# Secure Notes vs Notesnook

Secure Notes and Notesnook both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 79% of Notesnook's written reviews are positive against 65% of Secure Notes's. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Secure Notes sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Notesnook sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 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 — 4.6 for Secure Notes against 4.7 for Notesnook. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 719 and 681 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of Secure Notes's written reviews are positive against 79% of Notesnook's.

Secure Notes ships an update fortnightly, Notesnook every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Secure Notes | Notesnook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (719 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notes-secret-and-lock/id1469517353/reviews) | **[4.7 (681 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notesnook-private-notepad/id1544027013/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **719** | 681 |
| Positive reviews | 64.7% of reviews | **78.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 67 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PixelPort LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1355467938) | [Streetwriters LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536533660) |

## What reviewers say

### Secure Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notes-secret-and-lock/id1469517353)

Safeguard your private thoughts, voice memos, and sensitive information with robust, multi-layered security. This app offers military-grade encryption, biometric locks, and secure voice recording to keep your data protected. Enjoy a distraction-free, ad-free experience with a powerful rich text editor and seamless iCloud syncing across devices.

**Highlights:** 3-Layer Security (app, folders, notes), Secure Voice Recording, Biometric Lock (Face ID, Touch ID, Passcode), iCloud Sync, Rich Text Editor with Markdown, Trash Recovery

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Secure Notes - 1 Month PRO | $4.99 | per month |
| Secure Notes - Pro Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Secure Notes Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Secure Notes Pro Annual Offer | $19.99 | per year |
| Secure Notes - 1 Year PRO | $39.99 | per year |
| Secure Notes Pro - Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure notes and folders
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Efficient note-taking
- 💡 Innovative features like Love Voice Notes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy performance after updates
- 🤯 Overly complicated UI changes
- 🔒 Difficulty resetting passwords/access
- 💸 Essential features locked behind paywall

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Delayed text input and display
- Inability to access locked notes

**Requested features**

- Ability to move notes between folders
- Option to customize font, size, and colors
- Trash/Recycle bin for deleted notes
- Cloud sync/backup functionality


### Notesnook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notesnook-private-notepad/id1544027013)

This open-source app offers secure, encrypted note-taking and organization across all your devices. It features a robust editor, to-do lists, and a private journal with advanced security to protect your personal information.

**Highlights:** Military-grade encryption, Cross-platform synchronization, To-do lists and task management, Private journal with media support, Rich text and Markdown editor, Notebook organization, App lock with fingerprint support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notesnook Pro | $0.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Essential Plan | $1.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $2.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $4.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $4.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $6.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Believer Plan | $8.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Essential Plan | $19.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $29.90 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $69.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Believer Plan | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Clean and intuitive UI
- 👍 Cross-platform compatibility
- 👍 Generous free tier

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync and login issues
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes
- 💰 Expensive premium tier
- 🔒 Lack of free encryption features

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch on older iOS devices
- Sync issues leading to data loss
- Unreliable login and verification process

**Requested features**

- Improved search functionality
- Reminders and calendar integration
- Handwriting and drawing support
- Multilingual support
- Improved table and spreadsheet features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Secure Notes free?

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

### Is Notesnook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Secure Notes or Notesnook?

Notesnook is rated higher. Secure Notes averages 4.6 out of 5 from 719 ratings, while Notesnook averages 4.7 from 681 ratings.

### Do Secure Notes or Notesnook have ads?

Neither Secure Notes nor Notesnook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Secure Notes or Notesnook?

Secure Notes ships an update fortnightly, and Notesnook every 8 days. Most recently, Secure Notes was updated on October 19, 2026 and Notesnook on October 20, 2026.

---

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