Purnote vs Small Talk
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Purnote
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Notes you actually own. Purnote keeps every note as a plain Markdown file in your own iCloud Drive — no database, no proprietary format, no lock-in. Every note is an ordinary .md file in a folder called purnote, so you can open, edit, search, back up or move your notes with any tool you like — on your Mac, in any text editor, forever. Write a note on your phone and it is on your Mac a moment later. Edit it on your Mac and it changes on your phone while you are looking at it. If you ever stop using Purnote, you still have your notes. That is the whole idea. • Free — no subscription, no ads, no accounts • Plain Markdown files, stored in iCloud Drive where you can see them • Share from any app into Purnote — save a post or link as a note, in the folder you choose • Organise notes in folders, with #tags and Smart Folders • Add photos to a note — saved as plain files beside it, never locked in • Create tables from the formatting bar • Drag a note onto a folder to move it • Formatting buttons above the keyboard — headings, bold, italic, lists, checklists, quotes, links — so you do not need to know Markdown to write it • Notes are named after their first line, so the folder makes sense on your Mac • Rendered notes with headings, tables, task lists and code blocks • Full text search across every note • Works without iCloud too, keeping notes on this iPhone Purnote collects nothing. There are no accounts, no analytics, and no servers other than your own iCloud.
Small Talk
This app helps you remember important personal details about people, like their birthdays, interests, and notes from conversations. It prioritizes privacy with on-device storage and offers a simple, stress-free interface for managing these memories.
- Record personal details about people
- Jot notes after conversations
- Private, on-device storage
- Birthday reminders
- Link people together
- Searchable notes and contacts
- Customizable themes
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Small Talk is a personal notebook for remembering the kind of stuff you don't want to forget — but often do: Where they are from. The name of their dog. Their birthday. That book they recommended. Add someone new in seconds. Fill in the details whenever. Jot a note after a conversation, and it's there next time you need it. PRIVATE No accounts, no tracking, and no servers. Everything is stored on your device, encrypted. If you enable backups, they go to your own iCloud or Google Drive. SIMPLE BY DESIGN No streaks, no likes, no feed, no stress. Small Talk does one thing well: help you remember. WHAT YOU GET FOR FREE - Add people with notes, birthdays, and custom details - Link people together (coworkers, family, friends) - Search across all your people and notes - Timeline view with calendar - Three beautiful themes - Birthday reminders - Face ID / biometric lock SMALL TALK PLUS One purchase. No subscription. Unlock: - All 13 color themes - Create your own custom themes - Export and import backups Built for people who care about people and want to remember the things that matter.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Purnote at none against Small Talk's 1. Small Talk's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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
Both are free to download. Small Talk sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Purnote asks for nothing beyond the download.
Purnote ships an update every 6 days, Small Talk weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Purnote | Small Talk |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 33 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sasa Mitrovic | KIERAN FREDERICK LAMEE |
In-app purchases
Purnote
No in-app purchases
Small Talk
- Small Talk Plus Lifetime$4.99









