# NotePass vs Dark Memos

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NotePass at none against Dark Memos's 1. NotePass also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 12 months vs every 33 months). Dark Memos's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 86%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dark Memos sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NotePass asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for NotePass against 5.0 for Dark Memos. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of NotePass's written reviews are positive against 100% of Dark Memos's.

NotePass ships an update every 12 months, Dark Memos every 33 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NotePass | Dark Memos |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepass/id321324638/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-memos/id1495559965/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 86.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 12 months** | Every 33 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 7 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ben Christen](https://appshunter.io/developer/321324641) | [tadashi atoji](https://appshunter.io/developer/431510057) |

## What reviewers say

### NotePass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepass/id321324638)

This app allows users to type messages and display them full-screen for others to read. It's useful for situations where speaking is difficult or inappropriate, such as in meetings or noisy environments.

**Highlights:** Full-screen message display, Customizable notes, Save favorite notes, Pre-loaded popular notes, Communicate without speaking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Dark Memos

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-memos/id1495559965)

Create handwritten notes with a dark background. Organize your notes using folders. Ads are present but can be removed with an add-on purchase.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes, Black background theme, Folder organization, Ad-supported, Ad-on to hide ads

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NotePass free?

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

### Is Dark Memos free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NotePass or Dark Memos?

Dark Memos is rated higher. NotePass averages 4.9 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Dark Memos averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do NotePass or Dark Memos have ads?

Dark Memos shows ads; NotePass does not.

### Which is updated more often, NotePass or Dark Memos?

NotePass ships an update every 12 months, and Dark Memos every 33 months. Most recently, NotePass was updated on September 19, 2026 and Dark Memos on September 18, 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.*