# Simplenote vs Watasu

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Watasu at none against Simplenote's 2. Watasu also leads on update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). Simplenote's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (3 vs 1). On price there is nothing between them.

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

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, Watasu daily. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | Watasu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4.3K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 86.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 11 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [atsuko imai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830783417) |

## 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


### Watasu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watasu-mac-to-iphone-memo/id6762001427)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is Watasu free?

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

### Do Simplenote or Watasu have ads?

Watasu shows ads; Simplenote does not.

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

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and Watasu daily. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on November 11, 2026 and Watasu on November 9, 2026.

---

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