Comparison

Simple Notes vs Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool

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 or audio recording — the focus is simple text-and-photo notes [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

Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool

This app offers a straightforward and aesthetically pleasing way to jot down notes. It's designed for users who prefer simplicity over complex features, providing an intuitive and stress-free note-taking experience.

Highlights
  • Simple note-taking
  • Beautiful design
  • Easy to use interface
  • Intuitive management
  • Stress-free experience
Features
Read full description

○ For people like this ・People who just want to keep taking notes in a simple way. ・People who want to use a simple but easy to use notepad. ・People who are tired of using notepad with complicated settings. ○ Simple and beautiful design It is designed to be a simple and easy-to-use taking note. It has become such a sophisticated design that "pull" rather than "add" the function. It is an application that embodies "simple is best". ○ Easy to use Thanks to its simple design and no extra features, you can use the app intuitively. You can manage your notepad in a fun and stress-free manner.

Screenshots

Simple Notes4 screens
Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool at none against Simple Notes's 3. Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). Simple Notes's advantage is ratings volume (790 vs 143). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support 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. Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Notes has 790 ratings behind it against 143, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 88% of Simple Notes's written reviews are positive against 83% of Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Simple Notes versus Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple NotesSimple Notepad・Simple and Cool
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (790 ratings)4.9 (143 ratings) — better
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews — better82.6% of reviews
Number of ratings790 — better143
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size206 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKomorebi Inc.Futoshi Niiho

Customer experience

Simple Notes

All ratings790 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral3.2%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews120 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral5.8%
Negative6.7%

Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool

All ratings143 ratings
Positive99.3%
Neutral0.7%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews69 reviews
Positive82.6%
Neutral7.2%
Negative10.1%

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

Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
None

Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Simple Notes free?
Simple Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool free?
Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Simple Notes or Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool?
Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool is rated higher. Simple Notes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 790 ratings, while Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool averages 4.9 from 143 ratings.
Do Simple Notes or Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool have ads?
Both Simple Notes and Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool show ads.
Which is updated more often, Simple Notes or Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool?
Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, and Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool every 2 weeks. Most recently, Simple Notes was updated on September 23, 2026 and Simple Notepad・Simple and Cool on September 24, 2026.

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