# Morpholio Journal vs Goodnotes

The clearest difference is update cadence: Goodnotes at weekly against Morpholio Journal's every 2 months. Goodnotes also leads on ratings volume (455K vs 763) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Morpholio Journal's advantage is review sentiment (49% vs 34%) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Morpholio Journal sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Goodnotes sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Goodnotes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Goodnotes has 455K ratings behind it against 763, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 49% of Morpholio Journal's written reviews are positive against 34% of Goodnotes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Morpholio Journal ships an update every 2 months, Goodnotes weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Morpholio Journal | Goodnotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (763 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/morpholio-journal-sketchbook/id997484300/reviews) | **[4.7 (455K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 763 | **455K** |
| Positive reviews | **48.6% of reviews** | 33.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#86** |
| Size | 54 MB | 794 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vectorworks, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/506706853) | [Goodnotes Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708570616) |

## What reviewers say

### Morpholio Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/morpholio-journal-sketchbook/id997484300)

This app is a digital sketchbook for creatives to write, sketch, and design anywhere. It offers a robust set of drawing tools, organizational features, and the ability to import and share ideas, making it ideal for capturing inspiration on the go.

**Highlights:** Sketch on paper, images, or notes, Variety of pens and brushes, Organize notes, events, and lists, Create and name multiple journals, Import from photos and camera, Share creations effortlessly

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Journal Pro Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Journal Pro Subscription | $3.99 | per year |
| Body Art | $0.99 | one-time |
| Architecture | $0.99 | one-time |
| Landscape | $0.99 | one-time |
| Comic Art | $0.99 | one-time |
| Illustration | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coloring | $0.99 | one-time |
| All Brushes | $2.99 | one-time |
| All Papers | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great sketching experience
- 👍 Beautiful journal-like layout
- 💡 Ability to add images and collage
- 👍 Variety of drawing tools and color palettes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Requires account creation
- 💰 Paid features like brushes
- 🐛 Stability issues and crashes
- 🔒 Privacy concerns around data usage

**Reported bugs**

- Deleted sketches and content loss
- Unreliable palm rejection
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit and rearrange text
- Sync journals across devices
- Export/print full journal
- More customization options


### Goodnotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goodnotes-ai-notes-docs-pdf/id1444383602)

**Currently charting:** #86 Top Grossing · Productivity, #115 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture ideas, enhance productivity, and unlock insights with advanced AI features. This app offers tools for professionals, students, and creatives, including infinite whiteboards, AI-powered transcription and summarization, and customizable digital notebooks.

**Highlights:** AI-powered transcription and summarization, Infinite whiteboard canvas, Digital notebooks with customizable templates, Study Sets for flashcards, Presentation mode with laser pointer, Real-time collaboration

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI Pass (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Goodnotes 6 (1 Year) | $9.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Essential (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Goodnotes Pro (Yearly) | $35.99 | per year |
| Bunny Oasis Stickers | Free | one-time |
| Medicine-Academia Sticker Shee | Free | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $1.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $6.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $8.99 | one-time |
| GoodNotes 5 Unlock | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $9.99 | one-time |
| Marketplace Content | $10.99 | one-time |
| Goodnotes 6 One-Time Payment | $28.99 | one-time |
| Special Edition | $35.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent note-taking experience
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🚀 Smooth writing with Apple Pencil
- 📁 Powerful organization with folders and notebooks
- 🖼️ Ability to annotate PDFs and documents

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🔍 Syncing and iCloud issues
- 🔍 Lack of flexibility with text input
- 🔍 Limited eraser and highlighting options
- 🔍 Subpar performance on Mac app

**Reported bugs**

- Text box issues - unable to edit, resize, or move properly
- Handwriting recognition problems, especially with cursive
- Unreliable scrolling and page navigation
- Inconsistent behavior when using the zoom feature

**Requested features**

- Add bullet point and formatting options for typed text
- Implement a full-screen writing mode
- Improve the straight line and shape tools
- Integrate audio recording and synchronization
- Allow more customization of the toolbar and interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Morpholio Journal free?

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

### Is Goodnotes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Morpholio Journal or Goodnotes?

Goodnotes is rated higher. Morpholio Journal averages 4.5 out of 5 from 763 ratings, while Goodnotes averages 4.7 from 455K ratings.

### Do Morpholio Journal or Goodnotes have ads?

Neither Morpholio Journal nor Goodnotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Morpholio Journal or Goodnotes?

Morpholio Journal ships an update every 2 months, and Goodnotes weekly. Most recently, Morpholio Journal was updated on September 15, 2026 and Goodnotes on September 24, 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.*