Notein vs Samsung Notes
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Notein
Handwriting notes, PDF markup and linked notes for Android tablets
Free plan · from $5.99
Samsung Notes
Samsung's free note app for Galaxy phones, tablets and Galaxy Book
Free
Where they differ
- Notein starts at $5.99 per in-app item on the US listing (Orion Notes); billing basis not shown. Samsung Notes is free.
- Only Samsung Notes lists a Windows app.
- Notein also covers linked notes and whiteboard.
In commonFree planAndroidAI featuresNotesTemplates
At a glance
| Notein | Samsung Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $5.99 per in-app item on the US listing (Orion Notes); billing basis not shown | Free |
| Free plan | Core features are free with a limit of up to 3 notebooks, including all handwriting tools, editor features, page management and document organization. | 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 | The help center says all VIP plans include a free trial period; its length is not stated. | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Orion Studio Pte. Ltd. | Samsung Electronics |
| Price read from | play.google.com | apps.microsoft.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Notein
- Android tablet and stylus users who want handwritten notes
- Students annotating PDFs and slides while recording lectures
- Building linked notes into a personal knowledge base
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
Notein
- The free tier stops at 3 notebooks; unlimited notebooks, AI features and cloud sync need VIP.
- Android only, and not listed on the US Play Store: US users are sent to a separate app, Orion Notes, and must export and re-import their notes.
- No price list is published. Billing runs through Google Play, and the US Orion Notes listing shows $5.99 per item without a billing period.
- The Play listing says the AI features are available in select regions only.
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
Notein
- Infinite canvas and A4 notes
- Two paper sizes: an infinite canvas for freeform sketching and A4 pages, with auto-shape, 3D shapes, color sets and a template library.
- PDF and document annotation
- Imports PDFs, images, Word and PowerPoint files to highlight, comment and draw on, with merge and split, an in-app split screen, dictionary lookup and translation.
- Bidirectional links
- Links connect notes and pages in both directions across all Notein documents, for study guides, planners or a personal knowledge base.
- Layers
- Handwriting, shapes and highlights can sit on separate layers, so part of a page can be revised without erasing the rest.
- Audio-synced notes
- Records a lecture or meeting while writing. Tapping handwriting jumps to that moment in the recording, with speed control, silence skipping and looping.
- Sync and backup
- Notebooks sync through Google Drive or OneDrive, with automatic and local backups. Cloud sync is part of the VIP plan.
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
Notein
Free$0
Up to 3 notebooks with all handwriting tools, editor features, page management and document organization.
VIP$5.99
per in-app item on Google Play (US); billing basis not shown
Unlimited notebooks, AI features and cloud sync, offered monthly, yearly or as a lifetime purchase. The US listing, named Orion Notes, shows a single in-app price.
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
Notein
- Lifetime license
VIP as a lifetime purchase
Notein's help center lists a Lifetime option beside the monthly and yearly VIP plans: a one-time payment with no recurring charges. It does not state the price.
Samsung Notes
No public discounts listed.
