Plain_Note vs Pond
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Plain_Note
A fast, minimal note-taking app for professionals. Capture and organize thoughts instantly with plain text, character counts, and OCR from photos. Ideal for quick jotting, archiving, and sharing.
- Plain text notes
- Character and word count
- Export notes
- OCR text extraction from photos
- Smart file sorting
- Powerful search functionality
- Split view for iPad/Mac
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Plain Note is a fast and minimal note-taking app designed for working professionals who value speed, simplicity, and plain text. Whether you're in a meeting, on a call, or brainstorming ideas - Plain Note helps you capture and organize thoughts instantly, without the clutter. Key Features: • **Plain Text by Default** All your notes are saved as clean, unformatted plain text - perfect for copy-pasting, archiving, or exporting anywhere. • **Character and Word Count + Export** Instantly view the number of characters and words in your note. Easily share or export as plain text to other apps or collaborators. • **Split View for Power Users** On landscape mode (iPad or Mac), view your file list and editor side by side = a true productivity boost. • **OCR from Photo Library** Send an image to the app from your Photos, and it will automatically extract text using OCR - then save it as plain text. • **Smart File Sorting** Sort your notes by file name or modification time to quickly find what you need. • **Powerful Search** Search by filename or inside the content of your notes - find what you're looking for in seconds. --- Plain Note is built for professionals who need a fast, distraction-free environment to jot down, organize, and share ideas - without the overhead of rich formatting or complex tools. Download Plain Note and get back to writing, not waiting.
Pond
Capture thoughts and ideas instantly with a simple, intuitive interface. Organize notes, set reminders, and merge ideas seamlessly. Access your thoughts everywhere with cloud sync.
- Quick note capture
- Voice input for thoughts
- Merge multiple notes
- Highlighting and reminders
- Organize with multiple ponds
- iCloud seamless sync
- One-hand mode
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Capture thoughts instantly, grow them into ideas. Pond focuses on the pure essence of note-taking without complexity. The moment inspiration strikes, capture it with a single tap. Key Features: • Quick Capture - Start typing with one tap • Voice Input - Long press to speak your thoughts • Merge Ideas - Combine multiple notes into one • Highlight & Remind - Never forget important thoughts • Multiple Ponds - Organize by topic or project • Seamless Sync - Access everywhere with iCloud Special Features: - One-hand mode for comfortable use - Shake to change sort order - Double tap to edit quickly - Full dark mode support Drop your thoughts into Pond and watch them grow. Simple yet powerful thought management starts here. #notes #quicknotes #ideas #productivity #todo #voicenotes #minimal
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Pond at every 2 days against Plain_Note's weekly. Pond also leads on ratings volume (5 vs 1) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
Plain_Note costs $1.99 and Pond $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Plain_Note against 5.0 for Pond. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pond has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Plain_Note ships an update weekly, Pond every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Plain_Note | Pond |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 5 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 16.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sun Min Park | EUIHYUNG JUNG |
Customer experience
Plain_Note
Pond
In-app purchases
Plain_Note
No in-app purchases
Pond
No in-app purchases









