Plain Note vs Simple Widget Note
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Plain Note
A straightforward, text-only notepad for quickly capturing thoughts, memos, and drafts. Organize notes with customizable tags and access them easily via home and lock screen widgets. Offers optional iCloud sync and extensive customization through in-app purchases.
- Text-only note-taking
- Customizable tags with icons
- Lock screen and home screen widgets
- Character and line count
- Note archiving and organization
- Theme, icon, and font customization
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Plain Note is a simple, text-only notes app that makes it easy to capture ideas, jot down everyday notes, and draft social media posts and emails. No ads. No sign-up required. Notes are stored on your device and, if you use iCloud sync, in your own iCloud account as well. The developer does not collect the contents of your notes. It's a good fit for people who want to jot things down and quickly refer back to them, rather than use a notes app with lots of features. You can organize your notes by adding tags, and it supports lock screen and home screen widgets. It can be used on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Features • You can categorize your notes with tags. • Customize tag icons and colors. • You can count the number of characters and lines. • Archive and organize your notes. • Widgets can be added to the lock screen and home screen. • Customize themes, app icons, and fonts. (Some features are available for a fee.) Premium (in-app purchase) • Sync data across iPhone, iPad, and Mac via iCloud. • All themes and app icons are available. • All tag icons are available. • All font customizations are available. *Prices may vary by country or region. Please check in the app. *Some features may not be available in all languages or regions. Terms of Use: https://monelyze.app/en/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://monelyze.app/en/privacy
Simple Widget Note
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With Simple Widget Note you can display notes on your Home Screen or our Lock Screen, even in the Lock Screen title bar. Just add the appropriate widget to your Home Screen or Lock Screen, tap on it, enter your note and press submit. You can export the contents of your widget not to other Apps with the ShareLink control. Shortcuts integration: You can append a text to your Widget Note with the Shortcuts App.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Simple Widget Note at none against Plain Note's 3. Simple Widget Note also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). Plain Note's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months). On price, ads 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. Plain Note sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Simple Widget Note asks for nothing beyond the download.
Plain Note ships an update every 9 days, Simple Widget Note every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Plain Note | Simple Widget Note |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (1.1K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 62.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 31 MB | 0 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Monelyze Inc. | JENS-HILMAR WALTER BRADT |
Bugs and requests
Plain Note
Reported bugs
2 issues- Notes sometimes get deleted after updates
- Widget not working as expected, showing wrong note
Requested features
7 requests- Ability to swipe widget to display another note
- Subfolders for better organization
- Export function to backup notes
- Option to change app colors
- Support for multiple notes in one widget
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- Text formatting options (bold, italics, headings)
- Ability to insert photos and videos
Simple Widget Note
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Plain Note
- Premium - Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Premium - Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Premium - Lifetime$29.99
Simple Widget Note
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Plain Note free?
Is Simple Widget Note free?
Do Plain Note or Simple Widget Note have ads?
Which is updated more often, Plain Note or Simple Widget Note?
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