Comparison

Smart PDF+ Editor vs Secret Notes

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Smart PDF+ Editor

This app allows users to read, sign, and annotate PDF documents, especially with stylus input. It's designed for professionals to quickly handle documents and for students to take notes on study materials. Features include a built-in file manager for organization.

Highlights
  • Ink annotations
  • Document signing
  • File organization
  • PDF reading
  • Document sharing
Features
Read full description

Smart PDF is a PDF editor specially optimized for ink annotations. Use it with an Apple Pencil for the ultimate ease in note taking. Great for professionals Quickly sign and send documents. Review, annotate and share files with your colleagues. Great for students If you spend a lot of time reading and studying documents on your iPad, then Smart PDF is an indispensable tool for getting the most out of your study time. Take notes on documents in class, or while studying at home. Keep all your files organized with the built-in file manager, with color-coded categories. We hope you enjoy Smart PDF! -- The App Makers @ Qrayon

About

Secret Notes

Features
Read full description

Secret Notes is the private notepad for everything that’s nobody else’s business: thoughts, lists, plans, recordings. No account, no tracking, no ads — your notes stay on your device, encrypted and behind PIN or Face ID. PRIVACY FIRST • App lock with PIN or Face ID, auto-locking after a timeout you choose • Note contents are stored encrypted on your device (AES-256) • Lock individual notes — content only shows after re-authenticating • No account required, no data collection, no ads SEVEN NOTE TYPES • Text with formatting (bold, italic, colors) and [[links]] between notes • Checklists with sub-items and smart auto-checking • Spreadsheets, Markdown, audio and video notes, tally counters ORGANIZE & FIND • Categories, nested folders, colors, pinning, ratings • Search and filters, custom sort by drag & drop • Reminders — including recurring — with an overview screen • “At a Glance” home screen, archive, and trash with auto-cleanup • Templates for recurring notes BACK UP & SYNC • Encrypted backups, portable between devices • Cloud backup and multi-device sync via your own server (Nextcloud/WebDAV) — your data lives only where you decide • Direct device-to-device transfer on your local network EVERYDAY EXTRAS • Widgets: quick add and recently edited notes • Share sheet: save text, links, images and files from other apps • Read notes aloud • Fully localized in English and German FREE & PRO Text, checklist and tally notes, app lock, note lock, categories, reminders and widgets are free. Secret Notes Pro (one-time purchase, no subscription) unlocks spreadsheets, Markdown, audio/video, folders, attachments, note history, PDF export, backups and device sync.

Screenshots

Smart PDF+ Editor4 screens
Secret Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Secret Notes at Free against Smart PDF+ Editor's $4.99. Secret Notes also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 4 months). Smart PDF+ Editor's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.2). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Secret Notes is free to download; Smart PDF+ Editor costs $4.99 up front. Secret Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Smart PDF+ Editor asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Smart PDF+ Editor ships an update every 4 months, Secret Notes every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Smart PDF+ Editor versus Secret Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmart PDF+ EditorSecret Notes
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating3.8 (53 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews5.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings53 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperQrayon, LLCAndreas Grauf

In-app purchases

None

Smart PDF+ Editor

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Secret Notes

One-time1
  • Secret Notes Pro$2.99

Questions

Is Smart PDF+ Editor free?
Smart PDF+ Editor costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Secret Notes free?
Secret Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Smart PDF+ Editor or Secret Notes have ads?
Neither Smart PDF+ Editor nor Secret Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Smart PDF+ Editor or Secret Notes?
Smart PDF+ Editor ships an update every 4 months, and Secret Notes every 3 days. Most recently, Smart PDF+ Editor was updated on October 24, 2026 and Secret Notes on October 14, 2026.

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