Compare · Updated September 2026
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.
| 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 — polished native IDE | Yes — a real local Jupyter/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; scipy edition adds SciPy, scikit-learn, seaborn | NumPy, Matplotlib, pandas + unique iOS automation modules | Python 3.13 with NumPy, Matplotlib + clang, git, ssh, 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 & Pencil | Yes — full Apple Pencil markup, PDF library, scanner beside the notebooks | None | None | None | None |
| Terminal / Git / SSH | Yes — a terminal with git, python, and pip; GitHub; SSH | No | No | No | Yes — the most complete Unix toolbox on iOS, incl. C/C++ via clang |
Honest verdicts
Pick by what the notebook is for.
Carnets
The most faithful Jupyter on iPad, free and open source — an actual local Jupyter server with 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 — worth its $39.99 unlock if your coursework leans on the heavier stack.
Pythonista & a-Shell
Different jobs: Pythonista is the iOS-automation specialist (no notebooks, aging Python 3.10); a-Shell is a free, full Unix toolbox — terminal-first, 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 — free. When the notebook belongs to a course, this is the point.
Questions
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 — 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 — the right choice when the notebook belongs to a course, not just to itself.
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; 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.
Notebooks that live with the coursework.
Lectra Notes on the App Store — free .ipynb notebooks with on-device Python, beside your notes. And if you just need raw Jupyter, Carnets is free and excellent — we mean that.