# Standard Notes vs MerxBids Assistant

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MerxBids Assistant at none against Standard Notes's 1. MerxBids Assistant also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). Standard Notes's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.6). On price, 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. MerxBids Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.

Standard Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, MerxBids Assistant weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Standard Notes | MerxBids Assistant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | 63.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 90 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Standard Notes Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/586976285) | [Merx Technology Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885613352) |

## 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


### MerxBids Assistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merxbids-assistant/id6769381613)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, 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 MerxBids Assistant free?

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

### Do Standard Notes or MerxBids Assistant have ads?

Neither Standard Notes nor MerxBids Assistant shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Standard Notes or MerxBids Assistant?

Standard Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, and MerxBids Assistant weekly. Most recently, Standard Notes was updated on November 11, 2026 and MerxBids Assistant on November 5, 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.*