# Simple Notes vs notes with folder

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: notes with folder at none against Simple Notes's 3. notes with folder also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). Simple Notes's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (790 vs 8). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. notes with folder asks for nothing beyond the download.

Simple Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Notes has 790 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, notes with folder fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and June 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Notes | notes with folder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (790 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-manager/id1457937396/reviews)** | [4.3 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-with-folder/id1491577385/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **790** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 206 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) | [SOCIAL NOTE CO., LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476710964) |

## 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


### notes with folder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-with-folder/id1491577385)

Organize your thoughts and notes with a customizable notebook system. Features automatic and manual backups to iCloud for easy data access and retrieval. Create your personal notebooks and enjoy a streamlined note-taking experience.

**Highlights:** Customizable notebooks, Automatic backups, Manual backups, iCloud data sync, Note organization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Notes free?

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

### Is notes with folder free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simple Notes or notes with folder?

Simple Notes is rated higher. Simple Notes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 790 ratings, while notes with folder averages 4.3 from 8 ratings.

### Do Simple Notes or notes with folder have ads?

Both Simple Notes and notes with folder show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Notes or notes with folder?

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, and notes with folder fortnightly. Most recently, Simple Notes was updated on September 23, 2026 and notes with folder on June 11, 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.*