# Simple Notes vs PhotoNote

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Simple Notes at 790 against PhotoNote's 2. Simple Notes also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). PhotoNote's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and PhotoNote sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PhotoNote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Notes has 790 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Simple Notes's written reviews are positive against 100% of PhotoNote's.

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, PhotoNote every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Notes | PhotoNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (790 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-manager/id1457937396/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photonote-take-note-by-camera/id1465555338/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **790** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 206 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) | [Satoshi Kobayashi](https://appshunter.io/developer/909987119) |

## 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


### PhotoNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photonote-take-note-by-camera/id1465555338)

Capture information visually by taking photos instead of typing. Organize your visual notes with tabs and colored tags. Photos are stored within the app, preventing clutter in your device's photo gallery.

**Highlights:** Capture notes via camera, Organize with tabs, Categorize with colored tags, Internal photo storage, Reorder notes and tags

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro plan | $1.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Notes free?

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

### Is PhotoNote free?

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

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

PhotoNote is rated higher. Simple Notes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 790 ratings, while PhotoNote averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Simple Notes or PhotoNote have ads?

Both Simple Notes and PhotoNote show ads.

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

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, and PhotoNote every 3 weeks. Most recently, Simple Notes was updated on September 23, 2026 and PhotoNote on September 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.*