# Simplenote vs DueBell

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Simplenote at 15.0 against DueBell's 17.0. 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 DueBell sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | DueBell |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 11 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [ClamQuest, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1607153871) |

## 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


### DueBell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duebell/id6789335108)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large tip | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is DueBell free?

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

### Do Simplenote or DueBell have ads?

Neither Simplenote nor DueBell shows ads.

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

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and DueBell fortnightly. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on October 14, 2026 and DueBell on October 6, 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.*