# Notes and Folders vs Secure Notes

The clearest difference is ads: Secure Notes at none against Notes and Folders's shown. Secure Notes also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). Notes and Folders's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 65%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes and Folders sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Secure Notes sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Notes and Folders against 4.6 for Secure Notes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 302 and 716 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Notes and Folders's written reviews are positive against 65% of Secure Notes's.

Notes and Folders ships an update every 3 weeks, Secure Notes fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes and Folders | Secure Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (302 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-and-folders-notepad/id1126289455/reviews) | **[4.6 (716 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notes-secret-and-lock/id1469517353/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 302 | **716** |
| Positive reviews | **80.4% of reviews** | 64.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 17 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [KinkumaDesign](https://appshunter.io/developer/385697725) | [PixelPort LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1355467938) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes and Folders

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-and-folders-notepad/id1126289455)

Organize your thoughts and memories with this app. Create folders for notes, attach photos, and even keep a dated diary. Secure your entries with password protection and access them easily with widgets and search functionality.

**Highlights:** Organize notes with folders and subfolders, Attach photos to notes, Dated diary entries, Password lock (Passcode, Touch ID, Face ID), Widgets for quick access, Search notes, Backup to Dropbox, PC, or Mac

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |


### Secure Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notes-secret-and-lock/id1469517353)

Safeguard your private thoughts, voice memos, and sensitive information with robust, multi-layered security. This app offers military-grade encryption, biometric locks, and secure voice recording to keep your data protected. Enjoy a distraction-free, ad-free experience with a powerful rich text editor and seamless iCloud syncing across devices.

**Highlights:** 3-Layer Security (app, folders, notes), Secure Voice Recording, Biometric Lock (Face ID, Touch ID, Passcode), iCloud Sync, Rich Text Editor with Markdown, Trash Recovery

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Secure Notes - 1 Month PRO | $4.99 | per month |
| Secure Notes - Pro Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Secure Notes Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Secure Notes Pro Annual Offer | $19.99 | per year |
| Secure Notes - 1 Year PRO | $39.99 | per year |
| Secure Notes Pro - Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure notes and folders
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Efficient note-taking
- 💡 Innovative features like Love Voice Notes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy performance after updates
- 🤯 Overly complicated UI changes
- 🔒 Difficulty resetting passwords/access
- 💸 Essential features locked behind paywall

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Delayed text input and display
- Inability to access locked notes

**Requested features**

- Ability to move notes between folders
- Option to customize font, size, and colors
- Trash/Recycle bin for deleted notes
- Cloud sync/backup functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes and Folders free?

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

### Is Secure Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notes and Folders or Secure Notes?

Secure Notes is rated higher. Notes and Folders averages 4.5 out of 5 from 302 ratings, while Secure Notes averages 4.6 from 716 ratings.

### Do Notes and Folders or Secure Notes have ads?

Notes and Folders shows ads; Secure Notes does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notes and Folders or Secure Notes?

Notes and Folders ships an update every 3 weeks, and Secure Notes fortnightly. Most recently, Notes and Folders was updated on October 24, 2026 and Secure Notes 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.*