# Simplenote vs Drafts

The clearest difference is monetization model: Simplenote at free against Drafts's freemium. Simplenote also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 70%). Drafts's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simplenote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Drafts sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Simplenote against 4.8 for Drafts. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.3K and 11K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Simplenote's written reviews are positive against 70% of Drafts's.

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, Drafts every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | Drafts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962/reviews) | **[4.8 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drafts/id1236254471/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4.3K | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | **86.2% of reviews** | 69.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 11 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [Agile Tortoise](https://appshunter.io/developer/331942785) |

## What reviewers say

### Simplenote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962)

Capture ideas, create to-do lists, and jot down thoughts effortlessly. Organize your notes with tags and pins, and find them instantly with search. Your content syncs across all devices for free, ensuring it's always accessible.

**Highlights:** Simple note-taking experience, Cross-device syncing, Collaboration and sharing, Organization with tags, Instant search, To-do list creation, Passcode lock

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Simplenote Sustainer Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Simplenote Sustainer Yearly | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Cross-platform availability
- 🔍 Reliable search functionality
- 🌐 Seamless syncing across devices
- 📝 Simple, distraction-free interface
- 🔒 Secure with password/fingerprint protection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔖 Limited formatting options (no bold, italic, etc.)
- 🗂️ Lack of folder organization
- 🔄 Occasional syncing issues
- 🖼️ Unable to add images or attachments
- 🔍 Search could be improved for long notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes sometimes disappear or get duplicated
- App crashes or freezes on certain devices
- Syncing problems between mobile and desktop

**Requested features**

- Add bold, italic, and other formatting options
- Implement folder-based organization
- Improve syncing reliability across devices
- Allow adding images, files, and other attachments
- Enhance search capabilities for long notes


### Drafts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drafts/id1236254471)

Quickly capture text and send it to other apps with this versatile writing tool. It functions as a notebook, editor, and automation tool, allowing for seamless integration with various services and AI LLMs. Organize, customize, and process your text efficiently across all your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Quick text capture, Send text to other apps, Writing automation tool, Cross-device sync, Text manipulation actions, Customizable interface, AI LLM integration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Drafts Pro - Monthly  i | $1.99 | per month |
| Drafts Pro - Annual  i | $19.99 | per year |
| Drafts Pro - Patron  i | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Extremely useful app
- 👍 Powerful and flexible
- 💡 Great for productivity and note-taking
- 👍 Seamless sync across devices
- 🚀 Streamlines workflows

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model is too expensive
- 🤔 Subscription required for advanced features
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🤔 Confusing UI changes in newer version
- 💰 Dislike the move to a subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Paste function not working properly
- Syncing issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved integration with other apps
- Ability to edit custom actions without subscription
- One-time purchase option instead of subscription


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is Drafts free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simplenote or Drafts?

Drafts is rated higher. Simplenote averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Drafts averages 4.8 from 11K ratings.

### Do Simplenote or Drafts have ads?

Neither Simplenote nor Drafts shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simplenote or Drafts?

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and Drafts every 4 days. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on September 26, 2026 and Drafts on September 25, 2026.

---

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