# EssentialPIM vs Nextcloud Notes

The clearest difference is rating: EssentialPIM at 2.6 against Nextcloud Notes's 2.2. EssentialPIM also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Nextcloud Notes's advantage is ratings volume (95 vs 12). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

EssentialPIM holds the better App Store score, 2.6 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nextcloud Notes has 95 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 21% of EssentialPIM's written reviews are positive against 27% of Nextcloud Notes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | EssentialPIM | Nextcloud Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essentialpim/id537150179/reviews)** | [2.2 (95 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextcloud-notes/id813973264/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **95** |
| Positive reviews | 21.1% of reviews | **27.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 15 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Astonsoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/397928091) | [Nextcloud GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1296825573) |

## What reviewers say

### EssentialPIM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essentialpim/id537150179)

Manage your personal information with this comprehensive organizer. It handles calendars, tasks, contacts, and passwords, with seamless synchronization across devices and platforms. Organize tasks hierarchically and securely store sensitive data.

**Highlights:** Calendar management, Task management with hierarchical structure, Contact organization, Secure password storage, Synchronization with Windows version, Synchronization with Google Tasks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Nextcloud Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextcloud-notes/id813973264)

This app allows you to create, edit, and organize notes on your mobile device. It syncs seamlessly with a Nextcloud server, ensuring your notes are accessible across all your devices and the web interface. Supports plain text and markdown formatting for versatile note-taking.

**Highlights:** Syncs with Nextcloud server, Create and delete notes, Organize notes in categories, Plain text editing, Markdown formatting, Export notes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Successfully syncs with Nextcloud instances
- ⚡ Improving performance and reliability over time
- 📝 Simple, lightweight note-taking interface
- 🔒 Privacy-focused with self-hosted option
- 📱 Cross-platform availability (iOS, Android)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent data loss and note deletion issues
- 🔌 Unreliable synchronization with server
- 🔐 Login and authentication failures
- ⚠️ Poor handling of connection interruptions
- 📉 App crashes and force-closes required

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly appear empty and lose content
- Empty files being saved to server
- Login resets to default server address
- 404 errors when getting settings
- Sync fails with large note collections

**Requested features**

- Text formatting options (bold, underline, italics)
- File and image attachment support
- Note categorization and organization
- Pin important notes to top
- Ability to rename notes easily


## Frequently asked questions

### Is EssentialPIM free?

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

### Is Nextcloud Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, EssentialPIM or Nextcloud Notes?

EssentialPIM is rated higher. EssentialPIM averages 2.6 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Nextcloud Notes averages 2.2 from 95 ratings.

### Do EssentialPIM or Nextcloud Notes have ads?

Neither EssentialPIM nor Nextcloud Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, EssentialPIM or Nextcloud Notes?

EssentialPIM ships an update every 2 months, and Nextcloud Notes every 2 months. Most recently, EssentialPIM was updated on November 1, 2026 and Nextcloud Notes on November 1, 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.*