# Code Notes vs Mandala

The clearest difference is update cadence: Mandala at every 3 weeks against Code Notes's every 9 months. Code Notes's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Code Notes ships an update every 9 months, Mandala every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and February 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Code Notes | Mandala |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-notes/id1384290084/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rainer Drexler](https://appshunter.io/developer/775101658) | [Chen-Hai Teng](https://appshunter.io/developer/1720135301) |

## What reviewers say

### Code Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/code-notes/id1384290084)

Securely store sensitive information like passwords and card PINs directly on your device. This app prioritizes privacy with no external server communication, ensuring your data remains exclusively within the application.

**Highlights:** Local password storage, No external server communication, Store card PINs, Lightweight application

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mandala

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandala/id6473900723)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Code Notes free?

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

### Is Mandala free?

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

### Do Code Notes or Mandala have ads?

Neither Code Notes nor Mandala shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Code Notes or Mandala?

Code Notes ships an update every 9 months, and Mandala every 3 weeks. Most recently, Code Notes was updated on September 10, 2026 and Mandala on February 27, 2026.

---

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