# Notes vs Safe Notes

Notes and Safe Notes both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Safe Notes's written reviews are positive against 79% of Notes's. Safe Notes also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). Notes's advantage is ratings volume (680 vs 22). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Safe Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Notes against 4.9 for Safe Notes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notes has 680 ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Notes's written reviews are positive against 100% of Safe Notes's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes | Safe Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (680 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-notepad-and-lists/id1489717129/reviews) | **[4.9 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/safe-notes-privacy-protector/id1518873150/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **680** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | 78.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 109 MB | 165 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Orange Dog](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673134885) | [Marco Troncone](https://appshunter.io/developer/1518873153) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-notepad-and-lists/id1489717129)

This app combines a notepad, to-do list, and memo functionality into a single, intuitive interface. Easily create notes from text, voice, or images, and organize them with reminders and sorting options. Secure your data and transfer it to new devices.

**Highlights:** 3-in-1 notepad, to-do list, and memos, Create notes from photos, images, and voice, Set notifications and reminders, Sort notes by urgency, category, due date, color, Secure notes with a security code, Data transfer to new devices

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Disable ads | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use interface
- 🎨 Highly customizable with colors and themes
- 🆓 Free app with no ads
- 🔒 Password protected notes
- 📱 Well-organized layout

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive ads despite paid subscription
- ❓ Unclear note retention policies
- 🤔 Complicated question/support system

**Reported bugs**

- Unexpected ads appearing after recent updates for paid subscribers

**Requested features**

- More engaging task motivation features
- Clearer documentation on note persistence
- Improved customer support interface


### Safe Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/safe-notes-privacy-protector/id1518873150)

Securely store and organize your thoughts, plans, and sensitive information with a password-protected notepad. Create text notes, checklists, add images and audio, and convert content to PDF for easy sharing. Access your data offline and enjoy automatic backups.

**Highlights:** Password protection, Offline access, Convert notes to PDF, Add photos and audio, Organize with tags, To-do lists, Automatic backup

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes free?

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

### Is Safe Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notes or Safe Notes?

Safe Notes is rated higher. Notes averages 4.8 out of 5 from 680 ratings, while Safe Notes averages 4.9 from 22 ratings.

### Do Notes or Safe Notes have ads?

Both Notes and Safe Notes show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notes or Safe Notes?

Notes ships an update monthly, and Safe Notes monthly. Most recently, Notes was updated on November 3, 2026 and Safe Notes on November 3, 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.*