# PDF Notes S vs MarginNote 3

The clearest difference is rating: MarginNote 3 at 4.7 against PDF Notes S's 4.2. MarginNote 3 also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (5K vs 5). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PDF Notes S sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and MarginNote 3 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MarginNote 3 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MarginNote 3 has 5K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of PDF Notes S's written reviews are positive against 75% of MarginNote 3's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Notes S | MarginNote 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-notes-s/id961336139/reviews) | **[4.7 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-3/id1348317163/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **5K** |
| Positive reviews | 52.9% of reviews | **74.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 22 MB | 392 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [AMuseTec Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/342152781) | [Beijing Yunsi Software Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/723205556) |

## What reviewers say

### PDF Notes S

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-notes-s/id961336139)

This app offers a dual-page PDF viewer with smooth scrolling and fast page turns. It also provides document management, quick previews of various file types, and annotation tools. An upgrade removes ads and unlocks full functionality.

**Highlights:** Dual-page PDF viewer, Horizontal/vertical scroll and page turns, Document browser for file organization, Quick Look for various file types, ZIP file preview without unzipping, 8 handwriting tools, Cache manager for fast page turns

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $9.99 | per year |


### MarginNote 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-3/id1348317163)

This app redefines studying by integrating e-reading with powerful annotation, mind mapping, and flashcard tools. Organize knowledge, connect ideas with hashtags, and enhance memory retention through spaced repetition. It offers a seamless workflow across multiple documents and devices.

**Highlights:** Integrated PDF/EPUB reader, Advanced annotation tools, Mind mapping and outline organization, Flashcard creation and Anki export, Multi-document support, Handwriting and Apple Pencil support, OCR for scanned PDFs

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OCR Pro (Monthly) | $0.99 | per month |
| OCR Pro (Annually) | $9.49 | per year |
| 14 days Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Unlock Full | $12.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Full | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and efficient for studying and research
- 👍 Excellent mind mapping and note-taking features
- 💡 Unique and innovative functionality like video annotation
- 🚀 Handles large volumes of documents and notes well
- 👍 Useful for organizing and synthesizing information from multiple sources

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 👎 Steep learning curve and lack of comprehensive documentation
- 👎 Unreliable cloud syncing between devices
- 👎 Cluttered and unintuitive user interface in some areas
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches with certain features like handwriting and OCR

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues causing data loss across devices
- Crashes and freezes when working with large documents
- Inconsistent behavior with highlighting, erasing, and text formatting
- OCR not functioning reliably for non-Latin scripts
- Difficulty managing and organizing large document libraries

**Requested features**

- Improved export options and ability to share projects
- Better integration with other productivity apps like Anki
- More customization options for mind maps and annotations
- Smoother handwriting experience and better palm rejection
- Support for more file formats like PowerPoint


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Notes S free?

PDF Notes S is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MarginNote 3 free?

MarginNote 3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PDF Notes S or MarginNote 3?

MarginNote 3 is rated higher. PDF Notes S averages 4.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while MarginNote 3 averages 4.7 from 5K ratings.

### Do PDF Notes S or MarginNote 3 have ads?

PDF Notes S shows ads; MarginNote 3 does not.

### Which is updated more often, PDF Notes S or MarginNote 3?

PDF Notes S ships an update every 6 weeks, and MarginNote 3 every 6 weeks. Most recently, PDF Notes S was updated on October 7, 2026 and MarginNote 3 on October 20, 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.*