Memo Pad vs Simple Notes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Memo Pad
This is a straightforward and visually appealing notepad application. It allows users to quickly jot down ideas, tasks, or lists and find them later with a search function. Users can also customize the appearance and share content with other applications.
- Easy note search
- Customizable themes and fonts
- Sort notes by date
- Share notes to other apps
- Tablet optimized design
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A simple and easy to use notepad. - Find notes easily using the search function - Easily sort information according to conditions of your choosing - Customize theme colors and font size - Link to other apps easily with a single tap Ideas, tasks, shopping list, e-mail, please use such as in the message. Facebook, it can be shared Twitter, such as e-mail. Creation date, you can sort by modified date. Also I can easily search past notes. [Main Functions] - Search - Share - Display Order - Designed for tablets URL Scheme: woodsmall-memopad:// Made in Japan. © woodsmall inc.
Simple Notes
This app offers a clean and efficient way to organize your thoughts and ideas. Easily add images, organize notes into colored folders, and secure your entries with a passcode. Customize the look with various themes and fonts, and back up your data to iCloud.
- Add photos to notes
- Organize with colored folders
- Calendar view for notes
- Passcode and biometric lock
- Customizable themes and fonts
- iCloud backup and sync
- Smart search with tags
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Simple Notes is an easy-to-use notes app that leaves out the extras, so writing, organizing, and finding notes stay simple. Notes go into color-coded folders, and you can find them using the calendar or photo album. No account or setup is required, and the app works offline. Core features are free. Keep everything in one place, from class notes and work memos to a diary or baby journal. [Features] ■ Add Photos to Notes - Attach images to any note - Insert pictures from your photo library, or take a photo on the spot ■ Folder Organization - Create folders to keep your notes organized - Choose from 24 folder colors to tell categories apart at a glance ■ Calendar View - View notes by date using the built-in calendar - Tap any date to see notes for that date — perfect for locating past entries ■ Photo Album - Browse all images added to notes in one place - Tap a photo to jump to its note ■ Home Screen & Lock Screen Widgets - Keep a note on your Home Screen like a sticky note — no need to open the app - Lock Screen widgets let you see a note without unlocking your iPhone - Choose which note to display and its text size *Widgets are part of the Premium Service* ■ Sort Notes & Bullet Lists - Sort by note date, date edited, date created, or title, ascending or descending - Bullet lists make it easy to write shopping and packing lists ■ Passcode Lock - Protect your notes with a passcode - Supports Face ID and Touch ID for quick and secure access ■ Font Styles - Choose from 12 font styles - Choose a playful, elegant, or professional look for your notes ■ Themes and App Icons - Pick from 23 theme colors and matching app icons - Customize the look of the app and even the Home Screen icon ■ Full-Note Image & PDF - Turn an entire note, even a long one with photos, into a single image to share - Export notes as PDFs for work or school ■ Data Backup & Export - Back up your notes to iCloud or export them to your computer - Hand exported notes to AI apps for summaries, or save them to Notion or Google Drive - Export formats: HTML (for Windows), RTFD (for Mac, keeps images), PDF, and TXT *Data export and iCloud backup are part of the Premium Service; notes are also included in your iPhone’s device backup* ■ iCloud Sync - Use iCloud to sync notes across your iPhone and iPad (Premium Service) - Restore your notes on a new device if yours is lost or broken ■ Smart Search - Use the built-in search to quickly find notes - Add text tags like “#Important” to make key notes easier to locate ■ Character Count - Check the character count as you write reports, essays, or fiction - Each note can hold up to 100,000 characters ■ Text Display Settings - Adjust text size, contrast, and line spacing - Ideal if you prefer larger text or need better readability - Dark Mode is supported for nighttime use ■ Remove Ads - The Premium Service hides all ads - Enjoy a clean, distraction-free screen for your notes [Great For] - Students: class and lecture notes with photos, one folder per course — export notes as PDF or text and hand them to AI apps for exam prep - Parents: a baby journal with photos, growth records, and family memos in folders - Work: meeting notes, ideas, and memos in one place — tap the mic on the iOS keyboard to dictate notes, handy for transcripts and meeting minutes - Writers: novels, blog drafts, and reports — live character count and PDF sharing [Good to Know] - Works on iPhone and iPad (iOS/iPadOS 14 or later) - Works offline — create and view notes even in Airplane Mode - No handwriting or audio recording — the focus is simple text-and-photo notes [Help & Contact] - For help, go to “Help / FAQ” in the app settings - If you still have questions, tap “Contact Us” on the help screen - For faster support, contact us through the app rather than leaving an App Store review 【Terms of Service】 https://komorebi-studio.com/tos_en.html 【Privacy Policy】 https://komorebi-studio.com/policyredirect.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Memo Pad at every 6 weeks against Simple Notes's every 3 months. Simple Notes's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 79%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Memo Pad sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month and Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Memo Pad against 4.7 for Simple Notes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 427 and 790 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Memo Pad's written reviews are positive against 88% of Simple Notes's.
Memo Pad ships an update every 6 weeks, Simple Notes every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Memo Pad | Simple Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (427 ratings) | 4.7 (790 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 79.3% of reviews | 87.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 427 | 790 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 46 MB | 206 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | woodsmall inc. | Komorebi Inc. |
Customer experience
Memo Pad
Simple Notes
User reviews
Memo Pad
From 427 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient for quick notes
- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- 📝 Helpful for reminders and to-do lists
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔍 Difficulty locating specific notes
- 💰 Intrusive ads in free version
- 🔒 Lack of sync between devices
Simple Notes
From 790 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 📁 Folder organization and color-coding
- 🔒 Password protection
- 💡 Useful for school and work notes
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
Room to improve
- 🔒 Lack of iCloud sync
- 📐 Limited formatting options (no bold, italics, etc.)
- 🎨 Default folder color cannot be changed
- 🔍 No alphabetical sorting for folders
Bugs and requests
Memo Pad
Reported bugs
2 issues- Notes sometimes disappearing after updates
- Password/fingerprint login not working consistently
Requested features
4 requests- Add ability to add photos or files
- Implement alphabetical sorting of notes
- Improve cursor control for editing
- Provide cloud sync across devices
Simple Notes
Reported bugs
2 issues- No local PC backup and restore feature
- UI looks outdated and childish
Requested features
4 requests- Add ability to pin notes at the top of a folder
- Implement iCloud sync between devices
- Introduce more text formatting options (bold, italics, underline, etc.)
- Allow changing folder colors
In-app purchases
Memo Pad
- Monthly plan$0.491 Month
- 6 months plan$2.996 Months
- Annual plan$5.991 Year
- Pay in full$7.99
Simple Notes
- Premium (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Premium Service$39.99









