# Plain Note vs Simple Notes

The clearest difference is ads: Plain Note at none against Simple Notes's shown. Plain Note also leads on ratings volume (1.1K vs 230). Simple Notes's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 62%) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Plain Note sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.39 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 Plain Note against 4.7 for Simple Notes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 230 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 62% of Plain Note's written reviews are positive against 80% of Simple Notes's.

Plain Note ships an update every 9 days, Simple Notes every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Plain Note | Simple Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plain-note-notes-widget/id1478542921/reviews) | **[4.7 (230 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-note-taking-app/id6742007640/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 230 |
| Positive reviews | 62.3% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 31 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Monelyze Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1086641918) | [Phearoth Phen](https://appshunter.io/developer/925021535) |

## What reviewers say

### Plain Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plain-note-notes-widget/id1478542921)

This app allows you to create and organize notes with customizable tags and icons. It offers lock screen and home screen widgets for quick access and supports character/line counting. Personalize your experience with themes, app icons, and fonts.

**Highlights:** Organize notes with tags, Customizable tag icons and colors, Character and line counting, Lock screen and home screen widgets, Customizable themes, app icons, and fonts, Archive and organize notes

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium - Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium - Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and clean design
- 💡 One-time payment model
- 🚀 Beautifully designed notes app
- 🚀 Intuitive and easy to use
- 👍 Customizable tags and icons

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Notes sometimes don't save properly
- 🐛 Slow and unreliable synchronization
- ❌ No text formatting options (bold, italics, etc.)
- ❌ No ability to insert photos or videos
- ❌ No option to export notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes sometimes get deleted after updates
- Widget not working as expected, showing wrong note

**Requested features**

- 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


### Simple Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-note-taking-app/id6742007640)

Capture ideas, memos, and tasks effortlessly with this fast and minimal note-taking app. Organize notes into notebooks, sync across devices, and access reminders with home screen widgets. Secure backups and powerful search ensure your thoughts are always accessible.

**Highlights:** Ultra-lightweight and fast, Organize with notebooks, Sync across devices, Sticky notes on home screen, Secure backups, Powerful search tool, Easy note sharing

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $2.39 | per month |
| Yearly subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Plan | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Plain Note free?

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

### Is Simple Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Plain Note or Simple Notes?

Simple Notes is rated higher. Plain Note averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Simple Notes averages 4.7 from 230 ratings.

### Do Plain Note or Simple Notes have ads?

Simple Notes shows ads; Plain Note does not.

### Which is updated more often, Plain Note or Simple Notes?

Plain Note ships an update every 9 days, and Simple Notes every 8 days. Most recently, Plain Note was updated on September 28, 2026 and Simple Notes on September 26, 2026.

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