# Simplenote vs Secure Notepad

The clearest difference is update cadence: Simplenote at fortnightly against Secure Notepad's every 5 months. Simplenote also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (86% vs 70%). Secure Notepad's advantage is ratings volume (13K vs 4.3K). On price, rating, 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 Secure Notepad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Simplenote against 4.7 for Secure Notepad. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.3K and 13K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Simplenote's written reviews are positive against 70% of Secure Notepad's.

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, Secure Notepad every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 12, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | Secure Notepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962/reviews) | [4.7 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notepad/id711178888/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4.3K | **13K** |
| Positive reviews | **86.2% of reviews** | 69.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [Dmytro Vynokurov](https://appshunter.io/developer/350017076) |

## 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


### Secure Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notepad/id711178888)

Securely store personal notes, contacts, and passwords with password protection. Features a simple interface, biometric unlock options, and password recovery. Keep your sensitive information private and organized.

**Highlights:** Password protection for all notes, Biometric unlock (Face ID/Touch ID), Sort notes by date or alphabetically, Automatic app lock, Password recovery via security question, Recover recently deleted notes

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Notes | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Password protection
- 🔒 Security question for password recovery
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🚀 Straightforward note-taking
- 🔒 Prevents others from accessing private notes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paid version required for more than 3 notes
- 🐛 Notes disappearing or not syncing across devices
- 🐛 Password/security question issues
- 🔒 Lack of customization options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing or freezing
- Inability to restore deleted notes
- Sync issues between iOS devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to change app icon
- Syncing notes across devices
- More formatting options (bold, italic, etc.)
- Ability to organize notes into folders
- Dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is Secure Notepad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simplenote or Secure Notepad?

Simplenote and Secure Notepad are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4.3K and 13K ratings respectively.

### Do Simplenote or Secure Notepad have ads?

Neither Simplenote nor Secure Notepad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simplenote or Secure Notepad?

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and Secure Notepad every 5 months. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on October 12, 2026 and Secure Notepad on October 12, 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.*