# Simplenote vs Zoho Writer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Simplenote at 86% against Zoho Writer's 30%. Simplenote also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.9) and ratings volume (4.3K vs 136). Zoho Writer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Simplenote holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simplenote has 4.3K ratings behind it against 136, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Simplenote's written reviews are positive against 30% of Zoho Writer's.

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, Zoho Writer every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 14, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simplenote | Zoho Writer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote/id289429962/reviews)** | [2.9 (136 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoho-writer-document-editor/id808719064/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.3K** | 136 |
| Positive reviews | **86.2% of reviews** | 29.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 11 MB | 132 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Automattic](https://appshunter.io/developer/335703883) | [Zoho Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/388384807) |

## 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


### Zoho Writer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoho-writer-document-editor/id808719064)

Create and edit documents with a clean, distraction-free interface. Collaborate with others in real-time, import and export various file formats, and access your work across all devices. Your changes are automatically saved and synced.

**Highlights:** Create and edit documents, Real-time collaboration, Import/export MS Word, PDF, ODT, Sync across devices, Offline access, Automatic saving

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface design
- 🔒 Privacy-focused alternative to Google Docs
- 📝 Good font variety and formatting options
- 💾 Automatic document saving
- 🌐 Cross-platform functionality (desktop, mobile, web)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- ⚠️ Severe data loss issues
- 🐢 Significant lag and slow typing response
- ❌ Missing core formatting features on mobile
- 🔐 Permission and access errors

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on document open
- Cursor jumps randomly in document
- Keyboard disappears during typing
- Punctuation disappears after saving
- Text erased or goes missing

**Requested features**

- Dark mode for mobile app
- Text wrapping around images
- Adjustable image sizing
- Cover page and page formatting options
- Document list view (not just icon view)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simplenote free?

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

### Is Zoho Writer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simplenote or Zoho Writer?

Simplenote is rated higher. Simplenote averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Zoho Writer averages 2.9 from 136 ratings.

### Do Simplenote or Zoho Writer have ads?

Neither Simplenote nor Zoho Writer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simplenote or Zoho Writer?

Simplenote ships an update fortnightly, and Zoho Writer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Simplenote was updated on October 14, 2026 and Zoho Writer on October 14, 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.*