# Simple Notes vs Simple Notes

The clearest difference is update cadence: Simple Notes at every 8 days against Simple Notes's every 3 months. Simple Notes's advantage is ratings volume (790 vs 230) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.39 per month. 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 Simple Notes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 790 and 230 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Simple Notes's written reviews are positive against 80% of Simple Notes's.

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, Simple Notes every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Notes | Simple Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (790 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-notepad-manager/id1457937396/reviews) | [4.7 (230 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-note-taking-app/id6742007640/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **790** | 230 |
| Positive reviews | **87.5% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 206 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) | [Phearoth Phen](https://appshunter.io/developer/925021535) |

## 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


### Simple Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-note-taking-app/id6742007640)

Capture ideas, memos, and tasks effortlessly with this fast and minimal note-taking app. Organize notes into notebooks, sync across devices, and access reminders with home screen widgets. Secure backups and powerful search ensure your thoughts are always accessible.

**Highlights:** Ultra-lightweight and fast, Organize with notebooks, Sync across devices, Sticky notes on home screen, Secure backups, Powerful search tool, Easy note sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $2.39 | per month |
| Yearly subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Plan | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Notes free?

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

### Is Simple Notes free?

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

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

Simple Notes and Simple Notes are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 790 and 230 ratings respectively.

### Do Simple Notes or Simple Notes have ads?

Both Simple Notes and Simple Notes show ads.

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

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, and Simple Notes every 8 days. Most recently, Simple Notes was updated on September 28, 2026 and Simple Notes on September 26, 2026.

---

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