# EteSync Notes vs Filen

The clearest difference is review sentiment: EteSync Notes at 100% against Filen's 48%. EteSync Notes also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). Filen's advantage is rating (3.8 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (123 vs 2). On price, ads, 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.

Filen holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Filen has 123 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of EteSync Notes's written reviews are positive against 48% of Filen's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

EteSync Notes ships an update weekly, Filen fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | EteSync Notes | Filen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etesync-notes/id1533806351/reviews) | **[3.8 (123 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filen-cloud-storage/id1549224518/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **123** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 47.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 21 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [EteSync Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1489574284) | [Filen Cloud Dienste UG (haftungsbeschraenkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1549224520) |

## What reviewers say

### EteSync Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etesync-notes/id1533806351)

This app offers a secure and private note-taking experience. It features a change journal for data history, allowing you to restore or revert to past versions. An EteSync account is required, which can be hosted on a free, open-source server.

**Highlights:** Secure and privacy-respecting, Open-source client and server, Full data history and change journal, Easy to use with credentials, Data restoration and versioning

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Filen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filen-cloud-storage/id1549224518)

Securely store photos, videos, and documents with military-grade encryption. Access files on any device, share them easily, and enjoy features like offline access and encrypted notes. Offers a free tier with 10 GB storage.

**Highlights:** 10 GB free storage, Unlimited pro storage, Secure client-side encryption, Offline file access, Cross-device file access, Encrypted notes and chats, Automatic camera upload

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 End-to-end encryption and privacy-focused design
- 💰 Affordable pricing with generous storage tiers
- 🌍 Open-source and transparent service
- 🚀 Fast upload/download speeds
- 👍 Clean and intuitive UI design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes during uploads
- 📸 Photo/video upload failures and inconsistencies
- 🔄 Auto-upload feature unreliable and incomplete
- ⚠️ Data loss issues in Notes feature
- 🔐 Thumbnail cache exposed in Files app (security concern)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when uploading photos/videos
- Music pauses when app is minimized
- Photo upload stuck at specific file counts (e.g., 42 photos)
- Notes lose data during sync
- Note type conversion deletes text content

**Requested features**

- Video streaming/playback within app
- Read-only file mode option
- Back-sync feature (delete from phone, delete from cloud)
- Multi-select file upload capability
- iPad split-screen view support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is EteSync Notes free?

EteSync Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Filen free?

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

### Which has better reviews, EteSync Notes or Filen?

Filen is rated higher. EteSync Notes averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Filen averages 3.8 from 123 ratings.

### Do EteSync Notes or Filen have ads?

Neither EteSync Notes nor Filen shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, EteSync Notes or Filen?

EteSync Notes ships an update weekly, and Filen fortnightly. Most recently, EteSync Notes was updated on September 26, 2026 and Filen on October 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.*