# Simple Notes vs JotNotes

The clearest difference is ads: JotNotes at none against Simple Notes's shown. JotNotes also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 months). Simple Notes's advantage is ratings volume (790 vs 3) and review sentiment (87% vs 67%). On price, rating, 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 JotNotes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 4.7 for JotNotes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Notes has 790 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Simple Notes's written reviews are positive against 67% of JotNotes's.

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, JotNotes every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Notes | JotNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (790 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-manager/id1457937396/reviews)** | [4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jotnotes-notes-and-ideas/id1575513403/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **790** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **87.2% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 215 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) | [Igor Rusinov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503033744) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-manager/id1457937396)

This app helps you easily write, organize, and find notes. Attach images, use color-coded folders, and sort notes by date or title. Protect your entries with a passcode and customize the look with themes and fonts.

**Highlights:** Attach photos to notes, Organize with color-coded folders, View notes by date in calendar, Protect notes with passcode lock, Export notes as PDF or image, Home and Lock Screen widgets

**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


### JotNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jotnotes-notes-and-ideas/id1575513403)

Capture notes, ideas, and goals effortlessly with this streamlined application. Organize your thoughts using color-coded boards for easy retrieval in any aspect of your life.

**Highlights:** Clutter-free interface, Organized notes, Color-coded boards, Easy to find notes, Capture ideas and goals

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Full App | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Notes free?

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

### Is JotNotes free?

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

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

Simple Notes is rated higher. Simple Notes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 790 ratings, while JotNotes averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Simple Notes or JotNotes have ads?

Simple Notes shows ads; JotNotes does not.

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

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, and JotNotes every 3 days. Most recently, Simple Notes was updated on November 2, 2026 and JotNotes on November 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*