Comparison

Plain_Note vs Trace

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Trace

A minimalist and private space for capturing thoughts, notes, lists, and memories. It offers a clean interface for free writing and quick searching, with optional Pro features for customization and enhanced security.

Highlights
  • Minimalist and calm interface
  • Free writing and reflections
  • Bullet and numbered lists
  • Quick entry search
  • Local-first private storage
  • Customizable themes (Pro)
  • App Lock with biometric support (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Your thoughts have a way of disappearing. Trace brings them back. Trace is a home for passing thoughts: ideas, notes, reflections, lists, and the things you don't want to lose. Catch one in three seconds, then get on with your day. Why people use Trace: - Open and write. No setup, no accounts, no folders to choose first - Bullet and numbered lists that continue as you type - Search everything you've ever written, including by date - Your draft is saved as you write, so a call or a crash can't take it - Deleted something by mistake? It waits 30 days - Export everything as Markdown or JSON, anytime, free - Light and Dark, free for everyone Built for everyday capture: - The idea you had in the shower - Something someone said that stuck - A list you need in ten minutes - The end of a long day Make Trace yours with Pro: - Cream, Sage, Midnight, and Cocoa themes - Four matching alternate app icons - App Lock with Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode - Automatic iCloud sync on supported Apple devices Trace Pro is a one-time purchase. Light and Dark themes and journal export stay free for everyone. No account required. Trace runs no servers of its own. Your writing lives on your device, and Pro syncs it through your own iCloud.

Screenshots

Plain_Note4 screens
Trace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Trace at Free against Plain_Note's $1.99. Trace also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Plain_Note's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On rating, ads and device support 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

Trace is free to download; Plain_Note costs $1.99 up front. Trace sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Plain_Note asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Plain_Note against 5.0 for Trace. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Plain_Note ships an update weekly, Trace every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Plain_Note versus Trace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlain_NoteTrace
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB49 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSun Min ParkPedro Gomes do Nascimento

Customer experience

Plain_Note

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Trace

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Plain_Note

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Trace

One-time1
  • Trace Pro$2.99

Questions

Is Plain_Note free?
Plain_Note costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Trace free?
Trace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Plain_Note or Trace?
Plain_Note and Trace are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do Plain_Note or Trace have ads?
Neither Plain_Note nor Trace shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Plain_Note or Trace?
Plain_Note ships an update weekly, and Trace every 2 months. Most recently, Plain_Note was updated on October 7, 2026 and Trace on October 13, 2026.

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