# Standard Notes vs ShiftLedger

The clearest difference is update cadence: ShiftLedger at every 2 days against Standard Notes's every 5 weeks. ShiftLedger also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Standard Notes's advantage is ratings volume (3.8K vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Standard Notes sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $119.99 per year and ShiftLedger sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ShiftLedger holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Standard Notes has 3.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Standard Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, ShiftLedger every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Standard Notes | ShiftLedger |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standard-notes/id1285392450/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftledger-overtime-tracker/id6812492245/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.8K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 64.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 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) | [Alan Chang](https://appshunter.io/developer/6809237874) |

## 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


### ShiftLedger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shiftledger-overtime-tracker/id6812492245)

Easily track your work hours, understand overtime pay, and analyze your earnings. Designed for irregular schedules, it helps you see where your time goes and identify your most valuable shifts.

**Highlights:** Track scheduled vs. actual work times, Configure custom pay profiles, Estimate overtime earnings, Analyze overtime trends, Export shift records and summaries, Local-first privacy with no ads or tracking

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Lifetime Access | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Standard Notes free?

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

### Is ShiftLedger free?

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

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

ShiftLedger is rated higher. Standard Notes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.8K ratings, while ShiftLedger averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Standard Notes or ShiftLedger have ads?

Neither Standard Notes nor ShiftLedger shows ads.

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

Standard Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, and ShiftLedger every 2 days. Most recently, Standard Notes was updated on October 19, 2026 and ShiftLedger on October 9, 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.*