# Notes vs Simple Notepad

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Notes at none against Simple Notepad's 1. Notes also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (641K vs 2.8K). Simple Notepad's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months) and review sentiment (68% vs 51%). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Notepad sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notes has 641K ratings behind it against 2.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Notes's written reviews are positive against 68% of Simple Notepad's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Notes ships an update every 9 months, Simple Notepad every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes | Simple Notepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (641K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes/id1110145109/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notepad-bestnote/id1207183021/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **641K** | 2.8K |
| Positive reviews | 51.2% of reviews | **68.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | [EasterEggs](https://appshunter.io/developer/553389214) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes/id1110145109)

Capture your thoughts, ideas, and important information with a versatile note-taking app. Attach various file types, scan documents, create checklists, and even sketch directly within your notes. Organize with folders, tags, and smart searches, and collaborate with others on shared notes.

**Highlights:** Add attachments (PDFs, images, links), Scan paper documents, Create checklists, Sketch with finger or stylus, Search text in notes and handwriting, Collaborate on shared notes, Quick Note feature

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📝 Versatile note-taking app
- 🔒 Secure with password/biometric lock
- 🌐 Seamless sync across devices
- 🚀 Quick and responsive
- 📂 Organized with folders and tags

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Difficulty finding/retrieving notes
- 🔋 High battery drain when using Apple Pencil
- 📝 Limited formatting options (font, color, etc.)
- 🔒 Password reset issues with locked notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly disappearing or not syncing
- Cursor jumping around when editing text
- Typing lag and performance issues
- Inconsistent behavior when adding images
- Formatting problems when pasting content

**Requested features**

- Add undo/redo functionality
- Improve table formatting and calculations
- Allow custom folder colors and icons
- Implement a page view for longer notes
- Integrate with Reminders app for to-do lists


### Simple Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notepad-bestnote/id1207183021)

This app offers a unique note-taking experience with a three-tab system for memos, remarks, and history. Attach photos to your notes and secure them with a password. Organize your thoughts with folder division for efficient management.

**Highlights:** Three-tab note structure (Memo, Remarks, History), Attach images to notes, Password security lock, Folder division for organization, Revision history tracking, Additional remarks field

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan | $3.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🎨 Customizable colors and themes
- 🗂️ Folder organization
- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- 📝 Good for note-taking and journaling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Intrusive ads
- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 📱 Not optimized for iPad
- 🖋️ No handwriting support
- 💾 No backup/sync options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Notes disappearing after updates
- Vertical orientation not working
- Unable to recover lost notes

**Requested features**

- Option to remove ads
- Ability to sync notes across devices
- More font and formatting options
- Print functionality
- Improved iPad support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes free?

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

### Is Simple Notepad free?

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

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

Notes is rated higher. Notes averages 4.8 out of 5 from 641K ratings, while Simple Notepad averages 4.6 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do Notes or Simple Notepad have ads?

Simple Notepad shows ads; Notes does not.

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

Notes ships an update every 9 months, and Simple Notepad every 3 weeks. Most recently, Notes was updated on September 30, 2026 and Simple Notepad on September 28, 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.*