# Notebook vs Just Write

The clearest difference is rating: Notebook at 4.7 against Just Write's 4.3. Notebook also leads on ratings volume (14K vs 1.8K). Just Write's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Just Write sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 1.8K, 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 67% of Just Write's.

Notebook ships an update weekly, Just Write every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | Just Write |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews)** | [4.3 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/just-write-app-for-writer/id942826631/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 1.8K |
| Positive reviews | **72.5% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) | [Tung Vu](https://appshunter.io/developer/870117448) |

## 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


### Just Write

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/just-write-app-for-writer/id942826631)

A minimalist text editor designed to streamline the writing process. It supports both RTF and TXT formats, offering rich text editing and Markdown support. Sync your work across devices with iCloud integration.

**Highlights:** RTF and TXT file support, Markdown styling, iCloud file syncing, Rich text editing tools, Multiple themes, Smart selection tool (iPad)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No Ads | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Simple and straightforward interface
- 📁 Organized folder system
- ✨ Clean and minimalist design
- 🆓 Free to use with no ads
- ⚡️ Offline writing capability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and data loss issues
- 🔍 Difficulty finding/accessing files
- 🔧 Limited formatting and customization options
- 🖥️ Lack of syncing/cross-device support
- 🖋️ No spell check or grammar assistance

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and data loss
- Inability to reopen saved documents
- Unreliable auto-save functionality
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Implement more font and formatting choices
- Introduce paragraph spacing and indentation controls
- Integrate spell check and grammar tools
- Enable file syncing across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Is Just Write free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notebook or Just Write?

Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Just Write averages 4.3 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Notebook or Just Write have ads?

Both Notebook and Just Write show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notebook or Just Write?

Notebook ships an update weekly, and Just Write every 11 days. Most recently, Notebook was updated on October 29, 2026 and Just Write on October 22, 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.*