# Simple Notepad vs Secret Diary

The clearest difference is ads: Secret Diary at none against Simple Notepad's shown. Secret Diary also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and device support (4 vs 2). Simple Notepad's advantage is ratings volume (2.8K vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Notepad sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month and Secret Diary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Secret Diary holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Notepad has 2.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Simple Notepad's written reviews are positive against 70% of Secret Diary's.

Simple Notepad ships an update every 3 weeks, Secret Diary every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Notepad | Secret Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notepad-bestnote/id1207183021/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-password-notes/id6445909382/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.8K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 68.5% of reviews | **70.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EasterEggs](https://appshunter.io/developer/553389214) | [伟 葛](https://appshunter.io/developer/1028908732) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notepad-bestnote/id1207183021)

This app offers a unique note-taking experience with a three-tab system for memos, remarks, and history. Attach photos to your notes and secure them with a password. Organize your thoughts with folder division for efficient management.

**Highlights:** Three-tab note structure (Memo, Remarks, History), Attach images to notes, Password security lock, Folder division for organization, Revision history tracking, Additional remarks field

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan | $3.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🎨 Customizable colors and themes
- 🗂️ Folder organization
- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- 📝 Good for note-taking and journaling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Intrusive ads
- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 📱 Not optimized for iPad
- 🖋️ No handwriting support
- 💾 No backup/sync options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Notes disappearing after updates
- Vertical orientation not working
- Unable to recover lost notes

**Requested features**

- Option to remove ads
- Ability to sync notes across devices
- More font and formatting options
- Print functionality
- Improved iPad support


### Secret Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-password-notes/id6445909382)

Securely record your daily life and protect your privacy with this easy-to-use digital journal. Customize entries with beautiful fonts and quickly find past notes using content search. It offers password protection for exclusive access.

**Highlights:** Password protection, Secure diary entries, Customizable fonts, Content search, User-friendly interface, Privacy protection

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Premium | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Notepad free?

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

### Is Secret Diary free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simple Notepad or Secret Diary?

Secret Diary is rated higher. Simple Notepad averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.8K ratings, while Secret Diary averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Simple Notepad or Secret Diary have ads?

Simple Notepad shows ads; Secret Diary does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Notepad or Secret Diary?

Simple Notepad ships an update every 3 weeks, and Secret Diary every 3 months. Most recently, Simple Notepad was updated on October 11, 2026 and Secret Diary on October 7, 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.*