# Color Notepad vs Journal Notebook

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Color Notepad at 47% against Journal Notebook's 0%. Color Notepad also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.3) and ratings volume (606 vs 3). Journal Notebook's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (daily vs every 5 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Color Notepad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Journal Notebook asks for nothing beyond the download.

Color Notepad holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Color Notepad has 606 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of Color Notepad's written reviews are positive against 0% of Journal Notebook's.

Color Notepad ships an update every 5 months, Journal Notebook daily. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Color Notepad | Journal Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (606 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-notepad/id1112663477/reviews)** | [2.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-notebook/id1609311760/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **606** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **46.5% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 4 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dmytro Vynokurov](https://appshunter.io/developer/350017076) | [Information Arts Bureau LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1609311762) |

## What reviewers say

### Color Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-notepad/id1112663477)

A clean and simple note-taking app that lets you personalize your experience with over 20 colorful themes. It offers a minimalist design for distraction-free writing, iCloud sync, and robust backup options.

**Highlights:** Minimalist design, 20+ colorful themes, Light & Dark Mode, iCloud sync, Sort notes, Export notes, Automatic local backups

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Storage | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Colorful customization options
- 💾 One-time purchase pricing model
- 📝 Simple and easy-to-use interface
- 🔤 Adjustable font size options
- ✅ Cross-device synchronization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Notes frequently disappear or fail to save
- 🐛 App crashes and won't open
- 🐛 Text scrolls out of view when keyboard appears
- 💰 Expensive pricing for unlimited storage
- ❌ Limited to 3 notes in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Notes deleted unexpectedly after saving
- App crashes and fails to reopen
- Text disappears or becomes invisible
- Keyboard covers note content during editing
- Inconsistent save functionality (8 out of 10 times fails)

**Requested features**

- Password protection for notes
- Different colors for individual notes
- Checklist functionality with reset capability
- Note sharing capabilities
- Multiple font options


### Journal Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-notebook/id1609311760)

A straightforward digital notebook for personal use. It allows users to record thoughts, create to-do lists, and keep records with an intuitive interface. Entries can be searched and organized by topic, with cloud storage for added security.

**Highlights:** Simple writing interface, Dictate or scan text entries, Organize by topic, Searchable journal, Cloud storage integration, Permanent data retention

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Color Notepad free?

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

### Is Journal Notebook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Color Notepad or Journal Notebook?

Color Notepad is rated higher. Color Notepad averages 4.5 out of 5 from 606 ratings, while Journal Notebook averages 2.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Color Notepad or Journal Notebook have ads?

Neither Color Notepad nor Journal Notebook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Color Notepad or Journal Notebook?

Color Notepad ships an update every 5 months, and Journal Notebook daily. Most recently, Color Notepad was updated on October 24, 2026 and Journal Notebook on October 24, 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.*