Comparison

NotePlan vs NoteCircle

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NotePlan

Organize your tasks, notes, and calendar in one unified app. Quickly plan your day with Markdown, link notes bi-directionally, and stay on top of your to-dos with powerful review and search features. Seamlessly integrates with your existing calendars and syncs across all your Apple devices.

Highlights
  • Unified task, note, and calendar view
  • Markdown for quick task and note creation
  • Bi-directional note linking
  • Calendar integration (iCloud, Google, Exchange)
  • Flexible recurring tasks
  • Global Command Bar for fast navigation
  • Plaintext note storage
Features
Read full description

Having trouble planning your day, managing your to-do list, and organizing your notes? Always jumping between apps and losing track of what to do and where you put things? Say hello to NotePlan! NotePlan lets you manage everything in one place: your tasks, notes, and calendar. Perfect for project managers, designers, researchers, writers, students, or anyone who wants to be organized and efficient. QUICKLY PLAN YOUR DAY WITH MARKDOWN • Plan your day by seeing your calendar, notes, and tasks in a single view • Create tasks and notes quickly with Markdown • Add #tags to organize tasks and notes • Use @mentions to find people • Reschedule to-do items easily • Create flexible recurring tasks • Work faster with autocomplete BUILD YOUR NETWORK OF NOTES • Create your own network of notes • Organize any way you want to: from simple folders over P.A.R.A. to a Zettelkasten system • Bi-directional notes: link your calendar and your notes in any direction, automatically • Cross-reference and link notes easily STAY ON TOP OF THINGS WITH REVIEW • Search all tasks and notes, instantly • See all open tasks with the click of a button • Get a list of overdue to-do items • See upcoming tasks at a glance • Create custom filters with your own queries using status, #tags, @mentions, or even text SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH YOUR CALENDAR • Create events and reminders right in NotePlan • Support for iCloud, Google, and Exchange calendars • Time-block tasks on your calendar simply by typing AVAILABLE ON MAC, IPHONE & IPAD • Sync everything between your Apple devices • Use any sync method you like: CloudKit or iCloud Drive • A single subscription for all your devices OPEN, PRIVATE & FAST • All your notes are stored in plaintext so you're never locked in • Your information is private and cannot be accessed • Enjoy lightning speed thanks to local files and native apps ANY THEME YOU WANT • Choose from a variety of built-in themes • Work with light or dark versions • Create your own custom theme SHORTCUTS FOR MAXIMUM SPEED • Extended Markdown syntax support with customization options • Move around without ever leaving the keyboard • Find everything with the Global Command Bar NotePlan is developed independently and prioritizes user features and requests. We have long-term roadmaps and listen to customers to improve the apps. - - - - - Price may vary by location. Subscriptions will be charged to your credit card through your iTunes account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. After purchase, manage your subscriptions in App Store Account Settings. - - - - - Email: hello@noteplan.co Web: noteplan.co Discord: https://discord.gg/D4268MT Twitter: NotePlanApp Reddit: reddit.com/r/NotePlanApp Learn NotePlan course: https://noteplan.eo.page/newsletter Terms of use: http://noteplan.co/tos/ Privacy policy: https://noteplan.co/privacy/

About

NoteCircle

This app provides a structured system for organizing tasks, routines, and events in one place. It's designed to help users stay focused and consistent, especially those who struggle with organization or feeling overwhelmed. Capture ideas quickly and track progress with visual insights.

Highlights
  • Unified planner for tasks, routines, and events
  • Voice input and photo-to-task conversion
  • Build lasting weekly routines
  • Visual progress tracking
  • Calendar syncing
  • Calm, paper-like interface
Features
Read full description

You organize your tasks. Then everything falls apart. NoteCircle is built for when nothing sticks—and trusted by over 1 million users worldwide, with App Store features across the US, Europe, and Asia. Why most to-do apps don’t stick You start motivated, but after a few days everything falls apart again. Tasks get buried, routines break, and important things slip through the cracks. NoteCircle solves this by giving you structure without clutter. One clear system for your day and week NoteCircle brings tasks, routines, events, and checklists into one clean planner, so nothing is hidden in separate apps or screens. With a calm weekly view, you always know what needs attention today and what can wait. Especially helpful when focus is a challenge Many users say NoteCircle works especially well for people who struggle with focus, consistency, or feeling overwhelmed. Reviews often mention that it helps ADHD-style brains stay on track by keeping everything visible and structured in one place. Plan faster when motivation is low When typing feels like friction, NoteCircle removes it. Add tasks using voice input, or turn photos of notes and handwritten lists into editable tasks automatically. Capture ideas quickly and organize them later. Build routines that actually last Create weekly recurring routines that fit your real life, not a perfect schedule. NoteCircle helps you stay consistent without pressure, making habits easier to maintain over time. See progress, not just tasks Review your completed tasks, routines, and events in a clear monthly overview. Visual insights help you understand your patterns and improve productivity over time. Never miss what matters Manage birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and important events alongside your tasks. Sync Apple Calendar and Google Calendar to keep all your schedules in one place. Clean and intuitive design Designed to reduce distraction with a calm, paper-like interface. Optimized for both iPhone and iPad so planning feels natural anytime, anywhere. Pricing NoteCircle is free to download and use. Upgrade to NoteCircle Premium to unlock advanced features and get the most out of your planning. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime from your App Store account settings. Refunds are not available for any unused portion of a billed period. Homepage: https://www.genaufactory.com/notecircle Terms: https://www.genaufactory.com/genau-terms-conditions Privacy: https://www.genaufactory.com/genau-data-privacy

Screenshots

NotePlan4 screens
NoteCircle4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: NoteCircle at free with in-app purchases against NotePlan's subscription. NoteCircle also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). NotePlan's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 70%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. NotePlan sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and NoteCircle sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NotePlan holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.5K and 1.2K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of NotePlan's written reviews are positive against 70% of NoteCircle's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NotePlan ships an update monthly, NoteCircle every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
NotePlan versus NoteCircle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotePlanNoteCircle
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1.5K ratings) — better4.6 (1.2K ratings)
Positive reviews85.1% of reviews — better70.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1.5K — better1.2K
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size210 MB46 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNotePlan LLCGenau Factory

Customer experience

NotePlan

All ratings1,506 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral1.9%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews476 reviews
Positive85.1%
Neutral4.6%
Negative10.3%

NoteCircle

All ratings1,224 ratings
Positive89.0%
Neutral4.2%
Negative6.8%
Written reviews691 reviews
Positive70.0%
Neutral11.1%
Negative18.8%

User reviews

NotePlan

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful note-taking and task management
  • 👍 Seamless calendar and reminders integration
  • 💡 Flexible and customizable workflow
  • 🔒 Secure and open-format data storage
  • 👍 Responsive and helpful developer

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🐛 Occasional sync and performance issues
  • 👤 Limited collaboration and sharing features

NoteCircle

From 1.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Organized and easy to use
  • 👍 Minimalist and aesthetic design
  • 💡 Helpful for building habits and routines
  • 🚀 Efficient for daily task management
  • 👍 Simple and intuitive interface

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs with syncing and data loss
  • 💰 Limited free features, requires paid subscription
  • 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data security
  • 🔧 Lacking customization options
  • 🕰️ Slow response times when checking off tasks

Bugs and requests

NotePlan

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Inconsistent sync between devices
  • Crashes when opening certain files

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved iPad and mobile app experience
  • Better integration with other productivity apps
  • More automation and scripting capabilities
  • Weekly or monthly calendar view

NoteCircle

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Routine tasks not showing up correctly
  • Inability to delete or edit tasks
  • Syncing issues between devices
  • Inconsistent behavior when using the app
  • Crashing or freezing on certain actions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more icon options for tasks and routines
  • Implement weekly/monthly calendar view
  • Allow rearranging and prioritizing of tasks
  • Integrate with more calendar and reminder apps
  • Add notes/comments section for tasks

In-app purchases

8 purchases

NotePlan

Subscriptions8
  • Personal Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Personal Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Personal Monthly1 Month trial$11.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Personal Monthly2 variants$12.001 Month
  • Personal Annual7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Personal Annual7 Days trial2 variants$99.991 Year
  • Personal Annual1 Month trial$119.991 Year
  • Business Class1 Month trial$199.991 Year
3 purchases

NoteCircle

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$59.99

Questions

Is NotePlan free?
NotePlan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NoteCircle free?
NoteCircle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NotePlan or NoteCircle?
NotePlan is rated higher. NotePlan averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while NoteCircle averages 4.6 from 1.2K ratings.
Do NotePlan or NoteCircle have ads?
Neither NotePlan nor NoteCircle shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NotePlan or NoteCircle?
NotePlan ships an update monthly, and NoteCircle every 3 days. Most recently, NotePlan was updated on October 15, 2026 and NoteCircle on October 15, 2026.

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