1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. Notes Free Handwritten

Best Notes Free Handwritten Apps

214+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.6 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated July 2026

Paintwork is the household name in notes free handwritten, but it's far from the only option. We track 214+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Compare top Notes Free Handwritten Apps (July 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Paintwork - Infinite NotebookPaintwork - Infinite NotebookFree4.6★ (17K)NoYesAug 2026
2Noteful: Notes & PDF MarkupNoteful: Notes & PDF MarkupFree4.8★ (23K)NoYesAug 2026
3Kilonotes-Notes & Mark up PDFKilonotes-Notes & Mark up PDFFree4.6★ (4.9K)YesYesAug 2026
4Saber: Handwritten NotesSaber: Handwritten NotesFree4.0★ (21)NoNoJul 2026
5StarNote: Handwritten NotesStarNote: Handwritten NotesFree4.6★ (58)NoYesAug 2026
6Notepad: Easy Notes & MemosNotepad: Easy Notes & MemosFree4.8★ (27K)YesYesAug 2026
7Freenotes®: AI Notes TakingFreenotes®: AI Notes TakingFree4.7★ (56K)NoYesAug 2026
8Handwriting To Text RecognizerHandwriting To Text RecognizerFree4.6★ (3.6K)YesYesAug 2026

Top Picks for Notes Free Handwritten

Paintwork - Infinite Notebook#1

Paintwork - Infinite Notebook by 伟典 苏

Painting and Handwritten notes
Editor's Choice
📊 Productivity
4.6😐(17K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Paintwork - Infinite Notebook screenshot 1
Paintwork - Infinite Notebook screenshot 2
Paintwork - Infinite Notebook screenshot 3
Paintwork - Infinite Notebook screenshot 4
Paintwork - Infinite Notebook screenshot 5
Paintwork - Infinite Notebook screenshot 6

Create handwritten notes, diaries, and drawings with a vast array of tools. Features include customizable brushes, vector graphics, a rich color palette, and image import. Export your creations as PDFs or images.

What We Love

  • 🎨 Vast selection of brushes and tools
  • 💻 Works well on various devices
  • 🎨 Allows for creative expression
  • 💰 Free to use with no paywall

Room to Improve

  • 🔒 Certain features locked behind paywall
  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches causing crashes or data loss
  • 🎨 Limited color palette and blending options
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup#2

Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup by Noteful Technologies Ltd

Highlight. Write. Learn.
Strong Contender
📊 Productivity
4.8😊(23K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 1
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 2
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 3
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 4
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 5
Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup screenshot 6

This app revolutionizes paperless note-taking on iPad, allowing for handwritten notes, document annotation, and knowledge organization. It offers a fluid writing experience, PDF markup, powerful tagging, and audio recording synced with notes.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Smooth writing experience
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 💡 Layers feature
  • 👍 Affordable one-time purchase

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
  • 🔍 No handwriting recognition or search
  • 🔍 Limited text editing options
Kilonotes-Notes & Mark up PDF#3

Kilonotes-Notes & Mark up PDF by Hefei T-Stack Information Technology Co., Ltd.

Handwritten Notes, PDF Editing
Worth Considering
📊 Productivity
4.6😊(4.9K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
Kilonotes-Notes & Mark up PDF screenshot 1
Kilonotes-Notes & Mark up PDF screenshot 2
Kilonotes-Notes & Mark up PDF screenshot 3
Kilonotes-Notes & Mark up PDF screenshot 4

This app offers a digital notebook experience for handwritten notes, PDF annotation, and study organization. It features freehand drawing, text extraction, AI assistance for learning, and customizable templates to enhance productivity and learning.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Affordable
  • 🚀 Lots of free features
  • 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
  • 👍 Customizable notebooks and pages

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🐛 Syncing and backup issues
  • 🔒 Lack of password protection or privacy features

More Notes Free Handwritten apps to explore

4
Saber: Handwritten Notes
Saber: Handwritten Notes
Saber: Handwritten Notes
The app built for handwriting
Free

Capture and organize your thoughts with a digital handwriting app designed for intuitive use. Features include dark mode inversion for eye comfort, advanced highlighter capabilities, and robust folder organization. Secure your notes with a dual-password system and enjoy seamless syncing across all your devices.

Intuitive handwriting interfaceDark mode inversion for eye comfortAdvanced multi-line equation highlighting
📊 Productivity
(21)
free
5
StarNote: Handwritten Notes
StarNote: Handwritten Notes
StarNote: Handwritten Notes
PDF Markup & Digital Planner
Free

This app offers a realistic pen-on-paper handwriting experience on tablets with an infinite canvas for notes and sketches. It includes advanced layering, PDF annotation, and a robust organizer for efficient digital note-taking and planning.

Realistic low-latency handwritingInfinite canvas for unlimited spaceLayered design for complex projects
📊 Productivity
(58)
paid
6
Notepad: Easy Notes & Memos
Notepad: Easy Notes & Memos
Notepad: Easy Notes & Memos
Simple Notebook & Writing Pad
Free

Capture thoughts, create to-do lists, and organize ideas with a versatile digital notebook. Supports handwriting, text notes, and secure cloud syncing. Personalize your experience with custom themes and icons.

Create to-do lists with checkboxesUnlimited text notesHandwritten notes with Apple Pencil
📊 Productivity
(27K)
free with in-app purchases
7
Freenotes®: AI Notes Taking
Freenotes®: AI Notes Taking
Freenotes®: AI Notes Taking
Docs PDF Memo Planner Pencil
Free

This AI-powered digital notepad transforms your device into an intelligent workspace. It offers handwriting recognition, PDF annotation, and AI assistance for summarizing documents, answering questions, and aiding in study. Organize notes, sketch ideas, and sync across devices for a seamless paperless experience.

AI Summaries and Chat with PDFsAI Homework and Study HelperHandwritten Note Organization
📊 Productivity
(56K)
free with in-app purchases
8
Handwriting To Text Recognizer
Handwriting To Text Recognizer
Handwriting To Text Recognizer
Best Handwritten Notes Reader
Free

Effortlessly convert handwritten notes and documents into editable digital text. This app uses advanced OCR technology to recognize text from images, supporting multiple languages. Convert your physical notes to digital format with a single click.

Handwritten note recognitionOptical Character Recognition (OCR)Multiple language support
📚 Education
(3.6K)
freemium
9
Blue Sketch - Handwritten note
Blue Sketch - Handwritten note
Blue Sketch - Handwritten note
Sketch your idea!
Free

This app allows you to quickly sketch and write ideas freely on a blue canvas. It offers essential drawing tools, page management, and sharing options. Focus on your creativity with a minimalist interface and robust organizational features.

Handwritten note-takingDrawing tools (pen, line, shapes)Undo/Redo functionality
📊 Productivity
(327)
free with in-app purchases
10
Hand Written Love Notes
Hand Written Love Notes
Hand Written Love Notes
Hand Written Notes and Memes
Free

Create personalized handwritten notes and custom memes to share with loved ones. Write messages in over 100 colors, add text and emojis, and use zoom and pan for precise control. Easily send your unique creations digitally.

Handwritten message creationOver 100 color optionsAdd text and emojis
🌟 Lifestyle
(15)
ad-supported
11
Handwritten Idea Notes
Handwritten Idea Notes
Handwritten Idea Notes
Jot down ideas quickly !
Free
$6.99 | 100% OFF

Quickly capture your thoughts with this handwriting-focused note-taking app. Easily create new pages and organize your notes, with support for Apple Pencil. Export your collected images to cloud services for easy access.

Quickly jot down ideasCreate new pages easilyOrganize notes in folders
📊 Productivity
(70)
free with in-app purchases
12
Share Handwritten Notes
Share Handwritten Notes
Share Handwritten Notes
4 pages, 4 colors, line weight
Free

Easily create and share handwritten notes with multiple pages and color options. Customize line thickness for your writing style and save your creations to files.

Handwritten memo creationMultiple page supportFour color options
🔧 Utilities
(3)
ad-supported
13
Handwritten Notes Widget, Draw
Handwritten Notes Widget, Draw
Handwritten Notes Widget, Draw
Drawing, Paint, Sketch, Doodle
Free

Create and display handwritten notes, drawings, and sketches directly on your iOS home screen. This app offers a suite of free drawing tools, including customizable pens, an eraser, and undo/redo functionality. Save unlimited notes, organize them into folders, and share your creations easily.

iOS 14 home screen widgetsFree drawing and sketching toolsApple Pencil compatibility
🎨 Graphics & Design
(54)
free with in-app purchases
14
PocketJot - Handwritten Notes
PocketJot - Handwritten Notes
PocketJot - Handwritten Notes
Your freehand notepad
Free

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a portable notebook for quick, fun note-taking. Draw with your finger or Apple Pencil, organize notes into sections, and set reminders. Share and sync notes across devices via iCloud.

Handwritten note-takingApple Pencil supportNote organization by sections
📊 Productivity
(50)
free with in-app purchases
15
Pocket Note - Handwritten note
Pocket Note - Handwritten note
Pocket Note - Handwritten note
Notepad for handwriting
Free

Transform your device into a powerful business notepad. Quickly capture ideas with handwriting, typing, and rich media. Organize notes into groups and export them as images or PDFs for easy sharing and printing.

Handwritten and typed inputCustomizable pen sizes and colorsPaste photos and maps
📊 Productivity
(14)
free with in-app purchases
16
Handwritten Notes | Handy note
Handwritten Notes | Handy note
Handwritten Notes | Handy note
Make a quick handwritten note.
Free
💼 Business
(0)
17
Simple Handwritten Note
Simple Handwritten Note
Simple Handwritten Note
Drawing Memo
Free

This app allows users to jot down notes and sketches using a black pen. It functions as a simple memo pad or notebook for quickly capturing ideas or communicating through writing. The core features include writing, erasing, and saving.

Handwritten note-takingDrawing and sketchingMemo pad functionality
🎨 Graphics & Design
(1)
ad-supported
18
OrigNotes
OrigNotes
OrigNotes
Easy to take notes
Free

Create, organize, and manage high-quality handwritten notes with ease. Supports handwriting, drawing, image insertion, and PDF annotation. Stay organized and productive for study, work, or daily ideas.

Handwritten notes and drawingImage insertion and PDF annotationOrganize and search documents
📊 Productivity
(275)
free
19
Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF
Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF
Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF
Note taking, Planner & Journal
Free

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.

AI-powered transcription and summarizationInfinite whiteboard canvasDigital notebooks with customizable templates
📊 Productivity
(438K)
free with in-app purchases
20
OpenNotes: Notes & PDF Markup
OpenNotes: Notes & PDF Markup
OpenNotes: Notes & PDF Markup
by BuilderPro LLC
Free
📊 Productivity
(0)

FAQ about Notes Free Handwritten

What are the best notes free handwritten apps for iPhone?
Paintwork - Infinite Notebook tops our notes free handwritten apps ranking as of July 2026, with a 4.6-star average from 17K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Paintwork - Infinite Notebook has no ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of July 2026.
We track 214+ notes free handwritten apps on the iOS App Store as of July 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
Paintwork allows you to create handwritten notes, diaries, and hand-drawn images. You can use a wide variety of customizable brushes and vector graphics tools to express your ideas. It also supports importing images, has a calculator, and can scan documents.
Key features include a vast brush list with customizable effects, a comprehensive set of vector graphics tools, a rich color palette, the ability to copy/cut content, import images, and handwriting assistance. You can also export your work as PDF or image files.