# Notes vs BlackNote

The clearest difference is rating: Notes at 4.8 against BlackNote's 2.6. Notes also leads on ratings volume (686 vs 20) and review sentiment (79% vs 68%). BlackNote's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and BlackNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notes has 686 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Notes's written reviews are positive against 68% of BlackNote's.

Notes ships an update monthly, BlackNote every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes | BlackNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (686 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-notepad-and-lists/id1489717129/reviews)** | [2.6 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blacknote-dark-notes-notepad/id6483305262/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **686** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | **78.5% of reviews** | 68.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 109 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Orange Dog](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673134885) | [ZTECH ASIA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1765522178) |

## 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


### BlackNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blacknote-dark-notes-notepad/id6483305262)

This app helps you quickly create notes, manage to-do lists, and organize information into folders. It also features document scanning, multimedia attachments, password protection, and reminders to keep you productive and organized.

**Highlights:** Quick note creation, To-do list management, Folder organization, Document scanning, Multimedia attachments, Password protection, Customizable reminders

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes free?

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

### Is BlackNote free?

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

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

Notes is rated higher. Notes averages 4.8 out of 5 from 686 ratings, while BlackNote averages 2.6 from 20 ratings.

### Do Notes or BlackNote have ads?

Notes shows ads; BlackNote does not.

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

Notes ships an update monthly, and BlackNote every 6 weeks. Most recently, Notes was updated on November 11, 2026 and BlackNote on November 12, 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.*