# Lock Notes vs Notepad

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lock Notes at 73% against Notepad's 33%. Lock Notes also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 months). Notepad's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lock Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and Notepad sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lock Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lock Notes has 1.1K ratings behind it against 64, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Lock Notes's written reviews are positive against 33% of Notepad's.

Lock Notes ships an update every 10 days, Notepad every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lock Notes | Notepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-notes-passcode-protect/id1033962570/reviews)** | [4.3 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-an-organised-notes/id1099400916/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 64 |
| Positive reviews | **73.2% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 8 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JulyApps Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/427694580) | [Parth Pandya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1063945331) |

## What reviewers say

### Lock Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-notes-passcode-protect/id1033962570)

Securely store and protect your private notes with a passcode or Touch ID. Keep sensitive information like passwords, secrets, and diary entries safe from unauthorized access. Backup and sync notes across devices, customize their appearance, and even add images.

**Highlights:** Passcode and Touch ID protection, Security question recovery, iCloud backup and sync, Customizable font style and size, Insert images into notes, Print and share notes

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Auto Backup | $14.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Notes | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lock Notes Pro | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure notes
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient
- 🔑 Passcode/biometric protection
- 💾 Cloud backup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free notes
- 💰 Paywall for advanced features
- 🐛 Crashes and data loss issues
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
- 📁 No folder organization

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing after updates
- Inability to access notes after device reset
- Sync issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Advanced formatting options
- Ability to change passcode
- Improved search capabilities
- Folder/organization system
- Better backup and restore options


### Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-an-organised-notes/id1099400916)

Securely store and organize your thoughts with advanced features like PIN/biometric locking and an anti-theft system. Convert images to text, sync across devices, and customize your notes with rich formatting and tags. Share, backup, and easily retrieve your important information.

**Highlights:** PIN/Biometric note locking, Anti-theft system with photo capture, OCR for image to text conversion, Cloud sync across devices, Rich text formatting and styling, Tagging and color-coding for organization, Text, photo, and drawing note types

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month License For Notes App | $1.49 | per month |
| 1 Year License For Notes App | $11.99 | per year |
| Ad Free Notes | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 Month License | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 Year License | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lock Notes free?

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

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lock Notes or Notepad?

Lock Notes is rated higher. Lock Notes averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Notepad averages 4.3 from 64 ratings.

### Do Lock Notes or Notepad have ads?

Notepad shows ads; Lock Notes does not.

### Which is updated more often, Lock Notes or Notepad?

Lock Notes ships an update every 10 days, and Notepad every 3 months. Most recently, Lock Notes was updated on October 2, 2026 and Notepad on October 2, 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.*