# Note! vs Simple Notes

Note! and Simple Notes both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 87% of Simple Notes's written reviews are positive against 61% of Note!'s. Simple Notes also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 13 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Note! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Note! against 4.7 for Simple Notes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1K and 791 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of Note!'s written reviews are positive against 87% of Simple Notes's.

Note! ships an update every 13 months, Simple Notes every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Note! | Simple Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note/id1446333652/reviews) | [4.7 (791 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-manager/id1457937396/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 791 |
| Positive reviews | 61.0% of reviews | **87.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 216 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RIEU Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/446267401) | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) |

## What reviewers say

### Note!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note/id1446333652)

This app offers a minimalist approach to note-taking, focusing on speed and simplicity. It allows for quick plain text entries, organized by modification date, with options for text resizing and passcode protection for privacy.

**Highlights:** Quick plain text notes, Sorted by latest modified, Pinch to zoom text size, Set passcode to lock notes

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and straightforward
- 🚀 Efficient note-taking
- 💡 Useful for quick notes and ideas
- 👍 Clean and clutter-free interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent and intrusive ads
- 🔒 Lack of backup/export functionality
- 🔒 No option to remove ads
- 🐛 Distracting pop-ups

**Reported bugs**

- Ads disrupt note-taking experience
- Inability to delete old notes
- Lack of printing functionality

**Requested features**

- Add iCloud sync and backup
- Implement a paid, ad-free version
- Allow for note organization and sorting
- Improve text formatting and editing capabilities


### Simple Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-manager/id1457937396)

This app offers a clean and efficient way to organize your thoughts and ideas. Easily add images, organize notes into colored folders, and secure your entries with a passcode. Customize the look with various themes and fonts, and back up your data to iCloud.

**Highlights:** Add photos to notes, Organize with colored folders, Calendar view for notes, Passcode and biometric lock, Customizable themes and fonts, iCloud backup and sync, Smart search with tags

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium (Annual) | $14.99 | per year |
| Premium Service | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 📁 Folder organization and color-coding
- 🔒 Password protection
- 💡 Useful for school and work notes
- 🚀 Fast and responsive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Lack of iCloud sync
- 📐 Limited formatting options (no bold, italics, etc.)
- 🎨 Default folder color cannot be changed
- 🔍 No alphabetical sorting for folders

**Reported bugs**

- No local PC backup and restore feature
- UI looks outdated and childish

**Requested features**

- Add ability to pin notes at the top of a folder
- Implement iCloud sync between devices
- Introduce more text formatting options (bold, italics, underline, etc.)
- Allow changing folder colors


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Note! free?

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

### Is Simple Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Note! or Simple Notes?

Note! and Simple Notes are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1K and 791 ratings respectively.

### Do Note! or Simple Notes have ads?

Both Note! and Simple Notes show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Note! or Simple Notes?

Note! ships an update every 13 months, and Simple Notes every 3 months. Most recently, Note! was updated on October 3, 2026 and Simple Notes on October 7, 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.*