# Notepad vs Colored Notes Simple

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Notepad at 41% against Colored Notes Simple's 0%. Notepad also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months) and rating (2.7 vs 2.4). Colored Notes Simple's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Notepad holds the better App Store score, 2.7 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Notepad's written reviews are positive against 0% of Colored Notes Simple's.

Notepad ships an update every 2 weeks, Colored Notes Simple every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notepad | Colored Notes Simple |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.7 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad/id495125972/reviews)** | [2.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colored-notes-simple-taking/id1055086242/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **40.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 26 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [YONGSEOK LEE](https://appshunter.io/developer/453718968) | [luca calciano](https://appshunter.io/developer/804190836) |

## What reviewers say

### Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad/id495125972)

Capture fleeting thoughts and precious memories with a focus on simple recording and easy retrieval. Features include instant note-taking, automatic saving, categorization, keyword search, and customizable themes and font sizes.

**Highlights:** Instant note-taking, Automatic saving, Categorization, Keyword search, Customizable themes, Adjustable font size

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Fantastic - sort order choices works great
- 👍 Simple and very comfortable!
- 👍 Easy to use for writing stories and notes
- 👍 Great for just simple notes or essays

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Updated app. NOW ALL MY NOTES ARE GONE!!!!
- 🐛 Cannot flip back and forth from a source to copy/paste without running into annoying ads
- 🐛 Why is there no longer a "scrolling signifier" on the side
- 🐛 The search feature option disappears when in use
- 🐛 Notepad Update gone bad

**Reported bugs**

- Updated app. NOW ALL MY NOTES ARE GONE!!!!
- Cannot flip back and forth from a source to copy/paste without running into annoying ads
- The search feature option disappears when in use
- The new update is causing crashes
- App not opening saved notes anymore

**Requested features**

- Add search feature for easier finding in notes
- Add pictures and videos, and let us resize them
- Add landscape mode
- Add undo button
- Add dark mode option


### Colored Notes Simple

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colored-notes-simple-taking/id1055086242)

Organize your thoughts and reminders with a vibrant and intuitive note-taking experience. Customize your notes with colors and set timely notifications to never miss an appointment or task. Enjoy a simple yet engaging way to manage your daily information.

**Highlights:** Colorful note customization, Appointment and meeting tracking, Customizable notification reminders, Checklist functionality, Intuitive user interface

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Is Colored Notes Simple free?

Colored Notes Simple is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Notepad or Colored Notes Simple?

Notepad is rated higher. Notepad averages 2.7 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Colored Notes Simple averages 2.4 from 5 ratings.

### Do Notepad or Colored Notes Simple have ads?

Both Notepad and Colored Notes Simple show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notepad or Colored Notes Simple?

Notepad ships an update every 2 weeks, and Colored Notes Simple every 6 months. Most recently, Notepad was updated on September 20, 2026 and Colored Notes Simple on September 22, 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.*