Flexcil vs Kilonotes

Flexcil

• Students who study from PDF textbooks and lecture slides
• Readers who collect excerpts from several documents into one notebook
• K-12 schools, which can apply for free licenses

Kilonotes

• Students taking handwritten lecture notes on an iPad or Android tablet
• Annotating lecture slides and PDFs with a stylus
• People who want AI summaries and practice questions built from their notes

Flexcil

• No pricing page is published. The US App Store lists Flexcil Standard at $9.99 and Premium at $8.99 without saying whether either is one-time or recurring.
• Native apps are offered for iOS and Android only. The browser version is titled Flexcil Web Viewer, and the terms describe it as a web viewer.
• Google Play's US listing shows only a range of $2.49 to $31.99 per item, so Android prices may differ from the App Store's.
• The free download carries advertising, and its feature limits are not stated on the site or the App Store listing.

Kilonotes

• The free version stops at 5 notebooks, and AI use beyond the trial allowance requires buying AI credits.
• The website names Free, Premium and AI Member plans without prices; prices appear only as in-app purchases in the app stores.
• No Windows or web app is offered. On a Mac it runs as the iPad app, which the App Store marks as not verified for macOS.
• Google Play's US listing shows only a range of $0.49 to $24.99 per item, so Android prices may differ from the App Store's.

Flexcil

Pen gestures for PDF markup

A pen gesture highlights or underlines text, and the same kind of gesture captures text or images from a PDF into a notebook in two steps.

Notebook beside the document

A handwritten notebook sits over the PDF so reading, annotating and note-taking share one screen, and a popup viewer shows a second source while writing.

Reference links

Content captured into a notebook is linked back to its place in the original document, which keeps material from several PDFs connected.

PDF editing and page views

Merges PDFs and edits pages, outlines and bookmarks, with single-page, 2-page and 4-page views for reading.

Audio recording and note replay

Recordings are synced with handwriting, so tapping a note plays back what was being said when it was written.

Cloud sync and masking pen

Handwritten notes sync automatically between tablet and phone. A masking pen hides content for memorization and counts correct and incorrect answers.

Kilonotes

Stylus handwriting

Pressure sensitivity, palm rejection and low-latency ink with Apple Pencil, Samsung S Pen and other styluses, on pages that scroll continuously or use set page sizes.

Handwriting to text and search

Handwriting converts to editable text in a chosen font, with math equations recognized, and handwritten content is indexed so it can be searched across notebooks.

PDF annotation

PDF, PowerPoint, Word and image files import for handwriting, highlights and typed text, with PDF search, outline navigation and translation while reading.

Audio recording and AI recap

Lectures can be recorded in the app. AI transcribes them and produces summaries, outlines and mind maps from recordings, handwriting and PDFs.

AI chat and practice questions

AI answers questions about a selected section of notes and generates practice questions, flashcards and quizzes. Free users get trial uses; after that AI credits are bought.

Custom fonts and templates

Notebooks can use custom fonts, covers, stickers and paper templates such as dot grid, square grid and Cornell. The site lists custom fonts under the paid version.

Flexcil

• Free$0

  The free download, which the App Store notes contains advertising. Its limits are not listed on the site or the store listing.

• Premium$8.99

  billing basis not shown on the US App Store listing

  Listed as an in-app purchase without a description. Flexcil's terms name Flexcil Premium as its paid service.

• Flexcil Standard$9.99

  billing basis not shown on the US App Store listing

  Listed as an in-app purchase without a description of what it unlocks.

• Bundles and planner content$11.99 - $14.99

  per item on the US App Store; basis not shown

  Standard or Premium bundled with planner or toolbar skin packs at $12.99 to $14.99, and planner content sold separately at $11.99 to $13.99.

Kilonotes

• Free$0

  5 notebooks and basic AI, according to the site. The App Store listing notes that the app contains advertising.

• Monthly Subscription$1.99

  per month, as labelled on the US App Store

  The listing says subscribing unlocks advanced content. It does not say whether this is the site's Premium or AI Member plan.

• Quarterly Plan$4.99

  per quarter, as labelled on the US App Store

  Three-month in-app subscription, listed without a description of what it includes.

• Annual Plan$9.99

  per year, as labelled on the US App Store

  Yearly in-app subscription, listed without a description of what it includes.

• Lifetime Access$19.99

  one-time in-app purchase on the US App Store

  One-time purchase listed beside the subscriptions. The site says the paid version unlocks unlimited notebooks, custom fonts and exclusive page styles.

• AI and cloud add-ons$0.99 - $9.99

  per item on the US App Store; AI items show no period

  AIChat $5.99 and AI Points Products $1.99; cloud space $0.99 monthly or $9.99 annually; paid notebooks $0.99 and $2.99.

Flexcil

• Education

  Free licenses for K-12 schools

  K-12 schools can apply for free licenses with an institutional email domain. Flexcil says universities, private education and individual requests may not be granted them.

Kilonotes

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime Access as a one-time purchase

  The US App Store lists a Lifetime Access in-app purchase at $19.99 next to the monthly, quarterly and annual subscriptions.