# Simplenote vs Gym

The clearest difference is rating: Simplenote at 4.7 against Gym's 4.0. Simplenote also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (4.3K vs 5). Gym's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simplenote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Gym asks for nothing beyond the download.

Simplenote holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simplenote has 4.3K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Simplenote's written reviews are positive against 67% of Gym's.

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, Gym every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | Gym |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962/reviews)** | [4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gym-startgg-app-client/id1539789647/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.3K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **86.1% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 11 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [e-apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/387811558) |

## 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


### Gym

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gym-startgg-app-client/id1539789647)

This app allows users to search for and manage esports tournaments. It offers filtering by online/offline status, calendar dates, and location. Users can also track their own tournaments and receive push notifications for upcoming events.

**Highlights:** Tournament search, Online/offline filtering, Calendar filtering, GPS location search, My tournaments tracking, Push notifications, Dark mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is Gym free?

Gym is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Simplenote is rated higher. Simplenote averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Gym averages 4.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Simplenote or Gym have ads?

Neither Simplenote nor Gym shows ads.

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

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and Gym every 3 months. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on November 1, 2026 and Gym on October 7, 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.*