# Simplenote vs Lionote

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Lionote at 13.0 against Simplenote's 15.0. On price, update cadence, 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 Lionote sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, Lionote every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | Lionote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4.3K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 86.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 11 MB | 108 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [杭州草莓互娱科技有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1651068413) |

## 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


### Lionote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lionote/id6443962372)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP1, one month | $0.69 | one-time |
| VIP2, one month | $1.69 | one-time |
| VIP3, one month | $6.29 | one-time |
| VIP1, one year | $7.59 | one-time |
| VIP2, one year | $17.90 | one-time |
| VIP3, one year | $64.90 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is Lionote free?

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

### Do Simplenote or Lionote have ads?

Neither Simplenote nor Lionote shows ads.

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

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and Lionote every 11 days. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on October 18, 2026 and Lionote 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.*