Flexcil vs Notes Writer
We give Flexcil and Notes Writer the same GPA: 3.0 out of 4.0. They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Flexcil
PDF reader and handwriting notebook built around pen gestures
Notes Writer
Handwriting, PDF annotation and document editing in one Apple app
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAFlexcilVery good | 3.0GPANotes WriterVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BThe US App Store lists Premium at $8.99 and Flexcil Standard at $9.99, with no word on whether that's once or recurring, or what each one unlocks. The sums are small. But we can't call it a bargain when the listing can't say what you get. | BLifetime Pro Full Unlock is $14.99 once on the US App Store, which is small money next to a typical $5.99 a month. But the site doesn't itemise what Pro adds, so it gets the grade we give when a listing can't say. Give the $1.99 Weekly a miss: that's over $100 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree to download on the App Store and Google Play, with advertising. But neither the site nor the store listings say which features need Standard or Premium, so there's no telling how far free takes you. | BIt's a free download, and the site calls Pro, Lifetime Pro and the AI options optional upgrades. What it doesn't do is list what the free version leaves out. So we can't tell you where free stops. |
| Features | APen gestures that highlight and capture text or images into a notebook, links from each excerpt back to its source, PDF merging and page editing, audio that replays when you tap a note, and a masking pen that hides answers and counts right and wrong ones. | AApple Pencil handwriting, PDF markup with form filling, redaction and measuring to scale, and editors for DOCX, RTF, Markdown and LaTeX. It records lectures with searchable transcripts, organises a subject in a tree-style binder, and runs Python in Math Notebooks. |
| Ease of use | B4.44 from about 410 App Store ratings. The notebook sits over the PDF, so reading and writing share one screen. The gestures are the thing to learn, and the whole app hangs on them. | B4.5 from about 7,300 App Store ratings, which lands in our B band. With this many kinds of document in one app, expect to spend a while finding your way around. |
| Platforms and integrations | CiPad, iPhone and Android only. The browser version is a web viewer, not the full app, and there's nothing for Mac or Windows. It does connect to Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, iCloud and OneDrive, plus Google Classroom and Zoom. | CiPad, iPhone and Apple silicon Macs, where it runs as the iPad app. It works with iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive. No Android, Windows or web version is offered. |
| Best for | studying from PDFs with a pen | handwriting, PDFs and real documents in one iPad app |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Flexcil and Notes Writer. How we grade
Where they differ
- Flexcil starts at $8.99 (Premium) or $9.99 (Flexcil Standard) on the US App Store; basis not shown. Notes Writer starts at $1.99 per week; Lifetime Pro Full Unlock is $14.99 one-time.
- Only Flexcil lists an Android app.
- Only Notes Writer lists a macOS app.
- Notes Writer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Flexcil also covers templates.
- Notes Writer also covers Markdown, whiteboard, documents and long-form writing.
At a glance
| Flexcil | Notes Writer | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $8.99 (Premium) or $9.99 (Flexcil Standard) on the US App Store; basis not shown | $1.99 per week; Lifetime Pro Full Unlock is $14.99 one-time |
| Free plan | Free to download on the App Store and Google Play, with advertising. The site and store listings do not say which features need Flexcil Standard or Premium. | Free to download, with optional in-app purchases for Pro and AI-inclusive options. The site does not list what the free download leaves out. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Flexcil Inc. | Kairoos Solutions |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
Notes Writer
- Students who record lectures and annotate course PDFs on an iPad
- Writers and researchers drafting in Word, Markdown or LaTeX beside their notes
- People who want a one-time Pro unlock in place of a subscription
Worth knowing
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.
Notes Writer
- The site publishes no prices. The US App Store lists Notes Writer Unlock All and AI at $3.99 and $14.99 without a billing period.
- On a Mac it runs as the iPad app and needs Apple silicon; no Android, Windows or web version is offered.
- The AI Assistant is optional, needs an internet connection, and its included usage depends on the plan.
- A separate paid app, Notes Writer Pro: Beyond PDFs, is listed at $14.99 on the US App Store with its own AI Assistant add-on at $3.99.
Key features
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.
Notes Writer
- Handwriting with Apple Pencil
- Pens, pencils, fountain pens, markers and watercolor tools with an eraser, lasso and ruler, plus shapes, typed text and images alongside handwriting.
- PDF annotation
- Highlights, ink, comments, signatures and audio on PDFs, with form filling, page organization, text redaction in supported PDFs and measurement of distance and area to scale.
- Document editors
- Creates and edits DOCX, RTF, Markdown, LaTeX and plain text documents. LaTeX compiles to a typeset PDF with a preview beside the source.
- Voice notes with transcripts
- Records lectures, interviews or meetings, generates transcripts that can be searched, and attaches recordings to PDF notes and whiteboards.
- Study Projects
- A tree-like Binder organizes subjects, sources and drafts, a Corkboard plans sections, and selected parts compile into a finished document or ebook.
- Math Notebooks and charts
- Math Notebooks mix explanations and calculations with Python cells and plot output, and Chart documents turn a data table into column, line, pie or scatter charts.
Plans
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.
Notes Writer
Free$0
The free download. The site describes Pro, Lifetime Pro and AI-inclusive options as optional upgrades without listing the free limits.
Weekly$1.99
per week, as labelled on the US App Store
An in-app subscription listed only as Weekly; the listing does not say which upgrade it covers.
Notes Writer Unlock All and AI$3.99 - $14.99
per item on the US App Store; billing basis not shown
Listed twice, at $3.99 and $14.99, with no period for either. The site says included AI usage depends on the plan.
Lifetime Pro Full Unlock$14.99
one-time in-app purchase on the US App Store
One-time Pro unlock. The site presents Lifetime Pro and the AI-inclusive options as separate choices.
Ways to pay less
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.
Notes Writer
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Pro as a one-time purchase
The site lists a Lifetime Pro option among its in-app upgrades, and the US App Store shows Lifetime Pro Full Unlock at $14.99.
