# SimpleNote vs SteelNote

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SimpleNote at none against SteelNote's 3. SteelNote's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SteelNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year. SimpleNote asks for nothing beyond the download.

SimpleNote ships an update every 2 months, SteelNote every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimpleNote | SteelNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Patrick Lanham](https://appshunter.io/developer/1811599548) | [Claude Bezeaud](https://appshunter.io/developer/500254221) |

## What reviewers say

### SimpleNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplenote-tasks-and-notes/id6745271523)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SteelNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steelnote-markdown-notes/id6765892871)

This app stores your notes as plain Markdown files on your device, ensuring you always own your data. It offers seamless syncing across Apple devices, instant search, and robust import options from other note-taking applications.

**Highlights:** Plain Markdown file storage, iCloud sync across Apple devices, Local full-text search, Import from multiple note apps, Link notes and see backlinks, Organize with folders and tags, Mark notes as private

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual | $24.99 | per year |
| Founder | $44.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimpleNote free?

SimpleNote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SteelNote free?

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

### Do SimpleNote or SteelNote have ads?

Neither SimpleNote nor SteelNote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SimpleNote or SteelNote?

SimpleNote ships an update every 2 months, and SteelNote every 4 days. Most recently, SimpleNote was updated on October 15, 2026 and SteelNote on October 14, 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.*