The Notes Writer Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Notes Writer in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Notes Writer
The Insider’s Guide
Handwriting, PDF annotation and document editing in one Apple app
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Notes Writer’s own pages.
Made by Kairoos Solutions · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Notes Writer’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Notes Writer’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
Notes Writer is a note-taking and document app for iPad, iPhone and Apple silicon Mac from Kairoos Solutions. It combines handwriting, PDF annotation and voice recording with editors for Word, RTF, Markdown and LaTeX documents, plus whiteboards, outlines, Math Notebooks that run Python and tree-structured Study Projects. The app is free to download, with Pro, Lifetime Pro and AI-inclusive upgrades sold as in-app purchases.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Notes Writer, taken from its own pages and our grades.
With this many kinds of document in one app, expect to spend a while finding your way around.
- 1
Best for handwriting, PDFs and real documents in one iPad app
Notes Writer is an iPad app that goes past handwriting and PDF markup into Word, Markdown and LaTeX editors, lecture transcripts and notebooks that run Python.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8.62 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $1.99 per week; Lifetime Pro Full Unlock is $14.99 one-time.
- 3
There is a free plan
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.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
iOS and macOS.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 72 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Notes Writer you could make: notes, documents, Markdown and long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Notes Writer at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $1.99 per week; Lifetime Pro Full Unlock is $14.99 one-time
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- Kairoos Solutions
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.5 on the App Store, 7,327 ratings
The report card
Best for handwriting, PDFs and real documents in one iPad app
Notes Writer is an iPad app that goes past handwriting and PDF markup into Word, Markdown and LaTeX editors, lecture transcripts and notebooks that run Python. A one-time $14.99 unlocks Pro. But the site publishes no prices and doesn't say what the free download leaves out, the store lists AI purchases with no billing period, the $1.99 Weekly plan comes to over $100 a year, and it's Apple only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Lifetime Pro Full Unlock is $14.99 once on the US App Store. A year of the middle note app here is $72, at $6 a month, so this is a fifth of that and paid once. The $1.99 Weekly comes to over $100 a year for the same app. |
| Free plan and trial | C | It's a free download, but the site never says what the free version leaves out, and Pro, Lifetime Pro and the AI options are all sold inside the app. So there are caps and you'll only find them by walking into one. |
| Features | A | Pencil handwriting and PDF markup with form filling, redaction and measuring to scale, as its rivals do. Then the parts GoodNotes, Notability and Noteshelf don't have: editors for DOCX, RTF, Markdown and LaTeX, searchable lecture transcripts, a tree-style binder and corkboard, and Math Notebooks that run Python. |
| Ease of use | C | 4.48 from about 7,300 App Store ratings, which is just under the 4.5 our B band starts at. With this many kinds of document in one app, expect to spend a while finding your way around. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Apple only: iPad, iPhone and Apple silicon Macs, where it runs as the iPad app. It reads from iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive, but there's no Android, Windows or web version. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Notes Writer is for
- Fits if you record lectures and mark up course PDFs on an iPad
- Works for drafting in Word, Markdown or LaTeX next to your handwritten notes
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to see what's free and what's paid before you install, as the site doesn't say
- Not for you if you use Android or Windows, because it's Apple devices only, and Macs need Apple silicon
- Pricey if you pick the Weekly option, at $1.99 a week against $14.99 once for Lifetime Pro
- Watch out: Unlock All and AI is listed at $3.99 and $14.99 with no period, and included AI usage depends on the plan
- Watch out: a separate $14.99 app, Notes Writer Pro: Beyond PDFs, has its own $3.99 AI add-on, so check which one you buy
Good to know
Good for
- 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
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8.62
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Notes Writer has a free plan. Paid plans start at $1.99 per week; Lifetime Pro Full Unlock is $14.99 one-time.
So there are caps and you'll only find them by walking into one.
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.
The free plan
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.
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on apps.apple.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Notes Writer Unlock All and AI”, against $3.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | Rp 54ribu | $3.02 | 24% less |
| South Africa | R49.99 | $3.02 | 24% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 190.00 | $3.02 | 24% less |
| Turkey | ₺149,00 | $3.03 | 24% less |
| Canada | $5.49 | $3.86 | about the same |
| United Kingdom | £2.99 | $3.95 | about the same |
| Australia | $5.90 | $4.12 | about the same |
| Germany | 3,99 € | $4.47 | 12% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
Handwriting, PDF annotation and document editing in one Apple app. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, AI features, notes, Markdown, whiteboard, documents, long-form writing.
Pencil handwriting and PDF markup with form filling, redaction and measuring to scale, as its rivals do.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- iCloud
- Dropbox
- OneDrive
- Google Drive
Notes Writer is made by Kairoos Solutions.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
72/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Notes Writer's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.
It stands best on features (A, above 135 of 147) and worst on ease of use (C, above 5).
Its paid plans start at $8.62 a month, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 56 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 24 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Notes Writer’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- CFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 147
- AFeaturesAbove 135 of 147
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 147
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 147
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Notes Writer is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Notes Writer you could make: notes, documents, Markdown and long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $103.48 a year.
What you could make
- Notes, documents, Markdown and long-form writing: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- An endless canvas that stays smooth with hundreds of things on it.
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- Hooks into the device itself: Apple Pencil and handwriting.
- The depth: we grade its features A, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Notes Writer’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Goodnotes, Notability, Noteshelf, ZoomNotes and Flexcil
The 5 tools Notes Writer is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.6GPA
Goodnotes
Free plan · from $11.99/yr
Handwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant.
- Only Goodnotes lists a web app.
- Only Goodnotes lists Android and Windows apps.
- Notes Writer also covers Markdown, documents and long-form writing.
- 3.4GPA
Notability
Free plan · from $14.99/yr
Handwritten notes with synced audio, transcripts and AI study tools.
- Only Notability lists a web app.
- Only Notability lists Windows and Android apps.
- Notes Writer also covers Markdown, whiteboard, documents and long-form writing.
- 2.8GPA
Noteshelf
Free plan · from $7.99 one-time
Handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation for stylus devices.
- Only Noteshelf lists Android and Windows apps.
- Notes Writer also covers Markdown, whiteboard, documents and long-form writing.
- Noteshelf also covers templates.
- 2.6GPA
ZoomNotes
Free plan · from $7.99 one-time
Handwriting, sketching and PDF notes with a near-unlimited zoom range.
- Notes Writer also covers Markdown, documents and long-form writing.
- ZoomNotes also covers templates.
- 2.2GPA
Flexcil
Free plan · from $8.99
PDF reader and handwriting notebook built around pen gestures.
- Only Notes Writer lists a macOS app.
- Only Flexcil lists an Android app.
- Notes Writer can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Notes Writer free?
Notes Writer has a free plan. Free to download, with optional in-app purchases for Pro and AI-inclusive options.
How much does Notes Writer cost?
Notes Writer lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Notes Writer work on?
Notes Writer is available on iOS and macOS.
Does Notes Writer offer any discounts?
Notes Writer publicly lists the following: Lifetime Pro as a one-time purchase.
How is Notes Writer rated?
Notes Writer's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7,327 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Notes Writer have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Notes Writer is listed for iOS and macOS.
Does Notes Writer have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Notes Writer is listed for iOS and macOS.
Is Notes Writer open source?
Notes Writer is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does Notes Writer integrate with?
Notes Writer's listing names iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive.
Who makes Notes Writer?
Notes Writer is made by Kairoos Solutions.
What are the alternatives to Notes Writer?
The closest alternatives to Notes Writer in our directory are Goodnotes, Notability, Noteshelf, ZoomNotes and Flexcil.
How does Notes Writer compare with other note-taking apps?
Notes Writer's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.
Is Notes Writer good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Notes Writer A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8.62 a month, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 56 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Notes Writer?
The plain part of Notes Writer you could make: notes, documents, Markdown and long-form writing.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Notes Writer’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Notes Writer's own pages on 9 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-14.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Kairoos Solutions. Prices change, so check noteswriter.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Notes Writer, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/notes-writer
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Notes Writer: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/notes-writer
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/notes-writer/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Notes Writer, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 148 note-taking apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft OneNote Insider's GuideMicrosoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes3.8 GPA
- Goodnotes Insider's GuideHandwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant3.6 GPA
- Joplin Insider's GuideOpen source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose3.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Notes Writer’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Notes Writer is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Kairoos Solutions. Prices and plans change: check noteswriter.com before you buy.