# Notebook vs Fast Notes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Fast Notes at none against Notebook's 8. Notebook's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 6 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Fast Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Notebook against 4.7 for Fast Notes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 24K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 67% of Fast Notes's.

Notebook ships an update every 6 days, Fast Notes every 6 months. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | Fast Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-ai-notes-notepad/id973801089/reviews) | [4.7 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fast-notes-memo-and-lists/id1071764370/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 64.7% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 220 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zoho Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/388384807) | [Emanuele Floris](https://appshunter.io/developer/597490842) |

## What reviewers say

### Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-ai-notes-notepad/id973801089)

Capture your thoughts, ideas, and tasks with a versatile digital notebook. Create rich notes with text, files, audio, and video. Organize content visually, collaborate in real-time, and access everything across your devices.

**Highlights:** Rich note creation with text, files, audio, and video, Checklist creation for task management, Bookmark collection and offline reading, Kanban-style note organization, Real-time collaboration and sharing, AI-powered journaling suggestions, Cross-device and cloud synchronization

**Features:** Safari Extension, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notebook Pro | $2.49 | per month |
| Notebook Pro Plus | $3.99 | per month |
| Notebook AI | $4.99 | per month |
| Notebook Personal | $14.99 | per year |
| Notebook Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Notebook Pro Plus | $39.99 | per year |
| Notebook AI | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly organized and customizable
- 👍 Visually appealing and intuitive
- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- 🤳 Seamless cross-device sync
- 📝 Versatile note-taking features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional sync and stability issues
- 🔀 Inconsistent note order after editing
- 🔍 Limited search functionality
- 📤 Lack of export/backup options
- 🔗 Difficulty inserting links in notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing or getting corrupted
- Freezing and crashing issues
- Inconsistent behavior when editing notes
- Syncing problems across devices

**Requested features**

- Improved sorting and reordering options for notes
- Enhanced search capabilities
- Ability to export notes in various formats
- More customization options for notebook covers
- Integration with other productivity apps


### Fast Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fast-notes-memo-and-lists/id1071764370)

This app offers a modern approach to note-taking and list-making using intuitive gesture controls. It aims to replace traditional pen and paper methods with a digital solution available on Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Gesture-based controls, Note-taking, To-do lists, Digital replacement for pen and paper, Available on iPhone and iPad

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Is Fast Notes free?

Fast Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Notebook or Fast Notes?

Notebook and Fast Notes are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 24K and 16 ratings respectively.

### Do Notebook or Fast Notes have ads?

Fast Notes shows ads; Notebook does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notebook or Fast Notes?

Notebook ships an update every 6 days, and Fast Notes every 6 months. Most recently, Notebook was updated on September 25, 2026 and Fast Notes on September 25, 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.*