Comparison

Notebook vs Secure Notes

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Notebook

This app offers a natural journaling experience by organizing daily notes on a single page, allowing you to flip through your entries like a physical book. It prioritizes simplicity, security with passcode locks, and seamless iCloud synchronization for easy access across devices.

Highlights
  • Realistic page-turning effect
  • One page per day organization
  • iCloud sync and backup
  • Passcode lock with Face ID/Touch ID
  • Dark mode and font adjustment
  • Ad-free Premium option
Features
Read full description

Keep daily notes and diary entries together on one page. Turn pages like a book and revisit your past entries. Search, iCloud sync, and a passcode lock help you organize and access your notes. Core features are free; ad removal is a one-time purchase. ■ Your day on one page See the notes and diary entries you write each day together on one page. Swipe or tap to turn pages and look back on everyday moments and memories. ■ Find past entries Use the contents list or search to find a note you want to revisit. Change a note's date to record plans or past events. ■ Make reading and writing comfortable Adjust the text size or use Dark Mode. Copy, print, or share your notes. ■ Protect access with a passcode Lock access to your diary with a passcode. Face ID / Touch ID is available on supported devices. ■ Sync between devices with iCloud With iCloud sync enabled, notes synchronize automatically between devices using the same Apple Account. iCloud sync is enabled by default for new installations. iCloud Drive and Notebook's iCloud access must be enabled, with available storage and a network connection. Synchronization may take time. iCloud sync and device backups are separate features. Check your sync status and backups before changing devices. ■ Recover deleted notes Recover notes within 30 days of deletion from Recently Deleted in Settings. ■ Remove ads with a one-time purchase Core features are free. Premium removes ads with a one-time purchase, not a subscription. After changing devices, use Restore Purchases with the Apple Account used for your purchase. Over 2 million downloads worldwide. Rated 4.7 out of 5 from over 21,000 ratings across all countries and regions (October 2026). Capture your everyday moments, one page at a time.

About

Secure Notes

Securely store your thoughts, passwords, and sensitive information with multi-layer protection. This app offers robust security features like Face ID and passcode locks for individual notes, folders, and the entire application. It also provides tools for writing, recording voice memos, and organizing content with iCloud sync.

Highlights
  • 3-layer security (app, folders, notes)
  • Face ID, Touch ID, passcode protection
  • Voice notes up to 10 minutes
  • Speech-to-text transcription
  • Markdown editor with live preview
  • iCloud sync across devices
  • Trash recovery for 30 days
Features
Read full description

Lock your notes. Only you can access them. Secure Notes is a private and secure notes app designed to protect your thoughts, passwords, voice memos, and sensitive information. Notes are stored on your iPhone, protected by iOS, and locked with your passcode and Face ID. They never reach our servers, so we cannot read them. If you need a truly private place for your notes, Secure Notes gives you full control, strong protection, and a simple experience that works every day. Built for real privacy - Your notes are yours. Always. - No tracking - No analytics on your content - No data selling - No external access to your notes All data is stored securely on your device and, if enabled, inside your private iCloud account. This is not just a locked notes app — it is built for real privacy. Powerful protection Secure Notes uses multiple layers of protection to keep your data safe. 3-layer security: lock the app, folders, and individual notes Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode protection Lock specific notes with additional security Stored on your iPhone, protected by iOS Designed to prevent unauthorized access Your notes stay protected even if your device is lost or accessed by someone else. Write, record, and organize Capture everything in one place. Secure text notes for daily use Voice notes up to 10 minutes Speech-to-text: transcribe any voice note with one tap Markdown editor with formatting support Live preview for better writing experience Organize notes into folders Whether you are writing ideas, journaling, or storing important information, everything stays private and accessible. Sync across your devices iCloud sync between iPhone and iPad Instant updates across devices Your data remains under your control No external servers. No unnecessary exposure. Designed for speed and simplicity Fast and responsive performance Clean, modern interface Dark mode support No ads or distractions Reliable experience every day Additional features Trash recovery for up to 30 days Improved text rendering Enhanced Markdown editing Notifications to stay on top of your notes Continuous performance improvements Why people choose Secure Notes Private journaling and personal thoughts Password and sensitive information storage Financial tracking and private records Health notes and personal logs Recovery phrases and secure data storage Anything you want to keep hidden, protected, and under your control. Security you can trust Notes are stored on your iPhone, protected by iOS, unless you turn on private iCloud sync in your own iCloud account. We do not have access to your data and cannot read your notes. Deleting the app removes all unsynced data permanently. Terms and conditions: https://www.pixelport.io/app/secure-notes-lock-notes/terms-conditions Privacy Policy: https://www.pixelport.io/app/secure-notes-lock-notes/privacy-policy EULA: https://www.pixelport.io/app/secure-notes-lock-notes/eula

Screenshots

Notebook4 screens
Secure Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Secure Notes at none against Notebook's shown. Notebook's advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 716) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Secure Notes sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Notebook against 4.6 for Secure Notes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 716, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 72% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 65% of Secure Notes's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notebook ships an update weekly, Secure Notes fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Notebook versus Secure Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotebookSecure Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14K ratings) — better4.6 (716 ratings)
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews — better64.7% of reviews
Number of ratings14K — better716
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB70 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKoji ItoPixelPort LLC

Customer experience

Notebook

All ratings14,321 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral3.2%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews276 reviews
Positive72.5%
Neutral12.3%
Negative15.2%

Secure Notes

All ratings716 ratings
Positive91.3%
Neutral3.6%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews150 reviews
Positive64.7%
Neutral10.0%
Negative25.3%

User reviews

Notebook

From 14K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 🔒 Password protection
  • 💡 Convenient for journaling and note-taking
  • 🚀 Smooth and responsive
  • 👍 Organized by date

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
  • 🚫 Unable to insert photos or attachments
  • 🚫 Limited formatting options
  • 🚫 No cloud sync or backup
  • 🚫 Not compatible with iPad

Secure Notes

From 716 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🔒 Secure notes and folders
  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Efficient note-taking
  • 💡 Innovative features like Love Voice Notes

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Glitchy performance after updates
  • 🤯 Overly complicated UI changes
  • 🔒 Difficulty resetting passwords/access
  • 💸 Essential features locked behind paywall

Bugs and requests

Notebook

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Deleting entries causes the app to crash
  • Long entries can cause the app to become unresponsive
  • Password feature doesn't always work as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add ability to insert photos and attachments
  • Implement cloud sync and backup
  • Allow more formatting options (font, size, color, bold, italic, etc.)
  • Develop an iPad version with optimized layout
  • Add a search function to easily find past entries

Secure Notes

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent app crashes
  • Delayed text input and display
  • Inability to access locked notes

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to move notes between folders
  • Option to customize font, size, and colors
  • Trash/Recycle bin for deleted notes
  • Cloud sync/backup functionality

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Notebook

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$6.99
7 purchases

Secure Notes

Subscriptions6
  • Secure Notes - 1 Month PRO3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Secure Notes - Pro Monthly3 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Secure Notes Pro Monthly3 Days trial$9.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Secure Notes Pro Annual Offer$19.991 Year
  • Secure Notes - 1 Year PRO1 Year trial$39.991 Year
  • Secure Notes - 1 Year PRO$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Secure Notes Pro - Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Notebook free?
Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Secure Notes free?
Secure Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notebook or Secure Notes?
Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Secure Notes averages 4.6 from 716 ratings.
Do Notebook or Secure Notes have ads?
Notebook shows ads; Secure Notes does not.
Which is updated more often, Notebook or Secure Notes?
Notebook ships an update weekly, and Secure Notes fortnightly. Most recently, Notebook was updated on November 2, 2026 and Secure Notes on November 3, 2026.

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