# Standard Notes vs Discreet Notes

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Discreet Notes at 100% against Standard Notes's 64%. Discreet Notes also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 weeks). Standard Notes's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Standard Notes sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $119.99 per year. Discreet Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Standard Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, Discreet Notes every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Standard Notes | Discreet Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standard-notes/id1285392450/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3.8K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 64.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 92 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Standard Notes Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/586976285) | [Ivan Milicevic](https://appshunter.io/developer/1732082181) |

## What reviewers say

### Standard Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standard-notes/id1285392450)

Securely capture and sync your thoughts across all devices with end-to-end encryption. This app offers a simple, lasting place for all your notes, from personal thoughts to sensitive information, with robust privacy features.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Cross-device syncing, Offline access, Passcode and biometric lock, Tagging system, Open-source code, Optional productivity editors and themes

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Plan | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and reliable sync
- 🔒 Excellent privacy and security
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 📚 Great for organizing notes
- 💻 Cross-platform availability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔑 Frustrating login/authentication issues
- 💰 Expensive premium subscription
- 📱 Limited features in free version
- 🖍️ Lack of formatting options

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing or getting deleted unexpectedly
- Sync issues between devices
- Keyboard and UI bugs on mobile
- Compatibility problems with older iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add support for images and attachments
- Implement a more robust search function
- Introduce a dark mode option
- Allow for better note organization (folders, nested tags)
- Add undo/redo functionality


### Discreet Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/discreet-notes/id6478173166)

This app offers a unique way to manage your notes with a strong emphasis on privacy. You can create truly hidden notes accessible only by their specific passphrase, or opt for visible notes for everyday use. It supports Markdown formatting and iCloud sync across Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Truly private hidden notes, Visible notes option, Raw Markdown editor, Markdown preview toggle, iCloud sync, Dark mode

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Standard Notes free?

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

### Is Discreet Notes free?

Discreet Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Standard Notes or Discreet Notes have ads?

Neither Standard Notes nor Discreet Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Standard Notes or Discreet Notes?

Standard Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, and Discreet Notes every 9 days. Most recently, Standard Notes was updated on October 12, 2026 and Discreet Notes on October 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*