# Simple Notes vs Noto

The clearest difference is ads: Noto at none against Simple Notes's shown. Noto also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 3 months). Simple Notes's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 68%). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Noto sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 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 Simple Notes against 4.6 for Noto. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 790 and 1.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Simple Notes's written reviews are positive against 68% of Noto's.

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, Noto every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Notes | Noto |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (790 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-manager/id1457937396/reviews)** | [4.6 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noto-elegant-note/id1459055246/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 790 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **87.5% of reviews** | 68.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 206 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) | [Soysauce Lab](https://appshunter.io/developer/598496583) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Noto

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noto-elegant-note/id1459055246)

A modern writing and note-taking application offering powerful text editing tools and extensive organization features. It supports unlimited attachments and various export formats, with optional Pro features for enhanced functionality. Syncs seamlessly across devices.

**Highlights:** Powerful text editing tools, Unlimited attachments (Pro), Dark mode, iCloud sync, Gesture organization, Multiple export formats, Desktop-class organization

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Noto Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Noto Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Noto Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and fast
- 👍 Clean and intuitive UI
- 🎨 Customizable folders and colors
- 📁 Excellent organization and hierarchy
- 💻 Works well across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and sync issues
- 🔒 Limited free features, requires subscription
- 📁 Difficulty moving/organizing folders and notes
- 🖌️ Lack of font/text customization options
- 🔍 Poor search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues between devices
- Folders and notes disappearing after updates
- Crashes when trying to access certain folders
- Widgets not displaying note content properly

**Requested features**

- Add tags or keywords for better organization
- Improve table editing and formatting
- Implement better export options (PDF, HTML, etc.)
- Add support for Apple Pencil and handwriting
- Integrate calendar and reminder features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Notes free?

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

### Is Noto free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simple Notes or Noto?

Simple Notes is rated higher. Simple Notes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 790 ratings, while Noto averages 4.6 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do Simple Notes or Noto have ads?

Simple Notes shows ads; Noto does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Notes or Noto?

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, and Noto every 4 weeks. Most recently, Simple Notes was updated on September 28, 2026 and Noto on October 1, 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.*