Simple Notes vs Note Fold
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
Note Fold
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Note Fold is a powerful note-taking app for students, professionals, and lifelong learners who need more than a flat list. Create nested folders, write with rich text formatting, embed photos and videos, and tag notes for instant cross-referencing. • Unlimited Folder Structure • Rich Text Editor • Embed Photos, Videos & Links • Smart Tagging System • Search Everything • Works Offline, No Account Required • Archive & Restore • Import & Export Your Library • Customize Your Workspace UNLIMITED FOLDER STRUCTURE Organize notes in folders within folders. Drag and drop to rearrange instantly. Color-code folders and notes to find what you need at a glance. Perfect for coursework, research projects, creative writing, or building your personal knowledge base. RICH TEXT EDITOR Write beautifully formatted notes with bold, italic, headings, bullet points, numbered lists, blockquotes, and inline code. No markdown syntax required, just tap and type. EMBED PHOTOS, VIDEOS & LINKS Insert images from your camera roll or capture new photos Embed videos directly from your device Paste YouTube links for inline video playback Add web links with automatic preview cards SMART TAGGING SYSTEM Create color-coded tags and apply multiple tags to any note. Browse all notes by tag to find related content across your entire folder structure, perfect for connecting ideas across subjects. SEARCH EVERYTHING Find any note instantly. Search results show the full folder path so you can jump directly to what you need. WORKS OFFLINE, NO ACCOUNT REQUIRED Your notes are stored locally on your device. Write and organize without internet. No sign-up, no cloud. Your data stays on your device. ARCHIVE & RESTORE No accidental deletion. Archived notes are kept safe until you restore or permanently remove them. IMPORT & EXPORT YOUR LIBRARY Back up everything or share individual folders. The .notefold format preserves your complete structure including notes, folders, and tags. CUSTOMIZE YOUR WORKSPACE Light and dark themes Adjustable text sizes Custom colors for folders, notes, and tags NOTE FOLD PRO Unlock the complete experience: • Unlimited folder nesting depth • Embed photos, videos, and YouTube • Rich link preview cards • Import & export functionality • Ad-free note-taking Available as monthly, yearly, or lifetime purchase. Download Note Fold today and organize your notes the way your mind actually works. Privacy Policy: https://barrelofsunshine.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Note Fold at every 3 days against Simple Notes's every 3 months. Note Fold also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Note Fold sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, Note Fold every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Simple Notes | Note Fold |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (790 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 790 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 206 MB | 62 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Komorebi Inc. | Barrel of Sunshine |
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
Note Fold
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Simple Notes
- Premium (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Premium Service$39.99
Note Fold
- Monthly - Note Fold Pro$1.991 Month
- Annual - Note Fold Pro$9.991 Year
- Lifetime - Note Fold Pro$24.99









