Comparison

Compose Notes vs FlatNote

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Compose Notes

Features
Read full description

Whether you’re jotting down quick thoughts or writing detailed notes, Compose Notes provides a distraction-free experience. • Minimal & Elegant – A clean, thoughtfully designed interface that helps you take notes. • Highly Customizable – Choose from multiple accent colors, fonts, and app icons to match your style. • Focus Mode – Remove distractions and immerse yourself in writing. • Seamless iCloud Sync – Access your notes instantly on iPhone, iPad. • Widgets & Shortcuts – Quickly create notes from your Home Screen, Lock Screen and through shortcuts. Mac and Watch app is coming soon... For help write us at feedback.composenotes@gmail.com To learn about our terms + approach to privacy visit https://dextercode.craft.me/ComposeNotes-Terms&Privacy Compose Notes offers free trial and make cancellation easy. After that it costs $0.99 per month or $6.99 per year. These prices are in USD and may vary by region. Cancel in your iTunes account settings at least 24 hours before renewal.  One-time purchase is for $9.99 which also includes Family Sharing.

About

FlatNote

This app allows you to create and organize notes using markdown formatting. It offers live formatting, image support, and robust organization features. Your notes are stored as plain files and sync via iCloud across your Apple devices.

Highlights
  • Live markdown formatting
  • Image embedding in notes
  • Folder organization and pinning
  • Real checkboxes
  • In-note search
  • Cross-device iCloud sync
  • Plain .md file export
Read full description

FlatNote is a markdown notes app for people who want their writing to stay plain, portable, and theirs. It runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and your notes sync across all of them through your own iCloud, or stay in a folder you choose. Type markdown and watch it format as you go. Headings, bold, italic, strikethrough, links, quotes, bullet lists, and tappable checkboxes all render while you write. The raw symbols stay out of your way and reappear only on the line you are editing, so you always know exactly what you typed. WHAT YOU GET - Live formatting. See the result as you type, with a one minute reference note included. - Photos in your notes. Paste an image or attach one; it is saved next to the note as an ordinary file, not in a database. - Folders, pins, and sorting. Organize notes into real directories and keep the ones you use on top. - Real checkboxes. Tap to check things off, right in the note. - Find in a note. Search the open note and jump between highlighted matches. - Quick formatting. A formatting bar above the keyboard on iPhone and iPad, and standard shortcuts on Mac. - Find your notes fast. Search the whole library by title or content. YOUR WORDS BELONG TO YOU - Every note is a plain .md file. No proprietary format, no lock-in, readable in any app, on any device, years from now. - Your notes live in your iCloud and sync across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac automatically, signed in with your Apple ID. No separate account to make. - Export carries everything. Share any note as markdown, with its pictures included, or export your whole library as one zip of ordinary files. The files are also right there in the Files app on iOS and Finder on Mac. - Delete is honest. Deleted notes go to Trash, where they can be recovered. QUIET BY DESIGN - No ads. No tracking. No analytics. Nothing about you leaves your devices and your iCloud. - Works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, in light and dark. FlatNote keeps the format simple so you can keep your thinking clear.

Screenshots

Compose Notes4 screens
FlatNote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FlatNote at none against Compose Notes's 3. FlatNote also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 10 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Compose Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. FlatNote asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Compose Notes ships an update every 10 months, FlatNote every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Compose Notes versus FlatNote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCompose NotesFlatNote
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTanish MittalKate Benediktsson

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Compose Notes

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly14 Days trial$6.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$9.99
None

FlatNote

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Compose Notes free?
Compose Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FlatNote free?
FlatNote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Compose Notes or FlatNote have ads?
Neither Compose Notes nor FlatNote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Compose Notes or FlatNote?
Compose Notes ships an update every 10 months, and FlatNote every 3 months. Most recently, Compose Notes was updated on September 9, 2026 and FlatNote on September 28, 2026.

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