Comparison

Notesnook vs CalcPlus

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

Head to head
About

Notesnook

This open-source app offers secure, encrypted note-taking and organization across all your devices. It features a robust editor, to-do lists, and a private journal with advanced security to protect your personal information.

Highlights
  • Military-grade encryption
  • Cross-platform synchronization
  • To-do lists and task management
  • Private journal with media support
  • Rich text and Markdown editor
  • Notebook organization
  • App lock with fingerprint support
Features
Read full description

Your notes are yours. Notesnook encrypts every one of them on your device before it ever reaches the cloud — so no one can read them. Not advertisers, not us. UNLIMITED NOTES. EVERY DEVICE. FREE. Most note apps cap the free plan until it hurts. Others stop after a few dozen notes. Notesnook never limits how much you write or how many devices you sync. A REAL EDITOR Headings, tables, code blocks, maths, outlines, Markdown and full-quality images. Notes that hold up whether you are writing a shopping list or a thesis chapter. ORGANISED AT ANY SIZE Nested notebooks, tags, colours, pinned and favourite notes, and search that stays instant at 10,000 notes. Link notes to each other and build your own private wiki. PRIVACY YOU CAN CHECK YOURSELF • End-to-end encryption is always on — you cannot switch it off, so you cannot forget • Encrypted on your device, in transit and at rest, using XChaCha20-Poly1305 and Argon2 • Even your notebook and tag names are encrypted • 100% open source under AGPLv3 — read every line, or run your own sync server • Recommended by Privacy Guides IMPORT YOUR OLD NOTES Bring your notes, notebooks and tags with you. Import from your previous notes app, plus plain Markdown and HTML files. EVERYWHERE YOU WRITE iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web. Sync is instant, and encrypted the whole way. ALSO INSIDE • Web clipper — save any article, ad-free and offline • Reminders across all your devices • Note version history, so nothing is ever really lost • Publish a note to a shareable link • Dark mode and custom themes FREE FOREVER Unlimited notes, unlimited devices, 50 notebooks, 50 tags and full end-to-end encryption. No ads. No trial countdown. PAID PLANS Add task lists, callouts, recurring reminders, more storage, and — on Pro — app lock, an encrypted vault and full-quality images. From $19.99 a year. Questions or feedback: support@streetwriters.co Privacy policy: https://notesnook.com/privacy Terms: https://notesnook.com/terms

About

CalcPlus

This app combines a fully functional calculator with a secure, encrypted notes system. Store sensitive information like crypto wallet phrases and passwords locally and offline, protected by a PIN and optional biometric authentication. It offers a discreet interface and prioritizes user privacy with no cloud sync or ads.

Highlights
  • Encrypted local notes storage
  • Calculator interface
  • PIN and biometric security
  • Offline functionality
  • Customizable themes and app icons
  • Auto-wipe on failed attempts
Features
Read full description

CalcPlus is a fully functional calculator with a hidden encrypted notes system built in. Enter your 6-digit PIN, tap =, and unlock secure, local-only notes storage completely offline. Use CalcPlus to store: • Crypto wallet recovery phrases (Ledger, MetaMask, etc.) • API keys and infrastructure passwords • Home Wi-Fi or VPN credentials • Door codes, admin access, or tax IDs • Any sensitive info that shouldn’t be in iCloud, Google Docs, or your camera roll Everything is encrypted on-device. No cloud sync. No account. No trace. CalcPlus Pro features: • Set your own custom PIN • Enable Face ID / Touch ID 2FA • Wipe notes after failed PIN attempts • Choose between Blue, Red, or Teal themes and auto-switch app icons to match CalcPlus is designed for privacy-focused users, security professionals, and anyone who wants peace of mind without compromise. Why CalcPlus? • Encrypted and offline • Stealthy interface looks like a basic calculator • No signup. No servers. No ads. • Instant, secure access — even when your signal is dead Download CalcPlus and reclaim your privacy.

Screenshots

Notesnook4 screens
CalcPlus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Notesnook at 672 against CalcPlus's 2. CalcPlus's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 79%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, update cadence, 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. Notesnook sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and CalcPlus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CalcPlus holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notesnook has 672 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Notesnook's written reviews are positive against 100% of CalcPlus's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notesnook ships an update every 8 days, CalcPlus fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Notesnook versus CalcPlus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotesnookCalcPlus
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (672 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews78.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings672 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size96 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStreetwriters LLCWildcatter LLC

Customer experience

Notesnook

All ratings672 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral2.4%
Negative4.6%
Written reviews399 reviews
Positive78.7%
Neutral6.5%
Negative14.8%

CalcPlus

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Notesnook

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on launch on older iOS devices
  • Sync issues leading to data loss
  • Unreliable login and verification process

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved search functionality
  • Reminders and calendar integration
  • Handwriting and drawing support
  • Multilingual support
  • Improved table and spreadsheet features

CalcPlus

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

17 purchases

Notesnook

Subscriptions17
  • Notesnook Pro$0.991 Month
  • Notesnook Essential Plan7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Notesnook Pro$2.491 Month
Show 14 more
  • Notesnook Pro Plan7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Notesnook Pro3 variants$4.491 Month
  • Notesnook Pro1 Month trial$4.491 Month
  • Notesnook Pro Plan7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Notesnook Believer Plan7 Days trial$8.991 Month
  • Notesnook Pro$9.991 Year
  • Notesnook Essential Plan14 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Notesnook Pro$24.991 Year
  • Notesnook Pro Plan14 Days trial$29.901 Year
  • Notesnook Pro Yearly$49.991 Year
  • Notesnook Pro2 variants$49.991 Year
  • Notesnook Pro1 Year trial$49.991 Year
  • Notesnook Pro Plan14 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • Notesnook Believer Plan14 Days trial$89.991 Year
1 purchases

CalcPlus

One-time1
  • CalcPlus Pro$9.99

Questions

Is Notesnook free?
Notesnook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CalcPlus free?
CalcPlus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notesnook or CalcPlus?
CalcPlus is rated higher. Notesnook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 672 ratings, while CalcPlus averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Notesnook or CalcPlus have ads?
Neither Notesnook nor CalcPlus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notesnook or CalcPlus?
Notesnook ships an update every 8 days, and CalcPlus fortnightly. Most recently, Notesnook was updated on October 13, 2026 and CalcPlus on October 2, 2026.

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