# Notes vs Notepad One

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Notepad One at none against Notes's 1. Notes's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Notepad One asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notes ships an update monthly, Notepad One every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes | Notepad One |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (654 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-notepad-and-lists/id1489717129/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **654** | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 109 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Orange Dog](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673134885) | [Mei Ee Lee](https://appshunter.io/developer/1469547874) |

## 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


### Notepad One

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-one/id1528872965)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes free?

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

### Is Notepad One free?

Notepad One is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Notes or Notepad One have ads?

Both Notes and Notepad One show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notes or Notepad One?

Notes ships an update monthly, and Notepad One every 3 months. Most recently, Notes was updated on October 13, 2026 and Notepad One on September 30, 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.*