Comparison

J vs Notebook

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

Head to head
About

J

This app helps you organize thoughts, sketch ideas, and manage tasks with a beautiful, intuitive interface. It offers rich text editing, smart organization, and flexible views for a personalized experience. Keep your data private with local storage and no cloud sync.

Highlights
  • Text and drawing notes
  • Rich text editing
  • Smart organization (pinning, color-coding)
  • Trash and recovery system
  • Flexible display views
  • Calendar and map integration
  • Reminders and instant search
Features
Read full description

Notes that stay on your iPhone. Write them, sketch them, lock them behind Face ID, and put them on your Home Screen. No account, no cloud, no ads, no in-app purchases and nothing to subscribe to. WRITE IT, OR DRAW IT Type a note, or sketch one with pen, marker and pencil — Apple Pencil or your finger, with adjustable width and color. Start a drawing over a photo from your library or straight from the camera. Undo and redo sit under the keyboard while you write. Check items off inside the text: a checklist line is part of the note rather than a separate list, and the box responds wherever you tap it. EVERYTHING WHERE YOU LEFT IT • Pin the notes that matter to the top • Color-code them, tag them, and filter by a tag in one tap • Search titles, bodies and tags at once • Compact, standard or detailed rows, remembered between launches • Deleted notes wait 30 days in the trash, and can be opened before you decide • On iPad the list and the note sit side by side, through rotation and Split View alike REMINDERS THAT ARRIVE Set a date and time on any note and it comes back as a notification — as a banner even when the app is already open, and tapping it opens that note rather than the list. If iOS will not schedule it, the app says so instead of losing it quietly. Notes with reminders also line up in a calendar view, by the day they are due. NOTES THAT REMEMBER WHERE THEY WERE A note keeps the place it was written, and the map shows them all — notes made in the same spot share a pin. Useful for a trip, a viewing, a walk around a site, or anywhere the location is half of what you wrote down. LOCKED IS LOCKED • Lock any note behind Face ID or Touch ID • The notes file is unreadable while the device is locked • An unlocked note is covered before iOS takes its app-switcher snapshot • A locked note's reminder reaches the Lock Screen without its title or its text • Search does not look inside a locked note ON YOUR HOME SCREEN AND LOCK SCREEN Small, medium and large Home Screen widgets show your most recent notes, pinned first — and tapping one opens that note, not the list. All three Lock Screen shapes are there too: the newest note as a line, as a title with a line of text, or just how many notes there are. A locked note shows its padlock and nothing else, in every size. Ask Siri to create a note, or put it in a Shortcut. BUILT FOR EVERYONE Every icon-only control is labeled for VoiceOver, and a note's row is announced as one thing rather than as the seven pieces it is drawn from. A checklist line says whether it is checked. Text follows your Dynamic Type size, including the checkbox and the area you tap to check it. The unlock button shows the method your device actually offers. YOURS, AND ONLY YOURS • No ads • No in-app purchases, no subscription • No account, no sign-in, no cloud, no data collected • Works completely offline • Back up and restore everything as a single file • English and Czech • iPhone and iPad Just your notes. Nothing else.

About

Notebook

Organize your thoughts, plans, and ideas with a versatile notebook and list-making application. Create unlimited notes, manage tasks with checklists, and customize your workspace. Sync across devices for seamless access to your organized information.

Highlights
  • Unlimited notes and lists
  • Folders and organization tools
  • Rich text editing
  • Checklists and to-do lists
  • Cloud sync and backup
  • Quick search and tags
Features
Read full description

Organize Your Thoughts, Simplify Your Life! Tired of messy notes or forgotten ideas?
 Turn chaos into clarity with Notes – Notebook & List Maker, your ultimate space for creativity, planning, and productivity.
Whether you’re journaling, managing projects, or capturing daily ideas — keep everything beautifully organized and accessible anytime, anywhere. Perfect for students, professionals, creators, and anyone who loves to stay organized and inspired! Key Features • Unlimited Notes & Lists
Write, plan, and create without limits — from quick thoughts to detailed notebooks. • Folders & Organization Tools
Sort your notes easily into folders and categories for a clean, clutter-free workspace. • Rich Text Editing
Customize fonts, colors, and styles to make your notes uniquely yours. • Checklists & To-Do Lists
Stay productive with easy task lists and reminders — perfect for daily routines or long-term goals. • Cloud Sync & Backup
Access your notes from anywhere with secure cloud sync and never lose important data again. • Quick Search & Tags
Find what you need instantly with smart search and tagging features. Go Premium Unlock your full potential with Notes Premium: • Ad-Free Experience
Enjoy distraction-free writing and focus on what matters most. • Unlimited Folders & Storage
Create as many notebooks and folders as you like — perfect for large projects or journaling. • Exclusive Themes & Customization
Personalize your workspace with elegant themes and color palettes. • Priority Support
Get faster assistance from our team whenever you need help. Subscription Info Weekly Subscription – $4.99 Use Cases * Journaling & daily reflections
 * Project planning & task management
 * Study notes & class organization
 * Grocery lists & reminders
 * Creative writing or brainstorming ideas
 * Work documentation & meeting notes
 We know how valuable your ideas are — that’s why Notes – Notebook & List Maker helps you keep them safe, structured, and stylish.
Capture thoughts instantly, plan smarter, and stay productive every single day — all in one elegant app. Start writing smarter. Stay organized. Be unstoppable. Privacy Policy: https://solitudecolorsllc.wordpress.com/privacy-policy/
 Terms of Use: https://solitudecolorsllc.wordpress.com

Screenshots

J4 screens
Notebook4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: J at 5.0 against Notebook's 4.3. J also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Notebook's advantage is ratings volume (523 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. J asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

J holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 523 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of J's written reviews are positive against 71% of Notebook's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

J ships an update fortnightly, Notebook every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
J versus Notebook: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJNotebook
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.3 (523 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better70.6% of reviews
Number of ratings1523 — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB73 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRobert LibsanskySolitude Colors

Customer experience

J

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Notebook

All ratings523 ratings
Positive83.0%
Neutral4.8%
Negative12.2%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive70.6%
Neutral7.4%
Negative22.1%

Bugs and requests

J

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Notebook

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login issues and lost user data
  • Compatibility problems with older devices
  • Copying and pasting not working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add search functionality
  • Improve delete/edit options
  • Provide subscription-free version
  • Enhance calendar integration

In-app purchases

None

J

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Notebook

Subscriptions1
  • Weekly$2.997 Days

Questions

Is J free?
J is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Notebook free?
Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, J or Notebook?
J is rated higher. J averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Notebook averages 4.3 from 523 ratings.
Do J or Notebook have ads?
Notebook shows ads; J does not.
Which is updated more often, J or Notebook?
J ships an update fortnightly, and Notebook every 3 weeks. Most recently, J was updated on September 18, 2026 and Notebook on September 21, 2026.

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