# Simplenote vs Workflowy

The clearest difference is monetization model: Simplenote at free against Workflowy's free with in-app purchases. Workflowy's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simplenote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Workflowy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 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 Workflowy. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.3K and 8.2K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Simplenote's written reviews are positive against 88% of Workflowy's.

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, Workflowy weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | Workflowy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962/reviews) | **[4.8 (8.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/workflowy-note-list-outline/id551139514/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4.3K | **8.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 86.2% of reviews | **88.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 147 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [FunRoutine INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/551139517) |

## 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


### Workflowy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/workflowy-note-list-outline/id551139514)

Capture ideas, manage tasks, and organize your thoughts with an infinitely nestable system. This app offers AI assistance for summarization and brainstorming, along with collaborative features and robust search capabilities. It syncs across devices and works offline, making it a powerful tool for personal and team productivity.

**Highlights:** Infinitely nested lists, AI summarization and brainstorming, Kanban boards for task management, Real-time collaboration and sharing, Global search and filtering, Offline access and cross-device sync, Tagging and mentions

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Workflowy Pro - Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Workflowy Pro - Yearly | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best way to organize thoughts
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 👍 Simple and intuitive
- 👍 Excellent for productivity and organization
- 👍 Versatile for various use cases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional data loss issues
- 🐛 Offline mode not always reliable
- 🔋 Can be slow on mobile devices
- 👎 Limited customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Cursor sometimes gets stuck
- Syncing issues between web and mobile versions
- Inability to delete items consistently

**Requested features**

- Add ability to attach files and documents
- Improve mobile app experience
- Implement better notification and reminder system
- Add more formatting options (e.g., font styles, colors)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is Workflowy free?

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

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

Workflowy is rated higher. Simplenote averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Workflowy averages 4.8 from 8.2K ratings.

### Do Simplenote or Workflowy have ads?

Neither Simplenote nor Workflowy shows ads.

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

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and Workflowy weekly. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on September 29, 2026 and Workflowy on September 30, 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.*