Notebook vs Secure Notes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
Notebook ships an update weekly, Secure Notes fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Notebook | Secure Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (14K ratings) — better | 4.6 (716 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews — better | 64.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14K — better | 716 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 70 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Koji Ito | PixelPort LLC |
Customer experience
Notebook
Secure Notes
User reviews
Notebook
From 14K App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
Notebook
- Remove Ads$6.99
Secure Notes
- 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
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- 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
- Secure Notes Pro - Lifetime$99.99









