Report updated Jun 14, 2026
SketchNote, Visual Note Taking
For iPhone and iPad users seeking to create visual notes without manual drawing skills.
SketchNote, Visual Note Taking is an established productivity app that is available. With a 3.0/5 rating from 3 reviews, it shows polarized user reception.
What is SketchNote, Visual Note Taking?
SketchNote is a visual note-taking app for iPhone and iPad that uses pre-designed shapes and templates to assist users without art skills.
Users hire SketchNote to create structured, visual notes on digital paper, serving the need for aesthetic organization without the manual effort of freehand drawing.
Current Momentum
v2.7 · 40mo ago
Zombie- No notable feature updates recently.
- Zero review volume limits growth.
Active Nemesis
Sticky Notes !
By DroidVeda LLP
Other Rivals
7-Day Rank Pulse 🇺🇸
ProductivityNo ranking data
Rating Pulse 🇺🇸
What makes this app unique?
What Does It Look Like?
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What Are The Key Features?
Pre-designed shapes, letters, numbers, and clipart for note composition
Handwriting support for Apple Pencil and finger input on iPad and iPhone
Cross-device synchronization of digital notebooks
Import and markup of PDF documents, images, and videos
Automated drawing of perfect lines and geometric shapes
How much does it cost?
- Free version available
- Subscription version with auto-renewal
Subscription model uses auto-renewal via Apple ID, requiring cancellation 24 hours before period end.
Who Built It?
B TO J PTY
Simplifying financial documentation for mobile-first professionals. Providing a streamlined, subscription-free tool for generating invoices and receipts.
Portfolio
13
Apps
What other apps does B TO J PTY make?
Invoice Maker Simple
Receipt Maker
e-Receipt Maker
Payslip Maker
eSign - Fill & Sign Form Docs
Job Quote Maker - Invoice app
Explore the full B TO J PTY report
Portfolio breakdown, audience, momentum, and every app published by B TO J PTY.
What do users think recently?
Analysis in progress, available soon
View the full user-sentiment analysis
Mood gauge, ratings & review-volume history, every praise / complaint / request, and sentiment over time.
What is the competitive landscape for SketchNote, Visual Note Taking?
Where is it available?
Localized markets (1)
How's The Productivity Market?
Market outlook for this category
Available very soon
The rivals identified
Nemeses(1)
This app dominates the casual note-taking space by prioritizing quick, accessible capture, directly competing with SketchNote’s goal of simplifying digital note-taking for non-artists.
Differentiators
- Massive user base and long-term market presence create a significant barrier to entry for new users.
- Integrated reminder system provides utility that SketchNote lacks, keeping users engaged within the app ecosystem.
- Home screen widgets offer immediate access to notes, whereas SketchNote requires opening the app to view.
Head to head
SketchNote must pivot toward power-user features like advanced organization or AI-assisted handwriting to differentiate from the simple, high-volume utility of Sticky Notes.
Contenders(4)
This app targets the same casual productivity demographic by gamifying the note-taking experience with illustration collections.
Differentiators
- Gamified gacha illustration collection incentivizes daily app usage through rewards, unlike SketchNote’s purely functional approach.
- Voice input capabilities offer a hands-free alternative to SketchNote’s manual handwriting-focused interface.
It competes for the productivity-focused user by automating the note-taking process through AI transcription and summarization.
Differentiators
- Automated AI summarization saves significant time compared to SketchNote’s manual handwriting and drawing requirements.
- Live transcription of video and voice files addresses a professional use case SketchNote currently ignores.
This app targets users who need structured, presentation-ready notes, overlapping with SketchNote’s digital notebook functionality.
Differentiators
- Dedicated presentation mode allows users to display notes professionally, a feature absent in SketchNote’s current build.
- Cross-platform sync ensures notes are accessible across devices, whereas SketchNote lacks cloud-based ecosystem connectivity.
This is a direct feature-set competitor that focuses specifically on Apple Pencil optimization for iPad users.
Differentiators
- Extensive template library provides immediate structure for users, while SketchNote relies on manual shape creation.
- Mixed-media support allows for richer note-taking experiences beyond the basic drawing tools found in SketchNote.
Same space(3)
It occupies the productivity category by focusing on AI-driven content generation from voice inputs.
Differentiators
- Scenario-based prompt templates allow for highly specific note outputs that SketchNote cannot replicate manually.
- Cross-language summary generation provides global utility that SketchNote’s localized drawing tools lack.
This app serves users looking to archive and organize information, overlapping with SketchNote’s digital notebook utility.
Differentiators
- Biometric archive lock provides security features that are entirely absent from SketchNote’s current feature set.
- Full-text search capabilities allow for rapid information retrieval, which is difficult in handwritten-only note apps.
It competes for the user's time by offering automated transcription and summary tools for educational and professional contexts.
Differentiators
- Integrated video editing tools allow users to manipulate source material, far exceeding SketchNote’s static drawing capabilities.
- Audio enhancement features ensure high-quality transcription, providing a more reliable workflow than manual note-taking.
Compare SketchNote, Visual Note Taking against every rival
All rivals in one side-by-side table — identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel — plus a head-to-head page for each.
The outtake for SketchNote, Visual Note Taking
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- Visual template library enables non-artists to create structured notes
- Native Apple Pencil support provides a natural writing experience
Critical Frictions
- Zero review volume indicates failed user acquisition
- Lacks cloud-based ecosystem connectivity
- No biometric security or full-text search features
Growth Levers
- Integration of AI-driven handwriting-to-text conversion
- Development of a presentation mode for professional users
Market Threats
- AI-first note-taking apps are rapidly automating manual handwriting tasks
- Established competitors with millions of ratings create a high barrier to entry
What are the next best moves?
Pivot to AI-assisted handwriting recognition because manual drawing is being commoditized by AI-first competitors → increase user retention
Competitors like AI Note Taker are automating the note-taking process, making manual handwriting a declining utility.
Trade-off: Deprioritize the Shapes Tool refinement — the current tool is sufficient for the existing user base.
A counter-intuitive read
The app's lack of social proof is not the primary failure; the real risk is that visual note-taking is a manual task that AI-first apps are currently making obsolete.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- Presentation mode (available in HintApp but absent here)
- Biometric archive lock (available in ChatExport but absent here)
- Automated AI summarization (available in AI Note Taker but absent here)
Key Takeaways
SketchNote provides a niche visual template set but lacks the automation and social proof to compete with category leaders, so the PM should pivot toward AI-assisted handwriting features to differentiate from manual-only note apps.
Where Is It Heading?
Declining
The productivity market is consolidating around AI-assisted automation, leaving manual-only tools like SketchNote increasingly isolated. Without a pivot to automated workflows, the app will continue to struggle for visibility against competitors that offer higher utility per session.
The lack of user ratings and reviews indicates a stalled acquisition funnel, which prevents the app from gaining necessary market visibility.
The rapid rise of AI-driven note-taking competitors threatens to make manual drawing tools irrelevant, accelerating the churn of the target audience.