# Notebook vs MyNotes

The clearest difference is ads: MyNotes at none against Notebook's shown. MyNotes also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Notebook's advantage is review sentiment (73% vs 40%) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and MyNotes sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per year. 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 4.7 for MyNotes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 46, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 40% of MyNotes's.

Notebook ships an update every 9 days, MyNotes every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | MyNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews) | [4.7 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mynotes-notes-with-lock/id1638661854/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 46 |
| Positive reviews | **72.7% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 10 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) | [Heyou Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480358223) |

## 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


### MyNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mynotes-notes-with-lock/id1638661854)

Securely store your thoughts, memories, and dreams with this private notebook app. Protect your entries with a password and add various media types like photos, videos, and recordings. Enjoy seamless syncing across all your devices.

**Highlights:** Password protection, Cloud backup and sync, Add photos, videos, and recordings, Create to-do lists, Tagging system, Fake passcode option

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MyNotes Pro | $14.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Is MyNotes free?

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

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

Notebook and MyNotes are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 14K and 46 ratings respectively.

### Do Notebook or MyNotes have ads?

Notebook shows ads; MyNotes does not.

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

Notebook ships an update every 9 days, and MyNotes every 3 months. Most recently, Notebook was updated on September 24, 2026 and MyNotes on September 8, 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.*