Comparison

Notes vs Notely

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

Head to head
About

Notes

Capture ideas, plan events, and manage tasks with this versatile note-taking app. Organize notes with custom views, filters, and priority pinning. Enjoy voice notes, file attachments, and secure local accounts.

Highlights
  • Voice notes
  • Checklist creation
  • File attachments
  • Drag and drop organization
  • Board and list views
  • Local accounts
  • Day/night modes
Features
Read full description

Notes — simple notes, reminders and ideas in one app Capture ideas, plan events and keep important lists in one place. Notes helps you stay organized — from quick thoughts to important tasks with reminders. Write, draw and organize everything your way. At home, at work or on the go — your notes are always with you. Main features: • Notes with reminders • Drawing and sketch notes • Easy organization with lists • Board and list views • Filters and pinning • Simple drag-and-drop controls • Local accounts without restrictions • Light and dark modes Pro features: • Voice notes • Unlimited file attachments • Checklists inside notes • Full backup and restore • App lock • Note forwarding and sharing • Printing No ads or annoying pop-ups — just a clean and intuitive interface. Works offline for better privacy, security and stability. Download Notes and manage your ideas, plans and daily tasks with ease. Terms of Use: https://calenhub.com/note_terms_of_use.html

About

Notely

Capture and organize your thoughts instantly with this fast, private notepad. Create, edit, and manage notes with ample space for titles and descriptions. Organize entries into custom categories with visual flair and enjoy a distraction-free, offline experience.

Highlights
  • Lightning fast note capture and editing
  • Customizable categories with pastel colors
  • Offline functionality with no account needed
  • Secure local data storage
  • Distraction-free, native dark mode UI
  • List and grid view options
Features
Read full description

Notely is a simple, fast notepad for everything you want to remember. Open the app and start writing: no account, no ads, and your notes stay on your device. WRITE WITH STYLE • Headings, bold, italic, underline and strikethrough • Bulleted and numbered lists • Left, center or right alignment • Undo and redo • Automatic saving as you type ORGANIZE WITH COLORFUL FOLDERS • Sort your notes into categories with the color of your choice • See at a glance how many notes each folder contains • Pin your most important notes and categories to the top • Switch between list and grid view FIND EVERYTHING INSTANTLY • Search all your notes by typing a few words • Browse your notes by category in one tap PRIVATE BY DESIGN • No account and no sign-up • No ads • Your notes are stored on your device and work offline NOTELY PRO: ONE-TIME PURCHASE • Private vault: lock your most personal notes behind a 6-digit code • Custom app icons for your home screen • Pay once, keep it forever. No subscription. MADE FOR EVERY DAY • Light and dark mode • Available in 11 languages • Optimized for iPhone and iPad Shopping lists, ideas, journal, meeting notes, reminders: Notely keeps everything clear, fast and in one place.

Screenshots

Notes4 screens
Notely4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Notely at free against Notes's freemium. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and Notely 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Notes against 4.8 for Notely. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 12 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notes ships an update every 3 months, Notely every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Notes versus Notely: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotesNotely
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (8 ratings) — better4.8 (12 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings812 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size155 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPlanning Technologies LLCKamel Djaber

Customer experience

Notes

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Notely

All ratings12 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.3%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Notes

Subscriptions2
  • Full Access for a Month$1.491 Month
  • Full Access for a Year7 Days trial$11.991 Year
One-time1
  • Full Access Forever$24.99
1 purchases

Notely

One-time1
  • Premium Notely$4.99

Questions

Is Notes free?
Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Notely free?
Notely is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notes or Notely?
Notes is rated higher. Notes averages 4.9 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Notely averages 4.8 from 12 ratings.
Do Notes or Notely have ads?
Neither Notes nor Notely shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notes or Notely?
Notes ships an update every 3 months, and Notely every 2 months. Most recently, Notes was updated on October 8, 2026 and Notely on October 16, 2026.

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