# Split Notes vs Simple Notes

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Simple Notes at 791 against Split Notes's 11. Split Notes's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Split Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Split Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Notes has 791 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of Split Notes's written reviews are positive against 87% of Simple Notes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Split Notes ships an update every 4 months, Simple Notes every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Split Notes | Simple Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/split-notes/id1197340064/reviews)** | [4.7 (791 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-manager/id1457937396/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **791** |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews | **87.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 20 MB | 216 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [KAZUTERU YOKOI](https://appshunter.io/developer/605271729) | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) |

## What reviewers say

### Split Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/split-notes/id1197340064)

A versatile text editor that allows for split-screen viewing in both vertical and horizontal orientations, along with tabbed interfaces. It offers automatic saving, folder management, and advanced search capabilities. Users can also synchronize scrolling between panes and export notes to CSV.

**Highlights:** Split-screen editing (vertical/horizontal), Tabbed interface, Synchronized scrolling, Automatic saving, Folder management, Character and regex search, Export to CSV

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### Simple Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-manager/id1457937396)

This app offers a clean and efficient way to organize your thoughts and ideas. Easily add images, organize notes into colored folders, and secure your entries with a passcode. Customize the look with various themes and fonts, and back up your data to iCloud.

**Highlights:** Add photos to notes, Organize with colored folders, Calendar view for notes, Passcode and biometric lock, Customizable themes and fonts, iCloud backup and sync, Smart search with tags

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium (Annual) | $14.99 | per year |
| Premium Service | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 📁 Folder organization and color-coding
- 🔒 Password protection
- 💡 Useful for school and work notes
- 🚀 Fast and responsive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Lack of iCloud sync
- 📐 Limited formatting options (no bold, italics, etc.)
- 🎨 Default folder color cannot be changed
- 🔍 No alphabetical sorting for folders

**Reported bugs**

- No local PC backup and restore feature
- UI looks outdated and childish

**Requested features**

- Add ability to pin notes at the top of a folder
- Implement iCloud sync between devices
- Introduce more text formatting options (bold, italics, underline, etc.)
- Allow changing folder colors


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Split Notes free?

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

### Is Simple Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Split Notes or Simple Notes?

Split Notes is rated higher. Split Notes averages 4.9 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Simple Notes averages 4.7 from 791 ratings.

### Do Split Notes or Simple Notes have ads?

Both Split Notes and Simple Notes show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Split Notes or Simple Notes?

Split Notes ships an update every 4 months, and Simple Notes every 3 months. Most recently, Split Notes was updated on September 28, 2026 and Simple Notes on October 11, 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.*