# Mental Note ๛ vs Notepad

The clearest difference is price: Notepad at Free against Mental Note ๛'s $4.99. Notepad also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 5 months). Mental Note ๛'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Notepad is free to download; Mental Note ๛ costs $4.99 up front. Mental Note ๛ sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Notepad sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notepad holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notepad has 28K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Mental Note ๛'s written reviews are positive against 84% of Notepad's.

Mental Note ๛ ships an update every 5 months, Notepad every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mental Note ๛ | Notepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mental-note/id338578109/reviews) | **[4.8 (28K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-easy-notes-and-memos/id725368535/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **28K** |
| Positive reviews | 63.2% of reviews | **84.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 10 MB | 100 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zymbiotic Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/338578112) | [1381802 Ontario Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318613521) |

## What reviewers say

### Mental Note ๛

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mental-note/id338578109)

This app offers a versatile digital notepad experience, allowing users to combine text, photos, voice recordings, and drawings on a single page. Capture ideas in any format, organize them with tags, and share them easily.

**Highlights:** Combine text, photos, audio, and drawings, Finger drawing with multiple colors, Add photos from album or camera, Record audio while editing notes, Organize notes with tags, Password protect private notes, Export notes in various formats (PDF, text)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Paper Customization feature | $2.99 | one-time |
| Straight Line Drawing feature | $3.99 | one-time |
| Dark Mode Override feature | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app with many features
- 👍 Easy to use and organize notes
- 🎨 Ability to add photos, audio, and drawings
- 💯 Excellent customer support
- 🗂️ Helpful for business, work, and personal use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔒 Password protection issues
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
- 📁 No syncing or backup options
- 🖍️ Drawing tools could be improved

**Reported bugs**

- Notes sometimes disappear or get deleted unexpectedly
- Audio recording feature not working properly
- Keyboard issues causing loss of typed text
- Location services not accurately detecting user's location

**Requested features**

- Add iCloud or Dropbox sync
- Implement copy/paste and text formatting options
- Improve drawing tools with more customization
- Introduce a task/to-do list feature
- Add video recording capability


### Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-easy-notes-and-memos/id725368535)

Capture thoughts, create to-do lists, and organize ideas with a versatile digital notebook. Supports handwriting, text notes, and secure cloud syncing. Personalize your experience with custom themes and icons.

**Highlights:** Create to-do lists with checkboxes, Unlimited text notes, Handwritten notes with Apple Pencil, Organize notes into folders, Pin and sort notes, iCloud backup and sync, Advanced search functionality

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $1.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium Subscription | $17.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $19.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 📝 Useful for notes, lists, and reminders
- 🎨 Customizable font and color options
- 💾 Reliable for storing important information
- 🔍 Helpful search functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Premium subscription required to remove ads
- 🐛 Occasional data loss or note disappearance
- 📤 Lack of sharing or exporting options
- 🔒 No password protection for individual notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly disappearing
- Ads covering up the note-taking area

**Requested features**

- Add drawing/highlighting tools
- Integrate with calendar and contacts
- Ability to sort and organize notes
- Option to password protect specific notes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mental Note ๛ free?

Mental Note ๛ costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mental Note ๛ or Notepad?

Notepad is rated higher. Mental Note ๛ averages 4.0 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Notepad averages 4.8 from 28K ratings.

### Do Mental Note ๛ or Notepad have ads?

Notepad shows ads; Mental Note ๛ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mental Note ๛ or Notepad?

Mental Note ๛ ships an update every 5 months, and Notepad every 8 days. Most recently, Mental Note ๛ was updated on September 23, 2026 and Notepad on September 24, 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.*