# Simplenote vs Notepad+ Pro

The clearest difference is price: Simplenote at Free against Notepad+ Pro's $19.99. Simplenote also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 61%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Notepad+ Pro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On rating, ratings volume, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Simplenote against 4.6 for Notepad+ Pro. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.3K and 6.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Simplenote's written reviews are positive against 61% of Notepad+ Pro's.

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, Notepad+ Pro every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | Notepad+ Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $19.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962/reviews)** | [4.6 (6.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-plus-pro/id749132901/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4.3K | **6.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **86.2% of reviews** | 60.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 11 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [Mosaic S.r.l.](https://appshunter.io/developer/570748343) |

## 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


### Notepad+ Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-plus-pro/id749132901)

This app transforms your iPad into a digital notebook for taking notes, sketching, and annotating documents. It offers a variety of templates, editing tools, and export options to enhance productivity and creativity.

**Highlights:** Take notes and sketch digitally, Annotate PDFs and other files, Organize notes on virtual boards, Password protection for notes, Export notes in PDF or image format, Customizable templates, Apple Pencil support with palm rejection

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Useful templates
- 🚀 Responsive with Apple Pencil
- 👍 Great for note-taking and sketching
- 👍 Versatile for various use cases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Templates won't download
- 🐛 Laggy or unresponsive writing experience
- 🐛 Inability to organize notes into folders
- 🐛 Limited color and pen options
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer devices

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes or freezing
- Disappearing or corrupted notes
- Inability to open or export PDF files
- Unresponsive or 'dead' areas on the screen
- Inconsistent performance with Apple Pencil

**Requested features**

- Ability to create custom templates
- Improved palm rejection and gesture support
- Sync and backup capabilities across devices
- More advanced text editing and formatting options
- Conversion of handwritten notes to digital text


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is Notepad+ Pro free?

Notepad+ Pro costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Simplenote or Notepad+ Pro?

Simplenote is rated higher. Simplenote averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Notepad+ Pro averages 4.6 from 6.3K ratings.

### Do Simplenote or Notepad+ Pro have ads?

Neither Simplenote nor Notepad+ Pro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simplenote or Notepad+ Pro?

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and Notepad+ Pro every 2 months. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on October 12, 2026 and Notepad+ Pro on October 11, 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.*