacs editor (http://www.ymacs.org) and the Gambit Scheme programming system (http://gambitscheme.org). It has syntax highlighting for the following languages: Lisp, Scheme, JavaScript, CSS and XML.
Inkdrop
This app allows you to write and organize notes using GitHub-flavored Markdown with syntax highlighting. It offers a streamlined workflow for boosting productivity and ensures your notes are accessible across devices with end-to-end encryption, even offline.
- GitHub-flavored Markdown support
- Inline code syntax highlighting
- Seamless note-taking workflow
- Cross-device synchronization
- End-to-end encryption
- Offline access
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NOTE: To use this app, make sure you have an account registered on the Inkdrop website. ## Effortlessly Organize and Simplify Your Markdown Notes Inkdrop enables you to write in user-friendly, GitHub-flavored Markdown, complete with inline code syntax highlighting support. Unleash your creativity and transform your ideas into beautifully formatted notes! ## Streamline Your Thoughts & Boost Productivity Experience a seamless, low-friction note-taking workflow, empowering you to accomplish more in less time. With Inkdrop's effortless organization, you can focus on what truly matters: creating your best work. ## Access Your Notes Anytime, Anywhere, Securely Inkdrop quickly synchronizes your notes across multiple devices, ensuring you always have access to your most important thoughts. With end-to-end encryption, your notes remain secure and confidential. Plus, you can read and write even while offline, thanks to local data storage within the app. Terms of use: https://docs.inkdrop.app/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Not Emacs at every 2 weeks against Inkdrop's every 6 weeks. Not Emacs also leads on iOS requirement (6.1 vs 15.6). Inkdrop's advantage is review sentiment (63% vs 50%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for Not Emacs against 3.9 for Inkdrop. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 44 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of Not Emacs's written reviews are positive against 63% of Inkdrop's.
Not Emacs ships an update every 2 weeks, Inkdrop every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Not Emacs | Inkdrop |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (21 ratings) — better | 3.9 (44 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 62.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 21 | 44 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 6.1 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 51 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Marc Feeley | Takuya Matsuyama |
Customer experience
Not Emacs
Inkdrop
In-app purchases
Not Emacs
No in-app purchases
Inkdrop
No in-app purchases
