# Notepad Markdown vs Purelist

Notepad Markdown and Purelist both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 86% of Notepad Markdown's written reviews are positive against 75% of Purelist's. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notepad Markdown sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Purelist sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Notepad Markdown against 4.6 for Purelist. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 86 and 41 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Notepad Markdown's written reviews are positive against 75% of Purelist's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notepad Markdown | Purelist |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-markdown-quick-draft/id1496067471/reviews)** | [4.6 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purelist-notes-and-tasks/id1549367431/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **86** | 41 |
| Positive reviews | **85.9% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 7 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [giddyapp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437204507) | [Shintaro Miyake](https://appshunter.io/developer/1549367433) |

## What reviewers say

### Notepad Markdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-markdown-quick-draft/id1496067471)

Capture thoughts instantly with this lightweight notes app. It offers a distraction-free interface for quick drafting, supports markdown formatting for structured notes, and includes intuitive checklist creation. Seamless iCloud sync ensures your notes are available across all your devices.

**Highlights:** Lightning-fast note-taking, Markdown formatting, Intuitive checklist creation, Seamless multi-device sync, Distraction-free interface, Quick drafting and editing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| QuickDraft Pro iOS + iPadOS | $4.99 | one-time |
| Quick Draft Pro | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick launch and fast note-taking
- 👍 Simple and minimalistic design
- 🔄 Seamless iCloud syncing
- 💡 Great for quick capture of ideas
- 📱 Cross-platform availability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Frequent prompts to buy Pro version
- 🗑️ Data loss and sync issues
- ⚠️ No backup function
- 🚫 Limited to one note
- 🪲 Annoying pop-ups

**Reported bugs**

- Data not synchronizing or being deleted/overwritten
- New pop-up on each load about buying premium version
- App prompts to purchase Pro every day
- iCloud syncing not working
- Dropdown pad disappears when using with PopClip

**Requested features**

- Widget view with settings for font, size, and color
- Option to hide from dock
- Allow choosing file location
- Additional page and bullet point options
- Apple Watch app


### Purelist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purelist-notes-and-tasks/id1549367431)

This app helps organize thoughts and manage tasks with a minimalist approach. It focuses on core functionality for productivity, offering features like sorting, widgets, and indentation. An optional Pro version unlocks advanced features like reminders and iCloud sync.

**Highlights:** Free item sorting, Home screen widget, Mark important items, Indentation for outlines, Search by item, Swipe to complete/delete, Add item descriptions

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purelist Pro for Students | $0.49 | per month |
| Purelist Pro | $0.99 | per month |
| Purelist Pro for Students | $4.99 | per year |
| Purelist Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Purelist Pro for Students | $24.99 | one-time |
| Purelist Pro | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notepad Markdown free?

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

### Is Purelist free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notepad Markdown or Purelist?

Notepad Markdown is rated higher. Notepad Markdown averages 4.6 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while Purelist averages 4.6 from 41 ratings.

### Do Notepad Markdown or Purelist have ads?

Neither Notepad Markdown nor Purelist shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notepad Markdown or Purelist?

Notepad Markdown ships an update fortnightly, and Purelist fortnightly. Most recently, Notepad Markdown was updated on October 8, 2026 and Purelist on October 6, 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.*