Comparison

Simple Notes vs Readr

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 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

Readr

Features
Read full description

You don’t need more willpower. You need your phone to stop being easier than a book. Readr blocks your distracting apps until you’ve read for the day. Choose which apps to lock, choose which apps count as reading, and set a daily goal. Until you reach it, opening a locked app brings you back to your reason for reading. Once you complete your goal, your apps unlock for the rest of the day. HOW IT WORKS • Pick your reading apps: Kindle, Apple Books, Libby, Audible, Substack, Speechify or whatever you actually read with • Pick the apps to lock- the ones you open without deciding to • Set a daily reading goal, from a few minutes to a few hours • Create a personal lock-screen message that reminds you why you want to read • Start reading. Your time counts automatically, with no timer to start and nothing to remember BUILD A READING HABIT THAT LASTS • Maintain reading streaks and view your complete reading history • See how many hours you’ve spent reading over time • Use rest days without losing your streak when life gets busy • Take a temporary break when you genuinely need your phone • Keep your reading progress in sync across your iPhone and iPad YOU’RE ALWAYS IN CONTROL Readr isn’t a trap. Take a break, take the day off, or switch locking off entirely in Settings; it’s your phone. The point is friction, not punishment. Readr makes distractions a little harder to reach so that reading becomes easier to choose. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Readr cannot see the names of the apps you choose to lock or read with. Apple’s Screen Time framework gives Readr private tokens rather than app names, and your app selections stay on your device. Readr measures how long you use a selected reading app. It never sees what you read or what appears on your screen. READR PRO Readr Pro is required to lock apps and record reading time. Eligible new subscribers can start with a free trial. The trial length and subscription price are shown before purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically until cancelled. You can manage or cancel your subscription at any time through your Apple Account settings. Your existing reading history remains available if your subscription ends. Apple Terms of Use (EULA) - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTUdpLtm8JR60dvVBWkiYzkUbU1GY8F9b-qtkrhFt7zdZtr7MYEJp6aY6dheAk_c5MvAsfvjIlQ2Sqi/pub Terms - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vS6AGUAqmdrxwTTjYvhaZEzGT4E9rL253PqdNPc60Eetv3jbFM1rrR5eLHqpGyczhszI37jbTZjwHki/pub

Screenshots

Simple Notes4 screens
Readr4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Readr at none against Simple Notes's shown. Readr also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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 Readr sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, Readr every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Simple Notes versus Readr: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple NotesReadr
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (791 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews87.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings791 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size216 MB51 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKomorebi Inc.Chidinma Ikebujo

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

Readr

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
2 purchases

Readr

Subscriptions2
  • Readr Pro7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Readr Pro14 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Simple Notes free?
Simple Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Readr free?
Readr is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Simple Notes or Readr have ads?
Simple Notes shows ads; Readr does not.
Which is updated more often, Simple Notes or Readr?
Simple Notes ships an update every 3 months, and Readr every 2 days. Most recently, Simple Notes was updated on October 22, 2026 and Readr on October 9, 2026.

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