Comparison

Notesnook vs First Things First

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

First Things First

Features
Read full description

First Things First helps you put your priorities before your distractions. Choose a short routine, choose the apps that usually pull you away, and keep those apps locked until your routine is complete. Use it for prayer before scrolling, Bible reading before social media, a study block before TikTok, a walk before the feed, or any first action you want to protect. You choose the routine. You choose the apps. First Things First helps your phone respect the order. HOW IT WORKS 1. Choose what comes first - build a short routine that matters to you. 2. Lock distracting apps until it's done - First Things First uses Apple Screen Time controls to shield the apps you select. 3. Complete your routine - then the rest of your phone unlocks. 4. Build a streak of first things first. PRIVACY FIRST First Things First uses Apple Screen Time controls to block apps you choose until your routine is complete. You control the routine and the selected apps. Your routine data stays on your device. Emergency unlock is available when you genuinely need it, with sensible limits so it stays an exception. --- Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.smithjohnson.co.uk/privacy

Screenshots

Notesnook4 screens
First Things First4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Notesnook at 15.6 against First Things First's 17.0. 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 First Things First sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notesnook ships an update every 8 days, First Things First every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Notesnook versus First Things First: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotesnookFirst Things First
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (672 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews78.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings672 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size96 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStreetwriters LLCSmith & Johnson Ltd

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

First Things First

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
3 purchases

First Things First

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$59.99

Questions

Is Notesnook free?
Notesnook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is First Things First free?
First Things First is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Notesnook or First Things First have ads?
Neither Notesnook nor First Things First shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notesnook or First Things First?
Notesnook ships an update every 8 days, and First Things First every 9 days. Most recently, Notesnook was updated on October 16, 2026 and First Things First on October 8, 2026.

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