# Notebook vs Secure Notepad

The clearest difference is ads: Secure Notepad at none against Notebook's shown. Notebook's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

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.

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: 73% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 70% of Secure Notepad's.

Notebook ships an update every 9 days, Secure Notepad every 5 months. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | Secure Notepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews) | [4.7 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notepad/id711178888/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 13K |
| Positive reviews | **72.7% of reviews** | 69.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 10 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) | [Dmytro Vynokurov](https://appshunter.io/developer/350017076) |

## 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


### Secure Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notepad/id711178888)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Notes | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked 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 every 9 days, and Secure Notepad every 5 months. Most recently, Notebook was updated on September 24, 2026 and Secure Notepad on September 24, 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.*