# a Notepad vs Shared Note Widgets

The clearest difference is rating: a Notepad at 4.1 against Shared Note Widgets's 1.0. a Notepad also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (40 vs 1). Shared Note Widgets's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

a Notepad holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: a Notepad has 40 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 49% of a Notepad's written reviews are positive against 50% of Shared Note Widgets's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

a Notepad ships an update every 3 months, Shared Note Widgets every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | a Notepad | Shared Note Widgets |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-notepad-take-and-share-notes/id1494609935/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shared-note-widgets/id1552960395/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **40** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 48.6% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 61 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jia Qing Song](https://appshunter.io/developer/1494609934) | [Alex Rich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1030627712) |

## What reviewers say

### a Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-notepad-take-and-share-notes/id1494609935)

Capture your thoughts and ideas effortlessly on the go. This app offers both offline and cloud-synced note-taking, allowing you to access your notes from any device. Share your notes as plain text or as a web page with customizable privacy settings.

**Highlights:** Standalone mode (no login), Cloud synchronization, Cross-device access, Note sharing as text or web page, Private, public, and password-protected notes, Guest editing options

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shared Note Widgets

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shared-note-widgets/id1552960395)

Create and share simple text notes directly on your home screen. Keep family and friends updated with lists, reminders, or positive messages. Customize widget appearance and layout for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Create simple text notes, Add notes to home screen widgets, Share notes with friends and family, Checkbox mode for lists, Customizable widget appearance, Light and dark mode support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a Notepad free?

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

### Is Shared Note Widgets free?

Shared Note Widgets is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, a Notepad or Shared Note Widgets?

a Notepad is rated higher. a Notepad averages 4.1 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while Shared Note Widgets averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do a Notepad or Shared Note Widgets have ads?

Shared Note Widgets shows ads; a Notepad does not.

### Which is updated more often, a Notepad or Shared Note Widgets?

a Notepad ships an update every 3 months, and Shared Note Widgets every 3 weeks. Most recently, a Notepad was updated on October 22, 2026 and Shared Note Widgets on October 16, 2026.

---

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