# Notebook vs Zipnote

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Zipnote at none against Notebook's 1. Zipnote also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Notebook's advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 5). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Zipnote asks for nothing beyond the download.

Zipnote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 75% of Zipnote's.

Notebook ships an update weekly, Zipnote fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | Zipnote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zipnote/id1603007695/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 72.4% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 25 MB | 0 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.2** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) | [Logan Gwinup](https://appshunter.io/developer/1482221440) |

## What reviewers say

### Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Zipnote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zipnote/id1603007695)

This app offers a straightforward way to capture thoughts and lists quickly. It automatically saves your single note, allowing for immediate use without complex features. Export your notes and adjust text size for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Single note for maximum simplicity, Automatic saving, Note export functionality, Dark Mode support, Customizable text size, Clean and simplistic design

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Is Zipnote free?

Zipnote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Notebook or Zipnote?

Zipnote is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Zipnote averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Notebook or Zipnote have ads?

Notebook shows ads; Zipnote does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notebook or Zipnote?

Notebook ships an update weekly, and Zipnote fortnightly. Most recently, Notebook was updated on October 14, 2026 and Zipnote on September 21, 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.*