Pencora vs Noteshelf — a free Noteshelf alternative for iPad

Where Pencora is ahead of Noteshelf

Pencora compared with Noteshelf
Feature	Pencora	Noteshelf
Price	YesFree — every feature. No subscription, no ads	PartlyFree version limits your notebooks; Premium is a subscription, from $29.99 a year
Typed text in your handwriting	YesTeach it your letters once, then type or paste a whole Markdown document — lists, formulas — and it’s written in your own hand. Russian and English, on the iPad	PartlyIts AI can insert text as handwriting — in a generic style, not yours, and not in Russian
Graphs on the page	YesFunctions, implicit curves, points and tables — typed, imported from CSV or read from a hand-drawn table; ink on the plane sticks to its coordinates	NoNo graphing
Geometry constructions	YesBisectors, perpendiculars, tangents, reflections, triangle centres — drag a point and everything built on it follows, in real millimetres	NoShapes and snapping — no constructions
PDFs from other apps	YesHandwriting comes in as real, editable strokes on the right paper — lasso, recolour or erase any of it	NoAn imported PDF is a page you annotate on top of
Infinite board	YesAn endless canvas with a minimap behind every notebook	NoPages only, no infinite canvas
Handwriting search	YesFree, on the iPad, in 8 languages including Russian and Ukrainian	PartlyPremium only
Automatic backup	YesFree: every day to your own Google Drive, five latest copies kept	PartlyAutomatic backup to Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive is Premium only

Moving over from Noteshelf

Export the notebook as a PDF from Noteshelf.
Open the PDF with Pencora — from the Share sheet, or with Import inside a notebook — and choose to bring it in as editable ink.
Pencora detects the paper ruling and turns the handwriting into real strokes, page by page. Long notebooks open at once and finish converting as you go.

Other comparisons

Compared with what Noteshelf says about itself on its own website and App Store page, checked September 2026. Apps change — if something here is out of date, tell me and I’ll fix it. Noteshelf is a trademark of its owner; Pencora is not affiliated with or endorsed by it.