# Notebooks vs Simple5

The clearest difference is price: Simple5 at $4.99 against Notebooks's $17.99. Simple5 also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4). Notebooks's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Notebooks costs $17.99 and Simple5 $4.99 up front. Notebooks sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Simple5 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebooks | Simple5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $17.99 | **$4.99** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebooks-write-and-organize/id1490084838/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 82.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 48 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alfons Schmid](https://appshunter.io/developer/297571754) | [Christopher Fuchs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1654565548) |

## What reviewers say

### Notebooks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebooks-write-and-organize/id1490084838)

This app helps you write, organize, and manage documents, tasks, and files. It offers flexible writing modes, robust organization tools, and task management features, all while ensuring your data remains accessible and under your control.

**Highlights:** Formatted text, plain text, and Markdown writing, Create documents with styles, tables, and attachments, Organize with nested hierarchies and 'books', Task management with due dates and checklists, Wiki-style linking and backlinks, Full-text search, Cross-device synchronization

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Custom Storage Locations | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and flexible organization
- 🔒 Respects user data and privacy
- 👍 Reliable and stable
- 👍 Responsive and helpful developer
- 👍 Elegant and intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and sync issues
- 🐛 Formatting and editing limitations
- 🐛 Steep learning curve for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Data loss after iOS upgrades
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Improved Markdown support
- More font and color customization options
- Better Apple Watch integration
- Export to Word format


### Simple5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple5/id6747454644)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebooks free?

Notebooks costs $17.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Simple5 free?

Simple5 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Notebooks or Simple5 have ads?

Neither Notebooks nor Simple5 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notebooks or Simple5?

Notebooks ships an update every 6 weeks, and Simple5 every 6 weeks. Most recently, Notebooks was updated on October 19, 2026 and Simple5 on October 19, 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.*