# Secure Notes vs PrivateText

The clearest difference is update cadence: Secure Notes at fortnightly against PrivateText's every 6 weeks. PrivateText's advantage is iOS requirement (12.4 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Secure Notes sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and PrivateText sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Secure Notes ships an update fortnightly, PrivateText every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Secure Notes | PrivateText |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (716 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notes-secret-and-lock/id1469517353/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **716** | — |
| Positive reviews | 64.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 67 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PixelPort LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1355467938) | [Apps Di Pizzocaro S.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1546794742) |

## 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


### PrivateText

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/privatetext/id6748386963)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium level | $0.49 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Secure Notes free?

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

### Is PrivateText free?

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

### Do Secure Notes or PrivateText have ads?

Neither Secure Notes nor PrivateText shows ads.

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

Secure Notes ships an update fortnightly, and PrivateText every 6 weeks. Most recently, Secure Notes was updated on October 21, 2026 and PrivateText on October 17, 2026.

---

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