Updated September 2026. Lectra Notes is ours.

Python on iPad: every notebook app, compared

Five apps run Python on the iPad itself, and they are different tools. Here is how they compare, including the two free, open-source options that are not ours.

Lectra Notes is a free iPad and iPhone app from Scope for handwritten notes and Apple Pencil PDF markup, with Python notebooks, a terminal, and Git that run on the device. Juno, Carnets, Pythonista 3, and a-Shell are dedicated Python and notebook tools without note-taking.

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All five, side by side.

iPad Python and Jupyter notebook apps compared, August 2026
Feature	Lectra Notes	Juno	Carnets	Pythonista 3	a-Shell
Price	Free, everything included	Free to browse, $39.99 one-time to run code	Free, open source	$9.99 one-time	Free, open source
.ipynb notebooks	Yes. Notebooks are documents in the same library as your notes	Yes, in a polished native IDE	Yes, on a real local Jupyter and JupyterLab server	No. .py scripts and console only	No. Command line only
Bundled scientific stack	numpy, pandas, matplotlib, Pillow	NumPy, pandas, Matplotlib, SciPy, scikit-learn, OpenCV	20+ packages, and the scipy edition adds SciPy, scikit-learn, seaborn	NumPy, Matplotlib, pandas, plus unique iOS automation modules	Python 3.13 with NumPy and Matplotlib, plus clang, git, ssh, and TeX
Extra packages	Pure-Python from PyPI, kept for offline reuse	Pure-Python via its package manager	Pure-Python via %pip	Effectively none official	Pure-Python via pip
Notes, PDFs, and Pencil	Yes. Full Apple Pencil markup, a PDF library, and a scanner beside the notebooks	None	None	None	None
Terminal, Git, and SSH	Yes. A terminal with git, python, and pip, plus GitHub and SSH	No	No	No	Yes. The most complete Unix toolbox on iOS, including C and C++ via clang

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Pick by what the notebook is for.

Carnets

The most faithful Jupyter on iPad, free and open source, with an actual local Jupyter server and a big compiled-package library. The UI is the stock Jupyter web interface, and heavy notebooks hit iOS memory limits, but it's a remarkable zero-cost tool.

Juno

The most polished dedicated notebook IDE, with SciPy, scikit-learn, and OpenCV built in. It is worth its $39.99 unlock if your coursework leans on the heavier stack.

Pythonista and a-Shell

These do different jobs. Pythonista is the iOS-automation specialist (no notebooks, aging Python 3.10), and a-Shell is a free, full Unix toolbox that is terminal-first with no notebook interface.

Lectra Notes

The one on this list that is also a note-taking app. Notebooks live beside the lecture PDF and your handwriting, with a terminal, Git, and SSH in the same place, for free. When the notebook belongs to a course, this is the point.

How this comparison was made

Lectra Notes is our product. Competitor facts were compiled on August 14, 2026 from each app's published pricing pages, documentation, and App Store listings, and not from hands-on testing of every feature. Lectra Notes facts come from its own engineering claims ledger, which tracks every public claim against the shipping code. If something here is out of date, tell us and we'll correct it.

Where Lectra Notes falls short today:

Audio: lecture recording arrived in version 8.0 on September 1, 2026. It is new and has not been through a full term of use, and Notability and Goodnotes have years of polish here.
Cross-device: annotations do not sync between devices yet. Documents get backed up, but they are not mirrored to your other devices.
Maturity: Lectra Notes shipped in 2026, and the apps compared here have had years longer to polish.
Scientific stack: Lectra Notes does not bundle SciPy, scikit-learn, or OpenCV. Juno and Carnets carry the heavier compiled packages.
Jupyter fidelity: Carnets runs an actual Jupyter server. Lectra Notes implements the .ipynb format natively and does not embed Jupyter itself.

Python on iPad, answered.

What is the best way to run Jupyter notebooks on an iPad?

There are several good options. Carnets is free, open-source, and the most faithful Jupyter experience, with an actual Jupyter server running locally. Juno ($39.99 one-time) is a polished native IDE with heavy compiled packages like SciPy and scikit-learn. Lectra Notes is free and runs .ipynb notebooks with Python on the device, beside your Apple Pencil notes and PDFs. It is the right choice when the notebook belongs to a course and does not stand on its own.

Can the iPad run Python offline?

Yes. All five apps here run Python on the device itself, with no remote server. Apple's platform rules shape the limits. Extra packages installed at runtime must be pure Python in every app, and compiled packages like SciPy only work where the app bundled them in advance (Juno and Carnets bundle the most).

Which app has the most Python packages?

Carnets (especially its scipy edition) and Juno bundle the largest compiled sets, including SciPy, scikit-learn, and OpenCV. Lectra Notes bundles numpy, pandas, matplotlib, and Pillow, and installs pure-Python packages from PyPI. It does not bundle SciPy or scikit-learn today.

Why choose Lectra Notes over a dedicated Jupyter app?

Because the notebook usually isn't alone. Lectra Notes keeps .ipynb notebooks in the same library as the lecture PDF and your handwritten work, and adds a terminal with Git, a code editor, and SSH, so the whole assignment lives in one place. If you need the heavier scientific stack, Juno or Carnets is the better tool, and pairing one of them with a notes app is a fine setup.