Noteshelf vs Supernote (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Noteshelf grades higher than Supernote: 2.8 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Noteshelf grades higher on value for money, the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Noteshelf
Handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation for stylus devices
Supernote
E Ink handwriting tablets with companion mobile and desktop apps
Which one is for you
Pick Noteshelf if
- Fits if you take handwritten notes with a stylus on an Android tablet or a Windows device
- Works for marking up PDFs, slides and scanned paper, paid for once
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free, because you get 3 notebooks and no handwriting search
- Skip it if you need the same notebooks on an iPad and an Android phone, as nothing describes sync between them
- Pricey if you take the Weekly plan on Apple, at $7.99 a week against $14.99 once for Lifetime
- Watch out: the App Store shows yearly Premium prices from $19.99 to $49.99, so what you're offered may vary
- Not for you if you want to open notes in a browser, as there's no web version
Pick Supernote if
- Fits if you want to write by hand and keep the notes without paying a subscription
- Works for people who read and mark up documents on a paper-like screen
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you only want to take notes: $359 for the tablet, and pens and folios cost extra
- Not for you if you want to try the product first, as there is no trial and only a 30-day return window
- Watch out: no price is given for Supernote Cloud or the partner apps
- Too light for typed notes, search and team sharing, since the device is built for handwriting
How we grade them
| 2.8GPANoteshelfGood | 1.8GPASupernoteWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APay once: $7.99 on Windows, $9.99 for Premium on Android, $14.99 Lifetime on the US App Store. A year of the middle note app here costs $72, at $6 a month, so any of those is a fraction of one year. Steer clear of Apple's Weekly at $7.99 and Monthly at $9.99. | C$359 for the Nomad and $505 for the Manta, bought once, with no subscription listed. It is hardware, so it sits next to other tablets like reMarkable at $399, not next to note apps. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree gives you 3 notebooks with unlimited pages, hundreds of templates and 30 AI credits a month, going by the Android page. Three notebooks is a wall you'll hit in a term, and handwriting recognition and search are held back for Premium. | FNothing is free: you pay for the tablet. A 30-day return window is not a trial. |
| Features | CThe handwriting side is full: pens, shape tidying, a zoom box, PDF and slide markup, a scanner, audio recording, recognition in 65 languages, 200+ templates. But the listing names a gap in the bit that matters most, sync: iCloud on Apple, Google Drive on Android, nothing on record about moving notes between them. | CE Ink writing, handwriting recognition, a custom Android-based system, microSD up to 2 TB and companion apps. Pens and folios are sold separately, and this is for handwriting more than for typed notes. |
| Ease of use | B4.56 from about 6,800 App Store ratings, which is in our B band and short of the 4.7 an A wants. Buying it is the fiddly part: the App Store shows several yearly prices from $19.99 to $49.99, so what you're offered in the app may vary. | CNo store rating on record. A device to set up and pair with an account, then learn its own system. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiPad, iPhone, Mac, Android and Windows, with backup to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or WebDAV. No browser version at all, though, and an A here wants the web alongside the apps. | BCompanion apps for Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, plus Supernote Cloud. No API or wider integration list is shown. |
| Best for | handwritten notes on Android or Windows, bought once | handwriting on an E Ink tablet with no subscription |
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: Noteshelf and Supernote. How we grade
Where they differ
- Noteshelf also covers templates.
At a glance
| Noteshelf | Supernote | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | $7.99 one-time on Windows; Premium is $9.99 one-time on Android | $359 one-time (Supernote Nomad) |
| Free plan | Free: 3 notebooks with unlimited pages, hundreds of templates and Noteshelf AI with 30 monthly credits, as listed for Noteshelf 3 on Android. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd. | Supernote |
| Price read from | noteshelf.net | supernote.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Noteshelf
- The Free tier is limited to 3 notebooks, and handwriting recognition and search require Premium.
- Pricing differs by platform: $7.99 on the Microsoft Store, a $9.99 one-time upgrade on Android, and subscriptions or a lifetime purchase on the App Store.
- The App Store shows several yearly Premium prices between $19.99 and $49.99, so the price offered inside the app may vary.
- Sync uses iCloud on Apple devices and Google Drive on Android; the listings do not describe syncing between the two.
Supernote
- Hardware purchase only: the price is for the tablet, and pens and folios are sold separately.
- Pages we read give no price for Supernote Cloud or the partner apps.
- The site lists a 30-day return window and a 2-year warranty, with conditions in its policy.
Key features
Noteshelf
- Handwritten notes
- Write with pens and highlighters modeled on real ones, turn rough strokes into clean shapes, and use a zoom box for precise writing.
- Handwriting recognition
- Converts handwriting to text and searches handwritten notes in 65 languages. Recognition and search are part of Premium.
- PDF and document annotation
- Import PDFs, documents, slides and images, then highlight, underline and write on them. A built-in scanner digitizes paper documents.
- Audio recording
- Record lectures or meetings while taking notes and replay them later. The Apple version can also record from an Apple Watch.
- Noteshelf AI
- Generates handwritten notes on a topic, summarizes pages, translates text and explains terms, drawing on a monthly allowance of AI credits.
- Sync and backup
- iCloud sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac, Google Drive sync between Android devices, and automatic backup to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or WebDAV.
Supernote
- E Ink writing surface
- The Nomad has a 7.8-inch glass screen and the Manta a 10.7-inch flexible one, both with a frontlight.
- Handwriting recognition
- The Nomad's spec sheet lists handwriting recognition in more than 60 languages.
- Custom Android-based system
- Devices run Chauvet, an Android 11-based system built for writing, with expandable storage through a microSD card.
- Companion apps and cloud
- Partner apps for iOS, Android, macOS and Windows and Supernote Cloud are listed for moving notes off the device.
- Repairable Nomad
- The Nomad is designed so the battery, motherboard and microSD card can be replaced by the owner.
Plans
Noteshelf
Free$0
3 notebooks with unlimited pages, hundreds of templates and Noteshelf AI for text with 30 monthly credits.
Noteshelf for Windows$7.99
one-time purchase on the Microsoft Store
The Windows app for stylus devices, with handwritten and typed notes, audio recording, PDF annotation and handwriting search.
Premium (Android)$9.99
one-time purchase; local pricing may apply
Unlimited notebooks, configurable digital diaries, handwriting recognition and search, and 100 monthly AI credits.
Premium (iPhone, iPad and Mac)$7.99 to $49.99
in-app purchase: weekly, monthly, yearly or lifetime
The US App Store lists Weekly at $7.99, Monthly at $9.99, Yearly at prices from $19.99 to $49.99, and a Lifetime purchase at $14.99.
Supernote
Supernote Nomad$359
one-time purchase
7.8-inch glass E Ink tablet with frontlight, microSD slot up to 2 TB and a replaceable battery.
Supernote Manta$505
one-time purchase
10.7-inch flexible E Ink tablet with frontlight and a microSD slot up to 2 TB.
Ways to pay less
Noteshelf
- Lifetime license
One-time Premium purchase
Premium is a one-time $9.99 fee on Android, and the US App Store lists a Lifetime Premium in-app purchase at $14.99 next to its subscriptions.
- Education
Reduced prices for schools and businesses
Noteshelf 3 is offered to schools and businesses at reduced prices through Apple School Manager and Apple Business Manager.
- Other savings
30% off Premium for Samsung Galaxy users
The Android page advertises 30% off the Premium upgrade as an offer exclusive to Samsung Galaxy users.
Supernote
- Education
Student and teacher discounts
The site menu lists student, teacher, military and first-responder discounts; the amounts are on the linked pages.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Noteshelf or Supernote?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Noteshelf starts at $7.99 one-time on Windows; Premium is $9.99 one-time on Android, and Supernote starts at $359 one-time (Supernote Nomad).
Which has a free plan, Noteshelf or Supernote?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Noteshelf has a free plan. Supernote does not.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.