# Notebook vs NoteBuddy

The clearest difference is rating: Notebook at 4.7 against NoteBuddy's 3.3. Notebook also leads on review sentiment (65% vs 22%) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 months). NoteBuddy's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and NoteBuddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. 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 point the same way: 65% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 22% of NoteBuddy's.

Notebook ships an update every 6 days, NoteBuddy every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and August 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | NoteBuddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-ai-notes-notepad/id973801089/reviews)** | [3.3 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebuddy-your-notes-buddy/id1453991185/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **64.7% of reviews** | 22.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 220 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zoho Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/388384807) | [Oleg Mueller](https://appshunter.io/developer/367875607) |

## 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


### NoteBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebuddy-your-notes-buddy/id1453991185)

This note-taking application offers a comprehensive suite of tools for organizing thoughts and ideas. It supports rich text formatting, image insertion, and freehand drawing. Features like folder organization and iCloud synchronization ensure your notes are accessible and secure.

**Highlights:** Rich text editing, Add images and drawings, Folder and subfolder support, iCloud synchronization, Backup feature, Apple Pencil support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NoteBuddy Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Is NoteBuddy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notebook or NoteBuddy?

Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while NoteBuddy averages 3.3 from 16 ratings.

### Do Notebook or NoteBuddy have ads?

Neither Notebook nor NoteBuddy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notebook or NoteBuddy?

Notebook ships an update every 6 days, and NoteBuddy every 3 months. Most recently, Notebook was updated on September 26, 2026 and NoteBuddy on August 17, 2026.

---

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