# Simple Notes vs Notes by Color

The clearest difference is price: Notes by Color at Free against Simple Notes's $2.99. Notes by Color also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Simple Notes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (39 vs 1). On ads there is nothing between them.

Notes by Color is free to download; Simple Notes costs $2.99 up front. Notes by Color sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Simple Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notes by Color holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Notes has 39 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Simple Notes ships an update every 2 months, Notes by Color every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Notes | Notes by Color |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-ultimate-edition/id573135652/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-by-color-toono/id6762279647/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **39** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 82.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 25 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sadah Software Solutions, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/460047429) | [Two Moon Tree](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893631516) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-ultimate-edition/id573135652)

A powerful yet simple note-taking application offering cross-device syncing, customizable themes, and robust security features. It allows users to set reminders, highlight text, and even save notes as images.

**Highlights:** Cross-device syncing (Dropbox/iCloud), Zoomable font sizes, Searchable highlighted text, Note reminders, Password protection (AES 256-bit), Shake to undo/redo, Customizable themes and fonts

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Notes by Color

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-by-color-toono/id6762279647)

This app uses color as its primary organizational tool, allowing users to create custom color labels for notes. It offers instant filtering and sorting by color, providing a visual system for quick access and organization. Features include AI-powered summaries, iCloud sync, and full-text search.

**Highlights:** Custom color labels, Instant color filtering, AI-powered note summaries, iCloud sync, Full-text search, Pin important notes

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Premium | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Notes free?

Simple Notes costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Notes by Color free?

Notes by Color is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Simple Notes or Notes by Color?

Notes by Color is rated higher. Simple Notes averages 4.0 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Notes by Color averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Simple Notes or Notes by Color have ads?

Neither Simple Notes nor Notes by Color shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Notes or Notes by Color?

Simple Notes ships an update every 2 months, and Notes by Color every 3 weeks. Most recently, Simple Notes was updated on September 21, 2026 and Notes by Color on September 4, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*