# Notebook vs Greatnotes5

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Notebook at 24K against Greatnotes5's 1.4K. Notebook also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Greatnotes5 sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Notebook against 4.6 for Greatnotes5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 24K ratings behind it against 1.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 65% and 65% positive.

Notebook ships an update every 6 days, Greatnotes5 every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | Greatnotes5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-ai-notes-notepad/id973801089/reviews)** | [4.6 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/greatnotes5-ai-note-taking/id1591954297/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 1.4K |
| Positive reviews | 64.7% of reviews | **65.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 220 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zoho Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/388384807) | [Kanza Ahmad](https://appshunter.io/developer/1667956463) |

## 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


### Greatnotes5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/greatnotes5-ai-note-taking/id1591954297)

Record, transcribe, and organize lectures, meetings, and ideas with AI-powered summaries, instant answers, and quick actions. Export notes as polished PDFs for easy sharing and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Automatic transcription with time-stamps, AI-generated summaries and key takeaways, Ask AI questions about your notes, Quick AI actions: translate, proofread, expand, Export notes as PDF, Record lectures and meetings

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GreatNotes Weekly Premium | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| GreatNotes 40% Off | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| GreatNotes Yearly Offer | $39.99 | per year |
| GreatNotes Yearly Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $239.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Is Greatnotes5 free?

Greatnotes5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Notebook or Greatnotes5?

Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Greatnotes5 averages 4.6 from 1.4K ratings.

### Do Notebook or Greatnotes5 have ads?

Neither Notebook nor Greatnotes5 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notebook or Greatnotes5?

Notebook ships an update every 6 days, and Greatnotes5 every 3 days. Most recently, Notebook was updated on September 24, 2026 and Greatnotes5 on September 23, 2026.

---

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