# John Widget vs Simple Memo

The clearest difference is ads: John Widget at none against Simple Memo's shown. John Widget also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. John Widget sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Simple Memo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

John Widget ships an update every 9 days, Simple Memo every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | John Widget | Simple Memo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Size | 164 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Qian Kun zhu](https://appshunter.io/developer/967535010) | [Sota Yamamoto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1811232130) |

## What reviewers say

### John Widget

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/john-widget/id1537355334)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Edition | $0.99 | one-time |


### Simple Memo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-memo-checklist/id6752403531)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.49 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is John Widget free?

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

### Is Simple Memo free?

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

### Do John Widget or Simple Memo have ads?

Simple Memo shows ads; John Widget does not.

### Which is updated more often, John Widget or Simple Memo?

John Widget ships an update every 9 days, and Simple Memo every 2 months. Most recently, John Widget was updated on October 4, 2026 and Simple Memo on October 16, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*