Simple Notes. vs Shared Note Widgets
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Simple Notes.
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.
- Create text notes
- Character count display
- Sort notes
- Widget support
- Instant sharing via Messages
- Automatic saving
Read full descriptionHide full description
Simple Notes. is exactly what it sounds like: a simple app for taking notes. It focuses on everyday essentials. No grids, camera, or audio—just text, with easy ways to organize and share it. Write a note and it saves automatically as you type. The first line becomes its title. Search your notes, star favorites, sort by favorites, date, or title, and tap the counter to switch between character and word counts. Keep notes close with widgets. Show a note you choose or browse a list of recent notes. Tap a note in a widget to open it in the app. FEATURES - Create and automatically save text notes - Count characters or words - Search, star, and sort notes - View a selected note or recent notes with widgets - Share notes as text or as a .txt file - Add a note to a Messages conversation, with the option to include its title - Create or retrieve notes with Shortcuts app - Create note or search using Siri HOW TO USE Create a note: Tap “Create New Note” and start typing. Your changes save automatically. Delete a note: Swipe left on it and tap Delete. Sort notes: Tap the menu button and choose Favorites, Date, or Title. Share in Messages: Open Simple Notes. from the Messages app drawer, choose a conversation and a note, then tap Send. Use the switch at the top to include or leave out the title. Have a suggestion? Please leave a review on the App Store or send feedback through the app.
Shared Note Widgets
Create and share simple text notes directly on your home screen. Keep family and friends updated with lists, reminders, or positive messages. Customize widget appearance and layout for a personalized experience.
- Create simple text notes
- Add notes to home screen widgets
- Share notes with friends and family
- Checkbox mode for lists
- Customizable widget appearance
- Light and dark mode support
Read full descriptionHide full description
Create simple text notes, add them to your home screen, then share! Friends and family always have up-to-date content. Use it for a family grocery list, reminders, or to send positive messages to friends. What makes this app special: * Ads can be disabled for free, and they never show up in the widget. * App supports light and dark mode. * Super simple editing experience * Switch to "checkbox" mode to quickly go through a shopping or to - do list * Customize the appearance of your widget: Choose the color, layout and other content settings. * Sharing notes is a bonus of this simple-to-use app!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Simple Notes. at 4.7 against Shared Note Widgets's 1.0. Simple Notes. also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (79% vs 50%). Shared Note Widgets's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Simple Notes. holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Notes. has 65 ratings behind it against 1, 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 50% of Shared Note Widgets's.
Simple Notes. ships an update every 2 months, Shared Note Widgets every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Simple Notes. | Shared Note Widgets |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (65 ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 78.6% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 65 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yuto Iwakami | Alex Rich |
Customer experience
Simple Notes.
Shared Note Widgets
In-app purchases
Simple Notes.
No in-app purchases
Shared Note Widgets
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Simple Notes. free?
Is Shared Note Widgets free?
Which has better reviews, Simple Notes. or Shared Note Widgets?
Do Simple Notes. or Shared Note Widgets have ads?
Which is updated more often, Simple Notes. or Shared Note Widgets?
Other comparisons















