Comparison

Simple Notes vs 手書きノート

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 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
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

手書きノート

Features
Read full description

簡単に手書きメモをとりましょう! ・ペン色の選択は無限大! ・背景色、ペン太さ、方眼デザイン、方眼の大きさなどもカスタムできます ・画像を挿入できます ・自動保存でデータをなくすこともありません ・フォルダーを作成できます(フォルダーInフォルダーも可能です) ・Apple Pencilにも対応しています ・Undo,Redo機能も搭載! ・オフラインでサクサク動く /// 月額プラン /// ・広告非表示 ・自動で文字を認識してPDFで書き出し(ベータ版、横書きのみ)(iOS16以降) 利用規約:https://churiki-tenna.web.app/handWrite#termOfUse

Screenshots

Simple Notes4 screens
手書きノート4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: 手書きノート at none against Simple Notes's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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 and 手書きノート sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, 手書きノート every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Simple Notes versus 手書きノート: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple Notes手書きノート
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (791 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews87.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings791 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 5 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size215 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKomorebi Inc.Tenna Churiki

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

手書きノート

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
1 purchases

手書きノート

Subscriptions1
  • 月額プラン$1.491 Month

Questions

Is Simple Notes free?
Simple Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is 手書きノート free?
手書きノート is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Simple Notes or 手書きノート have ads?
Simple Notes shows ads; 手書きノート does not.
Which is updated more often, Simple Notes or 手書きノート?
Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, and 手書きノート every 5 months. Most recently, Simple Notes was updated on November 6, 2026 and 手書きノート on November 3, 2026.

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