# Simplenote vs Pro Note

The clearest difference is monetization model: Simplenote at free against Pro Note's free with in-app purchases. Simplenote also leads on ratings volume (4.3K vs 15) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Pro Note's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 86%). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simplenote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Pro Note sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simplenote holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simplenote has 4.3K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of Simplenote's written reviews are positive against 100% of Pro Note's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, Pro Note monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | Pro Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962/reviews)** | [4.5 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pro-note-snapper-post-it/id1526132880/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.3K** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 86.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [Kaan Yildiz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473960483) |

## 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


### Pro Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pro-note-snapper-post-it/id1526132880)

Capture thoughts, organize ideas, and stay focused with an AI-powered note-taking app. Enjoy a distraction-free writing space, categorize notes, add images, and utilize AI to summarize and refine your content. It adapts to your workflow for clear and organized thinking.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free writing environment, Organize notes into files and categories, Add images to notes, Drag and arrange notes, Version rollback, AI summarization and refinement

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ProNote Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlock All Features | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is Pro Note free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simplenote or Pro Note?

Simplenote is rated higher. Simplenote averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Pro Note averages 4.5 from 15 ratings.

### Do Simplenote or Pro Note have ads?

Neither Simplenote nor Pro Note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simplenote or Pro Note?

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and Pro Note monthly. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on October 18, 2026 and Pro Note on October 16, 2026.

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