# PDF Notes S vs Pencil

The clearest difference is ads: Pencil at none against PDF Notes S's shown. Pencil also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 6 weeks). PDF Notes S's advantage is review sentiment (53% vs 25%) and rating (4.2 vs 4.0). On price, ratings volume, 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 Pencil sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PDF Notes S holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of PDF Notes S's written reviews are positive against 25% of Pencil's.

PDF Notes S ships an update every 6 weeks, Pencil every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PDF Notes S | Pencil |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pdf-notes-s/id961336139/reviews)** | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-pdf-notes-with-pencil/id6466286421/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **52.9% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 22 MB | 465 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AMuseTec Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/342152781) | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) |

## 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 |


### Pencil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-pdf-notes-with-pencil/id6466286421)

Create beautiful notes, sketch ideas, and annotate PDFs with advanced ink tools and AI assistance. Convert handwriting to text, scan documents, and organize files seamlessly across cloud services. Enjoy a realistic ink-on-paper feel with stylus support.

**Highlights:** Advanced ink tools for writing and sketching, AI Assistant for summarization and translation, Handwritten notes to editable text conversion, Document scanning with automatic frame recognition, Cloud service integration for file management, Full-text search for PDFs, PDF reader with highlighting and read aloud

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All and AI Assistant | $2.99 | per month |
| GoodPencil Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PDF Notes S free?

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

### Is Pencil free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PDF Notes S or Pencil?

PDF Notes S is rated higher. PDF Notes S averages 4.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Pencil averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do PDF Notes S or Pencil have ads?

PDF Notes S shows ads; Pencil does not.

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

PDF Notes S ships an update every 6 weeks, and Pencil every 8 days. Most recently, PDF Notes S was updated on October 7, 2026 and Pencil on October 11, 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.*