# SwiftStudy vs markdown notes

The clearest difference is device support: markdown notes at 4 against SwiftStudy's 2. SwiftStudy's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SwiftStudy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and markdown notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SwiftStudy ships an update fortnightly, markdown notes every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SwiftStudy | markdown notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markdown-notes-smolpad/id6792438749/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 170 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DNT Music Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1742701909) | [BaconWorks, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6783126115) |

## What reviewers say

### SwiftStudy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swiftstudy-smarter-learning/id6499191067)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SwiftStudy Monthly Plan | $3.99 | per month |
| SwiftStudy Yearly Plan | $29.99 | per year |


### markdown notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markdown-notes-smolpad/id6792438749)

A minimalist Markdown editor that stores all your notes as plain text files, accessible across your devices. It offers beautiful writing tools, seamless cloud sync, and powerful organization features without any bloat.

**Highlights:** Plain .md file storage, iCloud Drive sync, Markdown syntax highlighting, Task list checkboxes, Folder and instant search organization, Menu bar app on Mac, Export to PDF, HTML, RTF (Pro)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smolpad Pro | $1.49 | per month |
| Smolpad Pro | $14.99 | per year |
| Smolpad Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SwiftStudy free?

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

### Is markdown notes free?

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

### Do SwiftStudy or markdown notes have ads?

Neither SwiftStudy nor markdown notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SwiftStudy or markdown notes?

SwiftStudy ships an update fortnightly, and markdown notes every 10 days. Most recently, SwiftStudy was updated on October 5, 2026 and markdown notes on October 10, 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.*