# Simple Notes. vs PhotoNote

The clearest difference is ads: Simple Notes. at none against PhotoNote's shown. Simple Notes. also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (61 vs 2). PhotoNote's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 79%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Notes. sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and PhotoNote sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PhotoNote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Notes. has 61 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Simple Notes.'s written reviews are positive against 100% of PhotoNote's.

Simple Notes. ships an update every 2 months, PhotoNote every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Notes. | PhotoNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (61 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes/id1104759509/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photonote-take-note-by-camera/id1465555338/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **61** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 78.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yuto Iwakami](https://appshunter.io/developer/1584545568) | [Satoshi Kobayashi](https://appshunter.io/developer/909987119) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Notes.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes/id1104759509)

This app offers a straightforward way to create, manage, and share text-based notes. It focuses on essential features like character counting and sorting, with seamless integration for sharing via messaging apps.

**Highlights:** Create text notes, Character count display, Sort notes, Widget support, Instant sharing via Messages, Automatic saving

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $5.99 | one-time |


### PhotoNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photonote-take-note-by-camera/id1465555338)

Capture information visually by taking photos instead of typing. Organize your visual notes with tabs and colored tags. Photos are stored within the app, preventing clutter in your device's photo gallery.

**Highlights:** Capture notes via camera, Organize with tabs, Categorize with colored tags, Internal photo storage, Reorder notes and tags

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro plan | $1.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Notes. free?

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

### Is PhotoNote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simple Notes. or PhotoNote?

PhotoNote is rated higher. Simple Notes. averages 4.7 out of 5 from 61 ratings, while PhotoNote averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Simple Notes. or PhotoNote have ads?

PhotoNote shows ads; Simple Notes. does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Notes. or PhotoNote?

Simple Notes. ships an update every 2 months, and PhotoNote every 3 weeks. Most recently, Simple Notes. was updated on October 13, 2026 and PhotoNote on October 8, 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.*