MyScript Notes vs Samsung Notes
We give MyScript Notes a 3.6 GPA and Samsung Notes a 3.4, out of 4.0. MyScript Notes grades higher on ease of use and platforms. Samsung Notes grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MyScript Notes
Handwriting notes app that converts pen strokes to typed text
Free plan · from $1.99
Samsung Notes
Samsung's free note app for Galaxy phones, tablets and Galaxy Book
Free
How we grade them
| 3.6GPAMyScript NotesExcellent | 3.4GPASamsung NotesVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFull Access shows on the US App Store at $1.99, $7.99 and $29.99, for monthly, yearly and lifetime, though the store doesn't say which is which. Even the dearest is less than half a year of the $5.99 a month this category typically charges. One purchase covers up to 10 devices. | AIt's free. The Microsoft Store lists the Windows app as a free download and Google Play shows no price. One small flag: Samsung says basic Galaxy AI features are free, while enhanced ones may carry fees. |
| Free plan and trial | BThere's a free version, but notebooks stop at five pages each and you get no cloud sync and no AI. Fine for a look around. A 7-day trial comes with the monthly and yearly subscriptions. | AThe full app costs nothing on Galaxy phones, tablets and Galaxy Book PCs, with sync through Samsung Cloud included. You do need a Samsung account for sync and for locking a note. |
| Features | AHandwriting to typed text in 66 languages, and you edit with the pen: scratch out to erase, underline to emphasise. It solves simple handwritten sums, copies math out as LaTeX and turns sketched diagrams into shapes you can still edit in PowerPoint. Paid plans add AI summaries and quizzes. | ATyped text, handwriting you can convert to text, PDFs you can write on, and recordings synced to the note, so playback follows what you wrote in the lecture. Folders, page templates, locked notes and export to PDF, Word or PowerPoint too. Up to 10 people can edit one note, though Samsung still labels that beta. |
| Ease of use | A4.7 from about 39,000 App Store ratings. Editing with pen gestures in place of menus is the whole idea, so there's a little to pick up at the start. | BNo rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Sign in with a Samsung account and notes sync between your devices. On select Galaxy devices, Note Assist tidies the formatting and fixes the spelling for you. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiPad, iPhone and Android are where it lives, with sync through iCloud, Google Drive or Dropbox on paid plans. On Windows it's still the old Nebo app, a separate purchase that syncs but gets no new features. There's no web version. | CGalaxy phones and tablets, plus a Windows app made for Galaxy Book PCs. Samsung says other Windows computers may have issues running it. No iPhone, Mac or web version is listed, and OneNote sync isn't available on devices running One UI 9. |
| Best for | turning handwriting into typed text | free notes and S Pen handwriting on a Galaxy |
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: MyScript Notes and Samsung Notes. How we grade
Where they differ
- MyScript Notes starts at $1.99 on the US App Store; billing period not labeled. Samsung Notes is free.
- Only MyScript Notes lists iOS and macOS apps.
- MyScript Notes can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- MyScript Notes also covers whiteboard and diagrams.
- Samsung Notes also covers templates.
In commonFree planAndroidWindowsAI featuresNotes
At a glance
| MyScript Notes | Samsung Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $1.99 on the US App Store; billing period not labeled | Free |
| Free plan | Free version with limited features: notebooks of up to five pages each, without cloud sync or AI features. | The Microsoft Store lists the Windows app as a free download and the Google Play listing shows no price. Samsung says basic Galaxy AI features are free, while enhanced AI features may carry fees. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial when starting a monthly or yearly subscription | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | MyScript | Samsung Electronics |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.microsoft.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
MyScript Notes
- Stylus users who want handwriting turned into typed text
- Students revising with AI summaries and quizzes
- Handwritten math, diagrams and PDF annotation
Samsung Notes
- Galaxy phone and tablet owners, especially those with an S Pen
- Recording a lecture or meeting while taking notes
- Marking up PDFs by hand on a Galaxy tablet
Worth knowing
MyScript Notes
- The free version limits notebooks to five pages each and leaves out cloud sync and AI features.
- It is sold only through the App Store and Google Play, and the vendor's own pricing page lists plan types without prices.
- On Windows the app is still Nebo: a separate Microsoft Store purchase that syncs with MyScript Notes but gets no new features.
- Family Sharing is not supported, because each user needs their own MyScript account.
Samsung Notes
- Samsung documents the app for Galaxy phones, tablets and Galaxy Book PCs; no iPhone, Mac or web version is listed.
- The Windows app is optimized for Galaxy Book models, and Samsung says other Windows computers may have issues running it.
- Syncing with Microsoft OneNote is not available on devices running One UI 9; notes sync through Samsung Cloud instead.
- Note Assist needs a supported Galaxy device, a Samsung account and an internet connection, and shared notes are still labeled beta.
Key features
MyScript Notes
- Handwriting recognition
- Recognizes handwriting in 66 languages and converts it to typed text. Search covers handwritten content, text in diagrams and PDF annotations.
- Pen gestures
- Edit with the pen instead of menus: scratch out to erase, underline to emphasize, and add or remove space between lines.
- Four note formats
- Notebooks with fixed-size pages, documents that reflow with the screen, boards on an expandable canvas, and imported PDFs for annotation.
- Math and diagrams
- Solves simple handwritten calculations, copies math as LaTeX or an image, and turns hand-drawn diagrams into shapes that stay editable in PowerPoint.
- Generative AI study tools
- Summarize notes, explain a selected term, turn a note into a quiz or chat with an assistant. AI study sets are on iOS, with Android to follow.
- Cloud sync and export
- Paid plans sync through iCloud (iOS only), Google Drive or Dropbox with a free MyScript account. Notes export as PDF, PNG, SVG or Word.
Samsung Notes
- S Pen handwriting
- Handwriting can be altered, moved and converted to text, using pens, fountain pens, pencils and highlighters in a range of colors and thicknesses.
- Voice recordings synced to notes
- A recording made while you type or write is synced to the note, so playback follows along with what you wrote during a lecture or meeting.
- PDF import and annotation
- PDFs can be imported, written on and annotated. Notes export as PDF, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, image or text files.
- Folders, page templates and locked notes
- Notes are organized into folders and subfolders, with page templates such as grids and lined paper. Individual notes can be locked, which requires a Samsung account.
- Shared notes
- Up to 10 people, including you, can edit the same note at the same time on Galaxy phones and tablets, invited from contacts or by link. Samsung labels the feature beta.
- Note Assist with Galaxy AI
- On select Galaxy phones and tablets running One UI 6.1 or later, Note Assist formats notes automatically, summarizes them, corrects spelling and translates them.
Plans
MyScript Notes
Free$0
A limited version with notebooks of up to five pages each and no cloud sync or AI features.
Full Access$1.99 to $29.99
monthly, yearly or lifetime; the listing does not say which is which
The US App Store lists three Full Access purchases at $1.99, $7.99 and $29.99. Paid plans add AI features and cloud sync, on up to 10 devices.
Samsung Notes
Free$0
The full app on Galaxy phones and tablets and on Galaxy Book PCs, with sync through Samsung Cloud using a Samsung account.
Ways to pay less
MyScript Notes
- Lifetime license
Lifetime purchase instead of a subscription
Next to the monthly and yearly subscriptions there is a one-time lifetime purchase with all future updates. One purchase covers up to 10 iOS and Android devices.
Samsung Notes
No public discounts listed.
