# Notepad vs Handwritten Notes | Handy note

The clearest difference is update cadence: Handwritten Notes | Handy note at every 2 weeks against Notepad's every 2 months. Handwritten Notes | Handy note also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notepad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Handwritten Notes | Handy note sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notepad ships an update every 2 months, Handwritten Notes | Handy note every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notepad | Handwritten Notes | Handy note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-simple-notes-and-memo/id1004291915/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6.4K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 52 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) | [NAOYA ONO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1530328146) |

## What reviewers say

### Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-simple-notes-and-memo/id1004291915)

This app provides a straightforward way to jot down thoughts, create lists, and save temporary information. It offers features like search, dark mode, and customizable widgets for quick access to your notes. Data is stored locally for enhanced privacy.

**Highlights:** Search functionality, Dark mode, Lock screen widget, Home screen widget, Automatic note saving, Word count, Customizable note colors

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 💰 Free with no subscription
- 📝 Straightforward note-taking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Ads can be intrusive
- 🔒 No cloud backup or sync
- 🎨 Limited customization options
- 🔍 Lack of search or organization features

**Reported bugs**

- Notes sometimes disappear after updating
- Auto-correct can be overly aggressive

**Requested features**

- Add ability to print notes
- Implement photo/media attachment
- Introduce different font styles and colors
- Provide cloud sync and backup functionality


### Handwritten Notes | Handy note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwritten-notes-handy-note/id1587293209)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support Developer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notepad free?

Notepad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Handwritten Notes | Handy note free?

Handwritten Notes | Handy note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Notepad or Handwritten Notes | Handy note have ads?

Both Notepad and Handwritten Notes | Handy note show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notepad or Handwritten Notes | Handy note?

Notepad ships an update every 2 months, and Handwritten Notes | Handy note every 2 weeks. Most recently, Notepad was updated on October 1, 2026 and Handwritten Notes | Handy note on September 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*