Comparison

Notebook vs Secure Notepad

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 Notepad

Securely store personal notes, contacts, and passwords with password protection. Features a simple interface, biometric unlock options, and password recovery. Keep your sensitive information private and organized.

Highlights
  • Password protection for all notes
  • Biometric unlock (Face ID/Touch ID)
  • Sort notes by date or alphabetically
  • Automatic app lock
  • Password recovery via security question
  • Recover recently deleted notes
Features
Read full description

This app will let you save personal notes, contacts, and passwords as well as any other personal or secret information which will be hidden from strangers' eyes and securely protected by a password. The free version has no ads! Another great feature of Secure Notepad is its simplicity and ease of use. The app has a clean and user-friendly interface, allowing you to quickly and easily create and edit notes. If you have forgotten your password for entering the app, it can be easily restored by answering the security question. Key features: • Very easy to use. • All of your notes are securely protected and accessible only to you. • Use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock the app. • Sort your notes by date or alphabetically. • Automatic lock (you have 30 seconds to return to the app without entering the password). • Restore password by answering the security question. • Ability to recover recently deleted notes. Whether you're taking notes in class, brainstorming ideas for a project, or just jotting down your thoughts, Secure Notepad is a great choice for keeping your information secure and organized. With its strong password protection and advanced security features, you can be sure that your notes will always be safe and secure.

Screenshots

Notebook4 screens
Secure Notepad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Secure Notepad at none against Notebook's shown. Notebook's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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 Notepad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 4.7 for Secure Notepad. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 13K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 72% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 70% of Secure Notepad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notebook ships an update weekly, Secure Notepad every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Notebook versus Secure Notepad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotebookSecure Notepad
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14K ratings)4.7 (13K ratings)
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews — better69.9% of reviews
Number of ratings14K — better13K
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 5 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKoji ItoDmytro Vynokurov

Customer experience

Notebook

All ratings14,314 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral3.2%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews276 reviews
Positive72.5%
Neutral12.3%
Negative15.2%

Secure Notepad

All ratings13,196 ratings
Positive92.7%
Neutral3.1%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews558 reviews
Positive69.9%
Neutral9.3%
Negative20.8%

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 Notepad

From 13K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🔒 Password protection
  • 🔒 Security question for password recovery
  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 🚀 Straightforward note-taking
  • 🔒 Prevents others from accessing private notes

Room to improve

  • 💰 Paid version required for more than 3 notes
  • 🐛 Notes disappearing or not syncing across devices
  • 🐛 Password/security question issues
  • 🔒 Lack of customization options

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 Notepad

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashing or freezing
  • Inability to restore deleted notes
  • Sync issues between iOS devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to change app icon
  • Syncing notes across devices
  • More formatting options (bold, italic, etc.)
  • Ability to organize notes into folders
  • Dark mode option

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Notebook

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$6.99
1 purchases

Secure Notepad

One-time1
  • Unlimited Notes$9.99

Questions

Is Notebook free?
Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Secure Notepad free?
Secure Notepad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notebook or Secure Notepad?
Notebook and Secure Notepad are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 14K and 13K ratings respectively.
Do Notebook or Secure Notepad have ads?
Notebook shows ads; Secure Notepad does not.
Which is updated more often, Notebook or Secure Notepad?
Notebook ships an update weekly, and Secure Notepad every 5 months. Most recently, Notebook was updated on October 17, 2026 and Secure Notepad on October 17, 2026.

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