# Simplenote vs Quick Notes

The clearest difference is rating: Simplenote at 4.7 against Quick Notes's 1.0. Simplenote also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (4.3K vs 1). Quick Notes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, update cadence 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. Quick Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Simplenote holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simplenote has 4.3K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, Quick Notes every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | Quick Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quick-notes-drawing-doodle/id6444913907/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.3K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 86.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 11 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [FugaPiyo Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497887610) |

## 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


### Quick Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quick-notes-drawing-doodle/id6444913907)

Easily add handwritten notes, scribbles, and text to your photos. Customize pen colors and thickness, import images, and save or share your creations. All features are free to use.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes, Graffiti on photos, Rich pen options, Import photos, Save and share doodles

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is Quick Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simplenote or Quick Notes?

Simplenote is rated higher. Simplenote averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Quick Notes averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Simplenote or Quick Notes have ads?

Quick Notes shows ads; Simplenote does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simplenote or Quick Notes?

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and Quick Notes every 3 weeks. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on October 12, 2026 and Quick Notes on October 4, 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.*