# Simple Notes vs Penta Notes

The clearest difference is ads: Penta Notes at none against Simple Notes's shown. Penta Notes also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.39 per month and Penta Notes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple Notes ships an update every 8 days, Penta Notes fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Notes | Penta Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (231 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-note-taking-app/id6742007640/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **231** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 65 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Phearoth Phen](https://appshunter.io/developer/925021535) | [Phu Nguyen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1857246978) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notes-note-taking-app/id6742007640)

Capture ideas, memos, and tasks effortlessly with this fast and minimal note-taking app. Organize notes into notebooks, sync across devices, and access reminders with home screen widgets. Secure backups and powerful search ensure your thoughts are always accessible.

**Highlights:** Ultra-lightweight and fast, Organize with notebooks, Sync across devices, Sticky notes on home screen, Secure backups, Powerful search tool, Easy note sharing

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $2.39 | per month |
| Yearly subscription | $15.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Plan | $39.99 | one-time |


### Penta Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penta-notes-notebook-notepad/id6757710055)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Penta Notes Premium | $0.99 | per month |
| Penta Notes Premium | $4.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Notes free?

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

### Is Penta Notes free?

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

### Do Simple Notes or Penta Notes have ads?

Simple Notes shows ads; Penta Notes does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Notes or Penta Notes?

Simple Notes ships an update every 8 days, and Penta Notes fortnightly. Most recently, Simple Notes was updated on October 18, 2026 and Penta Notes on October 19, 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.*