# Standard Notes vs PlugOS

The clearest difference is rating: Standard Notes at 4.7 against PlugOS's 3.7. Standard Notes also leads on ratings volume (3.8K vs 3) and review sentiment (64% vs 50%). PlugOS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Standard Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Standard Notes has 3.8K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Standard Notes's written reviews are positive against 50% of PlugOS's.

Standard Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, PlugOS monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Standard Notes | PlugOS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standard-notes/id1285392450/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plugos/id6743153296/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.8K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **64.1% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 92 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Standard Notes Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/586976285) | [Shanghai Pingbo Info Tech Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1484047041) |

## 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


### PlugOS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plugos/id6743153296)

This app securely connects to dedicated hardware for managing sensitive data locally. It ensures privacy by processing and storing all information on the device, without internet access or cloud reliance. Enjoy a secure and private digital experience for various applications.

**Highlights:** Local data processing and storage, Hardware-level security isolation, No internet connection required, Device authentication and status checking, Firmware updates, Resistant to complex attacks

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Standard Notes free?

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

### Is PlugOS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Standard Notes or PlugOS?

Standard Notes is rated higher. Standard Notes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.8K ratings, while PlugOS averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Standard Notes or PlugOS have ads?

Neither Standard Notes nor PlugOS shows ads.

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

Standard Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, and PlugOS monthly. Most recently, Standard Notes was updated on October 12, 2026 and PlugOS on October 2, 2026.

---

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