# Simplenote vs MonoCal

The clearest difference is price: Simplenote at Free against MonoCal's $0.49. Simplenote also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.6). MonoCal's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Simplenote is free to download; MonoCal costs $0.49 up front. Simplenote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. MonoCal asks for nothing beyond the download.

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, MonoCal weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | MonoCal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.49 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4.3K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 86.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 11 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [kazuyoshi onozawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/6789441022) |

## 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


### MonoCal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monocal/id6814667627)

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is MonoCal free?

MonoCal costs $0.49, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Simplenote or MonoCal have ads?

Neither Simplenote nor MonoCal shows ads.

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

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and MonoCal weekly. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on November 7, 2026 and MonoCal on October 31, 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.*