Comparison

Simple Notes vs WeNote

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Simple Notes

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
Read full description

Simple Notes is an easy-to-use notes app that leaves out the extras, so writing, organizing, and finding notes stay simple. Notes go into color-coded folders, and you can find them using the calendar or photo album. No account or setup is required, and the app works offline. Core features are free. Keep everything in one place, from class notes and work memos to a diary or baby journal. [Features] ■ Add Photos to Notes - Attach images to any note - Insert pictures from your photo library, or take a photo on the spot ■ Folder Organization - Create folders to keep your notes organized - Choose from 24 folder colors to tell categories apart at a glance ■ Calendar View - View notes by date using the built-in calendar - Tap any date to see notes for that date — perfect for locating past entries ■ Photo Album - Browse all images added to notes in one place - Tap a photo to jump to its note ■ Home Screen & Lock Screen Widgets - Keep a note on your Home Screen like a sticky note — no need to open the app - Lock Screen widgets let you see a note without unlocking your iPhone - Choose which note to display and its text size *Widgets are part of the Premium Service* ■ Sort Notes & Bullet Lists - Sort by note date, date edited, date created, or title, ascending or descending - Bullet lists make it easy to write shopping and packing lists ■ Passcode Lock - Protect your notes with a passcode - Supports Face ID and Touch ID for quick and secure access ■ Font Styles - Choose from 12 font styles - Choose a playful, elegant, or professional look for your notes ■ Themes and App Icons - Pick from 23 theme colors and matching app icons - Customize the look of the app and even the Home Screen icon ■ Full-Note Image & PDF - Turn an entire note, even a long one with photos, into a single image to share - Export notes as PDFs for work or school ■ Data Backup & Export - Back up your notes to iCloud or export them to your computer - Hand exported notes to AI apps for summaries, or save them to Notion or Google Drive - Export formats: HTML (for Windows), RTFD (for Mac, keeps images), PDF, and TXT *Data export and iCloud backup are part of the Premium Service; notes are also included in your iPhone’s device backup* ■ iCloud Sync - Use iCloud to sync notes across your iPhone and iPad (Premium Service) - Restore your notes on a new device if yours is lost or broken ■ Smart Search - Use the built-in search to quickly find notes - Add text tags like “#Important” to make key notes easier to locate ■ Character Count - Check the character count as you write reports, essays, or fiction - Each note can hold up to 100,000 characters ■ Text Display Settings - Adjust text size, contrast, and line spacing - Ideal if you prefer larger text or need better readability - Dark Mode is supported for nighttime use ■ Remove Ads - The Premium Service hides all ads - Enjoy a clean, distraction-free screen for your notes [Great For] - Students: class and lecture notes with photos, one folder per course — export notes as PDF or text and hand them to AI apps for exam prep - Parents: a baby journal with photos, growth records, and family memos in folders - Work: meeting notes, ideas, and memos in one place — tap the mic on the iOS keyboard to dictate notes, handy for transcripts and meeting minutes - Writers: novels, blog drafts, and reports — live character count and PDF sharing [Good to Know] - Works on iPhone and iPad (iOS/iPadOS 14 or later) - Works offline — create and view notes even in Airplane Mode - No handwriting inside notes or audio recording (write on exported images and PDFs) [Help & Contact] - For help, go to “Help / FAQ” in the app settings - If you still have questions, tap “Contact Us” on the help screen - For faster support, contact us through the app rather than leaving an App Store review 【Terms of Service】 https://komorebi-studio.com/tos_en.html 【Privacy Policy】 https://komorebi-studio.com/policyredirect.html

About

WeNote

This app allows you to create colorful notes, to-do lists, and shopping lists. Organize your thoughts with labels, attach media, and set reminders. It offers privacy features like PIN locking and offline functionality.

Highlights
  • Create color notes and to-do lists
  • Organize with labels and colors
  • Attach photos and voice recordings
  • Set customizable reminders
  • Secure notes with PIN/fingerprint lock
  • Offline functionality
  • Calendar with holiday display
Features
Read full description

# Simple notepad & memo. Take notes, shopping list, to-do list, calendar, reminder WeNote - Notes,To-do,Calendar is a simple and awesome note taking app. You can create color notes, to do lists, shopping lists, reminders, and calendars quickly. Users love WeNote® as their life organizer, work planner, or study note app. Note taking with WeNote® is easier than any other notepad, memo app. When you write down memos, emails, phone numbers, messages, cooking recipes, diary, journal, shopping lists, and to do list, you will realize this is a good notes taking app. WeNote® is a privacy-focused notepad. WeNote® can work offline perfectly, even without an Internet connection. No login is required. Lock notes and to do list via PIN, pattern, password, or fingerprint, to protect confidential information. # How to Take a Note? WeNote® can act as a simple word processing app. You can type unlimited characters. After saving the note, you can pin it to the top screen, check off, password lock, share or delete through the menu. # How to Make Todo List or Shopping List? In to-do list mode, you can add an unlimited checklist. Arrange their order with a simple tap and move. When finishing with an item, you can perform a simple tap to strikethrough it. # Features • Create color notes and todo list • Organize memo using label & color • Labels designed as tabs, to let you swipe between notes at blazing fast speed • Attach photos and images into notebook • Voice recording allows hands-free note taking. You can add unlimited voice recordings into notepad • Pin important notes to the top. You will not miss out on any important thing • Place a sticky note widget on your Home Screen. View and access your note directly from Home Screen • Secure lock notes and keep them private • The completed to-do list will move to the bottom of the checklist • Customize notes via various fonts, viewing modes, sorting modes • 13 different app color themes to make notebook looks great • Unlimited notes color choices • Reminders memo and calendar • Powerful notes reminder. Notepad able to repeat daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and highly customizable. Never miss anything from the notebook • Show holidays on the calendar notes, which supports up to 250 countries, 3,680 states & provinces • Secure sync to iCloud. Never lose any notes • Local backup and restore to keep notes safe • Share notes to email, SMS, social networking & messaging apps • Undo/ redo enables mistake correction during note typing • Convert URL and phone number to clickable links • Export notes to PDF • Search notes and todo list, instantly # Color Notes This notebook can categorize notes into different colors. Manage notes with 12 pre-defined beautiful colors. WeNote® also provides an unlimited favorite color. # Notes Category WeNote® allows you to categorize notes by creating labels. Labels can display as Tabs. # Calendar Memo This notepad has a calendar. You can write a memo and create a reminder in the calendar. Due to its remarkable easy-to-use built-in calendar, you can use WeNote® as agenda planner and family organizer. Either plan next trip itinerary or schedule business meetings. # Secure Lock to Keep Notebook Private This notepad can secure lock and keep notes private. Either lock a note or lock the entire app to keep the notebook safe. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Simple Notes4 screens
WeNote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: WeNote at every 2 weeks against Simple Notes's every 3 months. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and WeNote sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Simple Notes against 4.8 for WeNote. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 791 and 1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Simple Notes's written reviews are positive against 86% of WeNote's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, WeNote every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 11, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Simple Notes versus WeNote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple NotesWeNote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (791 ratings)4.8 (1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews87.2% of reviews — better86.0% of reviews
Number of ratings7911K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size216 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKomorebi Inc.Yan Cheng Cheok

Customer experience

Simple Notes

All ratings791 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral3.2%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews125 reviews
Positive87.2%
Neutral5.6%
Negative7.2%

WeNote

All ratings1,016 ratings
Positive96.3%
Neutral1.7%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews351 reviews
Positive86.0%
Neutral6.0%
Negative8.0%

User reviews

Simple Notes

From 791 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

WeNote

From 1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • ❤️ Loved the app
  • 👍 Easy to use and organize
  • 🎨 Customizable colors and layouts
  • 📆 Helpful calendar and reminders
  • 🔒 Ability to lock notes

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Paid features like dark mode and iCloud sync
  • ⚠️ Occasional sync issues between devices
  • 🔍 Lack of search functionality

Bugs and requests

Simple Notes

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • No local PC backup and restore feature
  • UI looks outdated and childish

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

WeNote

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Repeated prompts for reviews
  • Checklist items not updating properly
  • Reminders not always triggering

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add undo/redo functionality
  • Improve calendar integration to show note details
  • Provide more font and formatting options
  • Allow sharing and collaboration on notes

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Simple Notes

Subscriptions2
  • Premium (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Service$39.99
19 purchases

WeNote

Subscriptions6
  • Premium7 Days trial$1.997 Days
  • Ad-free$2.991 Month
  • Premium$2.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Premium7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Premium$24.991 Year
  • Premium7 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time13
  • Color$7.99
  • Recording$7.99
  • Sticky note$7.99
Show 10 more
  • Undo redo$7.99
  • PDF$7.99
  • App icon$7.99
  • Select$7.99
  • Draw & write$7.99
  • Theme$7.99
  • Label$7.99
  • Font$7.99
  • iCloud sync$14.99
  • Combo$34.99

Questions

Is Simple Notes free?
Simple Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is WeNote free?
WeNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Simple Notes or WeNote?
WeNote is rated higher. Simple Notes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 791 ratings, while WeNote averages 4.8 from 1K ratings.
Do Simple Notes or WeNote have ads?
Both Simple Notes and WeNote show ads.
Which is updated more often, Simple Notes or WeNote?
Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, and WeNote every 2 weeks. Most recently, Simple Notes was updated on October 11, 2026 and WeNote on October 11, 2026.

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