# SimpleMic vs Voice Memos (Recorder)

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Voice Memos (Recorder) at none against SimpleMic's 4. Voice Memos (Recorder) also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). SimpleMic's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (79% vs 50%). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SimpleMic sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Voice Memos (Recorder) asks for nothing beyond the download.

SimpleMic holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SimpleMic has 1.7K ratings behind it against 167, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of SimpleMic's written reviews are positive against 50% of Voice Memos (Recorder)'s.

SimpleMic ships an update every 2 months, Voice Memos (Recorder) every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimpleMic | Voice Memos (Recorder) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplemic/id546037865/reviews)** | [4.4 (167 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voice-memos-recorder/id1413176979/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 167 |
| Positive reviews | **79.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 31 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Velocity Raptor Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/296937260) | [KSY Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1031589054) |

## What reviewers say

### SimpleMic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplemic/id546037865)

Capture high-quality audio with this elegant iPhone recorder. Features gesture-based controls, multiple recording modes like sound-activated and no-motion activated, and seamless iCloud sync for easy access across devices. Manage, tag, and share your recordings effortlessly.

**Highlights:** Gesture-based user interface, Sound Activated recording mode, No Motion Activated recording mode, Record on Start option, iCloud Drive sync, Tagging and notes for recordings, Comprehensive sharing and uploading

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Finer Things Color Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Planetary Color Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium Upgrade | $2.99 | one-time |
| Mega Bundle | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Great sound quality
- 📱 Seamless Apple Watch integration
- 🔒 Secure recordings
- 🎨 Simple and clean interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Limited features without paid upgrade
- 🔇 No stereo recording on iPhone
- 🤔 Unclear where recordings are stored
- 🤖 Unreliable watch app functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Recordings stop unexpectedly during calls
- Playback issues when device goes to sleep
- Renaming files in iCloud doesn't sync back to app

**Requested features**

- Add ability to record in layers or tracks
- Include audio waveform visualization
- Allow recordings to be shared without paid upgrade
- Implement a complication for quick access from Apple Watch


### Voice Memos (Recorder)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voice-memos-recorder/id1413176979)

Capture audio and enhance it with text and image tags. Organize recordings into custom categories for easy retrieval. Supports multiple audio formats and file renaming.

**Highlights:** Audio recording, Text tagging, Image tagging, Category management, File renaming, Multiple audio formats

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimpleMic free?

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

### Is Voice Memos (Recorder) free?

Voice Memos (Recorder) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SimpleMic or Voice Memos (Recorder)?

SimpleMic is rated higher. SimpleMic averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Voice Memos (Recorder) averages 4.4 from 167 ratings.

### Do SimpleMic or Voice Memos (Recorder) have ads?

Voice Memos (Recorder) shows ads; SimpleMic does not.

### Which is updated more often, SimpleMic or Voice Memos (Recorder)?

SimpleMic ships an update every 2 months, and Voice Memos (Recorder) every 3 weeks. Most recently, SimpleMic was updated on October 26, 2026 and Voice Memos (Recorder) on October 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.*