# Color Notepad vs Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists at 100% against Color Notepad's 47%. Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). Color Notepad's advantage is ratings volume (603 vs 28). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Color Notepad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Color Notepad has 603 ratings behind it against 28, 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 100% of Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists's.

Color Notepad ships an update every 5 months, Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Color Notepad | Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (603 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-notepad/id1112663477/reviews) | **[4.9 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-and-lists/id6749871033/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **603** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | 46.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 4 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dmytro Vynokurov](https://appshunter.io/developer/350017076) | [Kodeo Labs Ab](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830453205) |

## 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


### Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-and-lists/id6749871033)

Capture ideas, to-dos, and reminders instantly with this fast, lightweight notepad. Enjoy a simple, distraction-free interface that works entirely offline and keeps your data private on your device. Organize and edit notes with ease for a clean note-taking experience.

**Highlights:** Quick note-taking, Distraction-free interface, Offline functionality, Private and secure, Note organization, Easy editing and deletion

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notes Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Pro - Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Color Notepad free?

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

### Is Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Color Notepad or Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists?

Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists is rated higher. Color Notepad averages 4.5 out of 5 from 603 ratings, while Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists averages 4.9 from 28 ratings.

### Do Color Notepad or Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists have ads?

Neither Color Notepad nor Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists shows ads.

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

Color Notepad ships an update every 5 months, and Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists every 3 weeks. Most recently, Color Notepad was updated on September 23, 2026 and Simple Notes, Notepad & Lists on September 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.*