# Notebook vs Element Note

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Notebook at 24K against Element Note's 2.6K. Notebook also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Element Note sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per year. 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 Element Note. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 24K ratings behind it against 2.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 70% of Element Note's.

Notebook ships an update every 6 days, Element Note fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | Element Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-ai-notes-notepad/id973801089/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 2.6K |
| Positive reviews | **72.8% of reviews** | 69.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 221 MB | 129 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zoho Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/388384807) | [Soysauce Lab](https://appshunter.io/developer/598496583) |

## 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, iPhone Duo support

**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


### Element Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/element-note/id6444015673)

This app offers a distraction-free digital notebook experience with advanced handwriting, PDF annotation, and sketching capabilities. It features unique brushes, a powerful rendering engine, and smart organization tools. Sync your notes across devices and collaborate with others seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Unique handwriting brushes, Smooth drawing engine, PDF annotation, Text, shape, and image attachments, On-device OCR search, Smart dark mode, iCloud sync and collaboration

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Element Note Yearly | $3.49 | per year |
| Element Note Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Launch Special | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth handwriting experience
- 💡 Customizable pens and colors
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🎨 Gradient and gradient brush tools
- 📚 Great for journaling and note-taking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Search function not working
- 🖼️ Issues with image handling and export
- 🔀 Difficulty switching between pen and eraser
- 🔑 Lack of password/locking feature for notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes and files randomly disappearing
- Inconsistent behavior when using the floating keyboard
- Handwriting recognition not working as expected
- Exported PDFs losing formatting and background colors

**Requested features**

- Ruler tool
- Ability to resize/rotate selections
- Improved text editing and formatting
- Presentation mode for connecting to displays
- Ability to import/export multiple files at once


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Is Element Note free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notebook or Element Note?

Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Element Note averages 4.6 from 2.6K ratings.

### Do Notebook or Element Note have ads?

Neither Notebook nor Element Note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notebook or Element Note?

Notebook ships an update every 6 days, and Element Note fortnightly. Most recently, Notebook was updated on October 27, 2026 and Element Note on October 27, 2026.

---

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