Comparison

Izumo vs OctoNote

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

Head to head
About

Izumo

A straightforward note-taking application that exclusively utilizes markdown for editing. It allows for seamless data sharing across multiple Apple devices and offers features like categorization, font customization, and keyword search.

Highlights
  • Markdown note-taking
  • Multi-device sync via iCloud
  • Organize notes with categories
  • Customize font style
  • Keyword search for notes
  • Colorized markdown support
Read full description

Izumo is the simple note tool for markdown only. If you have AppleID, you can share data with various devices. If you use Izumo application specific to macOS application, you can edit and save notes on PC. All features are available free of charge. ■■FEATURES AT A GLANCE■■ - You can leave the memo. - You can organize notes with categories. - Izumo supports the markdown style - colorize. - Izumo customize the font style. - Izumo supports multi-device sync via iCloud in background. (It is necessary to log in as an Apple ID in advance) - You can find the note that you want to find with keywords ■■Recommended for■■ - You do not need to be text rich, but I would like to make notes with markdown - You who want to edit and save notes on various devices

About

OctoNote

This app lets you write and store notes in markdown format, syncing them directly to your GitHub Gists. It offers beautiful rendering, code syntax highlighting, and version control for organized and accessible notes.

Highlights
  • Markdown writing and rendering
  • GitHub Gists integration
  • Code syntax highlighting
  • Live preview
  • Version history
  • Secret Gists (Premium)
  • Custom syntax themes (Premium)
Features
Read full description

OctoNote - GitHub Powered Markdown Notes THE POWER OF GITHUB MEETS BEAUTIFUL NOTE-TAKING OctoNote transforms the way developers and power users take notes by harnessing GitHub Gists—giving you cloud sync, version control, and universal access without the bloat of traditional note apps. Write in markdown. Save to GitHub. Access anywhere. MARKDOWN DONE RIGHT - Gorgeous rendering that makes your notes look like miniature websites - Full syntax highlighting for code blocks—perfect for developers - Seamless editing with a clean, distraction-free interface - Live preview to see your formatted notes as you write GITHUB GISTS INTEGRATION - Automatic sync to your GitHub profile—your notes live where your code lives - Edit anywhere through GitHub's web interface or OctoNote - Version history built in—never lose a previous version - Share effortlessly via Gist URLs with beautiful browser rendering - No vendor lock-in—your notes are standard markdown on GitHub BUILT FOR DEVELOPERS & POWER USERS Whether you're documenting code snippets, maintaining technical wikis, or organizing project notes, OctoNote gives you the tools you need: - Save meeting notes with code examples - Maintain personal knowledge bases - Share formatted documentation instantly - Keep research organized with tags and structure OCTONOTE PREMIUM Upgrade to unlock the full power of private note-taking: - Secret Gists that don't appear in public search - Custom syntax formatting themes (11+ beautiful options from Xcode Light to Atom One Dark) - Flair for your app icon - Private by default for sensitive work notes and personal journals SIMPLE. POWERFUL. YOURS. OctoNote doesn't try to be everything—it's focused on doing one thing exceptionally well: giving you beautiful, powerful markdown notes backed by the reliability of GitHub. No proprietary formats. No complicated export processes. Just your notes, in standard markdown, stored safely on GitHub and accessible from anywhere. Perfect for: - Software developers and engineers - Technical writers and documentation specialists - Students studying computer science - Anyone who loves markdown and wants their notes future-proof REQUIREMENTS OctoNote requires a GitHub account (free accounts work perfectly). All features—both standard and Premium—are available to users with any GitHub account tier. Download OctoNote today and transform the way you take notes.

Screenshots

Izumo3 screens
OctoNote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Izumo at 4.5 against OctoNote's 3.7. Izumo also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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

Both are free to download. OctoNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Izumo asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Izumo holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 10 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Izumo's written reviews are positive against 60% of OctoNote's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Izumo ships an update weekly, OctoNote every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Izumo versus OctoNote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIzumoOctoNote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (4 ratings) — better3.7 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews — better60.0% of reviews
Number of ratings410 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDaichi NakajimaBase11 Studios Ltd

Customer experience

Izumo

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%

OctoNote

All ratings10 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative30.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

In-app purchases

None

Izumo

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

OctoNote

Subscriptions2
  • Premium (Monthly)$1.991 Month
  • Premium (Yearly)$11.991 Year
One-time1
  • OctoNote Premium - Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Izumo free?
Izumo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is OctoNote free?
OctoNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Izumo or OctoNote?
Izumo is rated higher. Izumo averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while OctoNote averages 3.7 from 10 ratings.
Do Izumo or OctoNote have ads?
Neither Izumo nor OctoNote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Izumo or OctoNote?
Izumo ships an update weekly, and OctoNote every 2 months. Most recently, Izumo was updated on October 7, 2026 and OctoNote on September 30, 2026.

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