Comparison

Smile Tech Library vs Private Notes.

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

Head to head
About

Smile Tech Library

Access video tutorials and instructional manuals for your Apple devices. Get direct access to ask questions and contact the support team.

Highlights
  • Video tutorials
  • Instructional manuals
  • Interactive learning
  • Direct Q&A
  • Contact support
Features
Read full description

Learn everyday technology at your own pace. Smile Tech Library, formerly Helping Others Smile, brings free instructional videos and step-by-step PDF manuals together in one welcoming Learning Library. Created by Helping Others Smile Foundation, this is the same technology learning app that has been here to help since 2020. It is designed for beginners, older adults, and anyone who wants more confidence with an iPhone, iPad, or computer. START WITH A SMALL STEP Follow a short beginner path: iPhone & iPad first steps, Stay connected with family, Feel safer online, or Computer first steps. Choose any lesson, practice at your own pace, and mark it complete when you are ready. FIND THE HELP YOU NEED Search for an everyday task, such as making text bigger or sending a photo. Browse topics including device basics, messages and calls, photos and videos, internet, privacy and safety, and files and documents. Filter by device or choose videos or manuals. WATCH OR READ Open a video lesson on YouTube or read a PDF manual inside the app. Zoom illustrated pages, fit them to your screen, and move between pages. When a PDF includes selectable text, Text view offers adjustable type and white, warm, or dark reading backgrounds. Image-only manuals retain their illustrated page view. KEEP YOUR LEARNING TOGETHER Save useful lessons, revisit recently opened items, and see what you have completed. Saved lessons, progress, reading preferences, and downloaded manuals stay on your device. No app account or subscription is required. LEARN TOGETHER Find the next scheduled free Technology Class with India House Houston in your local time. Open the Zoom class link or a Google Calendar event that you can save. Holiday schedules may vary. A GROWING LIBRARY The app checks for new lessons automatically and lets you refresh anytime. Read 38 included illustrated guides offline, and download additional manuals for offline reading. Internet is required for library updates, videos, first-time PDF downloads, and external Zoom or calendar links.

About

Private Notes.

Securely store your personal thoughts, ideas, and text with a passcode or biometric authentication. This app offers intuitive text editing tools and a straightforward interface for organizing timestamped notes.

Highlights
  • Biometric and passcode security
  • Intuitive copy/paste/cut
  • Text formatting (underline, bold, italic)
  • Timestamped notes
  • Straightforward user interface
Features
Read full description

Have personal notes you would like to keep secret? Look no further. With this app you can safely secure personal thoughts, ideas or any text with with Apple’s touch/Face ID or a passcode. FEATURES: -Intuitive copy/paste/cut functions are at your disposal. -Underline, embolden or change any word in italic. -Straight forward user interface allows you to quickly organize your timestamped notes.

Screenshots

Smile Tech Library1 screens
Private Notes.3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Smile Tech Library at none against Private Notes.'s shown. Smile Tech Library also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). Private Notes.'s advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Smile Tech Library ships an update every 9 days, Private Notes. every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Smile Tech Library versus Private Notes.: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmile Tech LibraryPrivate Notes.
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—14.3% of reviews
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHelping Others SmileWALABOK LLC

Customer experience

Smile Tech Library

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Private Notes.

Written reviews7 reviews
Positive14.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative85.7%

In-app purchases

None

Smile Tech Library

No in-app purchases

None

Private Notes.

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Smile Tech Library free?
Smile Tech Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Private Notes. free?
Private Notes. is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Smile Tech Library or Private Notes. have ads?
Private Notes. shows ads; Smile Tech Library does not.
Which is updated more often, Smile Tech Library or Private Notes.?
Smile Tech Library ships an update every 9 days, and Private Notes. every 2 months. Most recently, Smile Tech Library was updated on November 3, 2026 and Private Notes. on November 3, 2026.

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