Customer Reviews (500)

Suisse best • 2025-03-23T12:19:13-07:00

Fantastic

ChristyChick1 • 2025-02-20T08:16:50-07:00

Even when appropriately selected, hyperlinks do not work. Dissapointed.

drmurdock • 2025-02-08T10:28:40-07:00

A remarkable App for leaders with lots Of research…!

Summary of Key Insights

Noteshelf 2 receives mixed reviews, with a generally positive sentiment indicated by a high percentage of 5-star reviews (54%). Users praise its natural handwriting feel, organization capabilities, and feature set. However, significant pain points exist, including app crashes, lagging, synchronization issues, and feature regressions after updates. Many users express frustration with specific feature limitations, such as image manipulation and folder nesting. There's also demand for cross-platform compatibility and feature parity with competing apps like GoodNotes and Notability. The app's support team is generally viewed positively, but some users report slow or absent responses. The existence of Noteshelf 3 is mentioned in the description, potentially causing confusion and impacting the perceived value of Noteshelf 2.

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating (estimated): 4.15 stars (calculated from score distribution)
  • 5-Star Reviews: 54% (270/500)
  • 4-Star Reviews: 20.4% (102/500)
  • 3-Star Reviews: 9% (45/500)
  • 2-Star Reviews: 5.4% (27/500)
  • 1-Star Reviews: 11.2% (56/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but reviews span multiple years based on the dates mentioned in the reviews (e.g., 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022).
  • Analysis Methods: The analysis involved manual review and categorization of user reviews. Sentiment was inferred based on star ratings and review text. Key pain points and feature requests were identified through keyword extraction and thematic analysis.

Key User Pain Points

  • App Crashes & Freezing: A frequently reported issue, especially after updates, disrupting workflow and leading to data loss (or perceived data loss).
  • Lagging Apple Pencil: Many users experience lag and skipping when writing with the Apple Pencil, hindering the natural writing experience.
  • Synchronization Issues: iCloud sync is unreliable for some, leading to notebooks disappearing or taking a long time to download. Dropbox and Google Drive compatibility also reported as missing or malfunctioning.
  • Feature Regressions After Updates: Users report that certain features, such as the ability to copy pages between notebooks or the functionality of the shapes tool, stop working after updates.
  • Image Manipulation Limitations: Lack of control over image resizing and rotation is a common complaint, particularly for users who use the app for digital planning.
  • Poor File Management: The inability to nest folders beyond one level is a significant limitation for users with extensive notes. The need to manually move pages one-by-one is also frustrating.
  • Evernote Integration Issues: Users report problems with Evernote syncing, including rate limit errors and notes not fully syncing.
  • Lost or Disappearing Notes: Several users have reported losing all their notes, which is a critical failure for a note-taking app.
  • Inconsistent Performance Across Devices: Some users find the app glitchy on certain devices or when used in split-screen mode.
  • PDF Handling Issues: Some users encounter problems importing PDFs, especially after updates. Others report issues with highlighting text in PDFs.
  • Lack of Android/Cross-Platform Sync: Users with both iOS and Android devices express frustration with the lack of synchronization between the two platforms.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Nested Folders: The ability to create subfolders within folders for better organization.
  • Improved Image Manipulation: More control over image resizing and rotation, including the ability to stretch and shrink images independently.
  • Continuous Vertical Scrolling: An option for continuous scrolling instead of page-based navigation.
  • Two-Finger Tap Undo/Redo: Gesture-based undo/redo functionality for faster editing.
  • Desktop (Mac) App: A desktop version of the app to access and edit notes on a computer.
  • More Pen Customization: Greater control over pen thickness and the addition of new pen styles (e.g., brush pen, metallic inks).
  • Improved Audio Recording: The ability to move audio around to associate it with specific parts of the notes and audio transcription.
  • Better Search Functionality: The ability to search handwriting within all notebooks, not just within individual notebooks.
  • Shape Fill Tool: A tool to easily fill shapes with color.
  • Locking of Text Boxes: Preventing text boxes from moving unintentionally.
  • WebDAV Support: For backing up notes to a NAS.
  • Laser Pointer Tool: A tool for presentations that highlights without permanently marking the page.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Natural Handwriting Feel: Many users praise the app's realistic and smooth writing experience, especially with the fountain pen.
  • Organization Capabilities: Users appreciate the ability to organize notes into notebooks and categories.
  • User-Friendly Interface: The app is generally considered easy to use and intuitive.
  • Customization Options: Users like the ability to customize notebook covers, page templates, and pen colors.
  • Feature Set: The app offers a wide range of features, including handwriting recognition, audio recording, PDF annotation, and shape tools.
  • Responsiveness of Support Team: Many users praise the support team for their quick and helpful responses (although some experience delays).
  • One-Time Purchase: Users appreciate that the app is a one-time purchase rather than a subscription.
  • Evernote Integration: Some users find the Evernote integration useful (although others experience problems with it).
  • Variety of Templates: The app offers a wide range of paper templates and notebook covers.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Address Crashing and Freezing Issues: Investigate and resolve the root causes of app crashes and freezing, as these are major disruptions to the user experience.
  • Improve Apple Pencil Lag: Optimize the app's performance to reduce lag and skipping when writing with the Apple Pencil.
  • Fix Synchronization Problems: Ensure reliable synchronization of notes across devices and cloud services.
  • Prevent Feature Regressions: Implement rigorous testing procedures to prevent features from breaking after updates.
  • Address Data Loss Concerns: Prioritize data integrity and implement robust backup and recovery mechanisms.
  • Improve PDF Handling: Fix issues with PDF importing, highlighting, and annotation.

Medium Priority:

  • Enhance Image Manipulation: Add more control over image resizing and rotation.
  • Implement Nested Folders: Allow users to create subfolders within folders for better organization.
  • Improve Search Functionality: Enable searching handwriting across all notebooks.
  • Add Two-Finger Tap Undo/Redo: Implement gesture-based undo/redo functionality.
  • Improve Eraser Tool Functionality: Allow more precise erasing.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility: Consider developing an Android version or improving synchronization between iOS and Android.

Low Priority:

  • Develop a Desktop App: Create a desktop version of the app.
  • Add More Pen Customization: Offer more control over pen thickness and new pen styles.
  • Implement Shape Fill Tool: Add a tool to easily fill shapes with color.
  • Add Locking of Text Boxes: Prevent text boxes from moving unintentionally.
  • Add WebDAV Support: For backing up notes to a NAS.
  • Add Laser Pointer Tool: A tool for presentations that highlights without permanently marking the page.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • A Robust Cross-Platform Note-Taking App: A note-taking app that works seamlessly across iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS, with reliable synchronization and feature parity.
  • AI-Powered Note Organization: An app that automatically organizes notes based on content and context using AI.
  • A Note-Taking App with Advanced Image Editing: A note-taking app with integrated image editing tools, allowing users to manipulate images directly within their notes.
  • A Digital Planning App with Strong Community Features: A digital planning app that builds in community features like sharing templates and stickers.

Trends and Observations

  • Strong Focus on Handwriting Experience: A key differentiator for Noteshelf is the emphasis on a natural and realistic handwriting feel.
  • Frustration with Bugs and Instability: Many users are willing to overlook minor feature limitations but are highly critical of bugs and instability.
  • Demand for Feature Parity with Competitors: Users frequently compare Noteshelf to GoodNotes and Notability, and expect it to offer similar features.
  • Growing Interest in Digital Planning: A significant number of users are using the app for digital planning, indicating a potential market for specialized features.
  • Confusion Due to Noteshelf 3: The existence of Noteshelf 3 (as mentioned in the description of Noteshelf 2) may deter new users from purchasing Noteshelf 2, as they might prefer the newer version. This could also cause existing users to question the long-term support for Noteshelf 2.

Conclusion

Noteshelf 2 is a capable note-taking app with a strong foundation, but it suffers from stability issues and feature gaps that detract from the user experience. Addressing the high-priority pain points related to crashes, lagging, and synchronization is crucial to retain existing users and attract new ones. Implementing frequently requested features like nested folders and improved image manipulation would further enhance the app's value. Clear communication about the future of Noteshelf 2 in relation to Noteshelf 3 is also essential to manage user expectations. By focusing on stability, addressing key pain points, and continuing to innovate, Noteshelf can solidify its position as a leading note-taking app.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/noteshelf-2/id1271086060?uo=2