# Minipad vs Gist Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Minipad at none against Gist Reader's 3. Minipad also leads on ads (none vs shown) and device support (3 vs 1). Gist Reader's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 4 months). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gist Reader sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Minipad asks for nothing beyond the download.

Minipad ships an update every 4 months, Gist Reader daily. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Minipad | Gist Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (402 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minipad/id1023598911/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **402** | — |
| Positive reviews | 85.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 3 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Davidson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1023194687) | [MEHRDAD ALEMZADEH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888227021) |

## What reviewers say

### Minipad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minipad/id1023598911)

A straightforward text editor designed for users of all ages, including children. It offers a distraction-free writing environment for creating stories, notes, and exploring language. Features include customizable font sizes and secure deletion to prevent accidental data loss.

**Highlights:** Focus on writing, Sort entries by date or title, Adjustable font sizes, No spell check or autocorrect, Accident-prevention delete, Voice dictation and emoji support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 💡 Allows writing without distractions
- 🚀 Efficient battery usage
- 🤩 Great for young writers
- 🙌 Encourages creativity and imagination

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional data loss issues
- 💬 Lack of formatting options (italics, bold)
- 🔍 No search functionality
- 📁 Inability to organize notes/stories into folders
- 🔤 No spell check or autocorrect

**Reported bugs**

- Reported issues with data loss and deletion of stories
- Some users unable to export or share their writings

**Requested features**

- Add spell check and autocorrect
- Implement formatting options (italics, bold)
- Include a search feature
- Allow organizing notes/stories into folders
- Provide an option to change font size and style


### Gist Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gist-reader/id6761196988)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coffee Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pizza Slice Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Lunch Tip | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Minipad free?

Minipad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Gist Reader free?

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

### Do Minipad or Gist Reader have ads?

Gist Reader shows ads; Minipad does not.

### Which is updated more often, Minipad or Gist Reader?

Minipad ships an update every 4 months, and Gist Reader daily. Most recently, Minipad was updated on September 20, 2026 and Gist Reader on September 21, 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.*