# Basic Journal vs Notepad

The clearest difference is rating: Notepad at 5.0 against Basic Journal's 3.3. Basic Journal's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Basic Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Notepad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notepad holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

Basic Journal ships an update every 2 weeks, Notepad every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic Journal | Notepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-journal/id1139438456/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-ai-note-taker/id6447254050/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 14 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [James Hudson](https://appshunter.io/developer/599997663) | [Piyushkumar Bhut](https://appshunter.io/developer/1678963675) |

## What reviewers say

### Basic Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-journal/id1139438456)

A fast and simple journal app designed for busy individuals to quickly jot down notes on daily activities. It offers an elegant, chronological display of entries with easy editing and export options.

**Highlights:** Quick note-taking, Chronological note display, Summary and detail views, Edit and delete notes easily, Recently edited notes highlighted, iCloud syncing, Text export option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-ai-note-taker/id6447254050)

Capture your thoughts and organize your life with this intuitive note-taking application. It offers secure storage with a passcode and iCloud synchronization, allowing you to manage daily tasks and personal diaries efficiently. Easily categorize, color-code, and add images to your notes for better arrangement and sharing.

**Highlights:** User-friendly design, iCloud sync, App passcode protection, Note categorization, Share notes (text/PDF), Add images to notes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notepad++ Premium | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic Journal free?

Basic Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Basic Journal or Notepad?

Notepad is rated higher. Basic Journal averages 3.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Notepad averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Basic Journal or Notepad have ads?

Both Basic Journal and Notepad show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Basic Journal or Notepad?

Basic Journal ships an update every 2 weeks, and Notepad every 11 months. Most recently, Basic Journal was updated on June 5, 2026 and Notepad on June 10, 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.*