# Shortnotes vs Notepad Markdown

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Notepad Markdown at 86% against Shortnotes's 46%. Notepad Markdown also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shortnotes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Notepad Markdown sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notepad Markdown holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notepad Markdown has 86 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Shortnotes's written reviews are positive against 86% of Notepad Markdown's.

Shortnotes ships an update every 2 months, Notepad Markdown fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shortnotes | Notepad Markdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortnotes-quick-reference/id1234591621/reviews) | **[4.6 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-markdown-quick-draft/id1496067471/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **86** |
| Positive reviews | 45.7% of reviews | **85.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ilya Gorodnyanskiy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1137082233) | [giddyapp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437204507) |

## What reviewers say

### Shortnotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortnotes-quick-reference/id1234591621)

Capture and organize small pieces of information like codes, names, or license plates. Access your quick references across all your Apple devices, with options to add tags, photos, and even import notes from your desktop.

**Highlights:** Simple note adding and deleting, Attach images to notes, Speech input for notes, Organize notes in folders, Filter notes by tags, iCloud synchronization, Today Widget and Apple Watch support

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shortnotes Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


### Notepad Markdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-markdown-quick-draft/id1496067471)

Capture thoughts instantly with this lightweight notes app. It offers a distraction-free interface for quick drafting, supports markdown formatting for structured notes, and includes intuitive checklist creation. Seamless iCloud sync ensures your notes are available across all your devices.

**Highlights:** Lightning-fast note-taking, Markdown formatting, Intuitive checklist creation, Seamless multi-device sync, Distraction-free interface, Quick drafting and editing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| QuickDraft Pro iOS + iPadOS | $4.99 | one-time |
| Quick Draft Pro | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick launch and fast note-taking
- 👍 Simple and minimalistic design
- 🔄 Seamless iCloud syncing
- 💡 Great for quick capture of ideas
- 📱 Cross-platform availability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Frequent prompts to buy Pro version
- 🗑️ Data loss and sync issues
- ⚠️ No backup function
- 🚫 Limited to one note
- 🪲 Annoying pop-ups

**Reported bugs**

- Data not synchronizing or being deleted/overwritten
- New pop-up on each load about buying premium version
- App prompts to purchase Pro every day
- iCloud syncing not working
- Dropdown pad disappears when using with PopClip

**Requested features**

- Widget view with settings for font, size, and color
- Option to hide from dock
- Allow choosing file location
- Additional page and bullet point options
- Apple Watch app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shortnotes free?

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

### Is Notepad Markdown free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shortnotes or Notepad Markdown?

Notepad Markdown is rated higher. Shortnotes averages 4.1 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Notepad Markdown averages 4.6 from 86 ratings.

### Do Shortnotes or Notepad Markdown have ads?

Neither Shortnotes nor Notepad Markdown shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shortnotes or Notepad Markdown?

Shortnotes ships an update every 2 months, and Notepad Markdown fortnightly. Most recently, Shortnotes was updated on September 28, 2026 and Notepad Markdown on September 29, 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.*