# Notely vs LightNotes

The clearest difference is rating: LightNotes at 4.5 against Notely's 4.0. LightNotes also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Notely's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notely sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. LightNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

LightNotes holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively.

Notely ships an update every 2 months, LightNotes every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notely | LightNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notely-offline-notepad/id6749009478/reviews) | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightnotes-fast-and-private/id6749021051/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 31 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kamel Djaber](https://appshunter.io/developer/1815976577) | [Oppeldt Dmitrii](https://appshunter.io/developer/1828488295) |

## What reviewers say

### Notely

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notely-offline-notepad/id6749009478)

Capture and organize your thoughts instantly with this fast, private notepad. Create, edit, and manage notes with ample space for titles and descriptions. Organize entries into custom categories with visual flair and enjoy a distraction-free, offline experience.

**Highlights:** Lightning fast note capture and editing, Customizable categories with pastel colors, Offline functionality with no account needed, Secure local data storage, Distraction-free, native dark mode UI, List and grid view options

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Notely | $4.99 | one-time |


### LightNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightnotes-fast-and-private/id6749021051)

This app offers a fast and private note-taking experience on iOS devices. It supports markdown formatting, secure local storage with Face ID protection, and offline functionality. Ideal for users who prioritize productivity and data privacy.

**Highlights:** Fast note taking, Complete privacy with local storage, Markdown support with live preview, Face ID and passcode protection, Offline functionality, Export notes to PDF, HTML, and plain text, Beautiful themes and dark mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notely free?

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

### Is LightNotes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notely or LightNotes?

LightNotes is rated higher. Notely averages 4.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while LightNotes averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Notely or LightNotes have ads?

Neither Notely nor LightNotes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notely or LightNotes?

Notely ships an update every 2 months, and LightNotes every 2 weeks. Most recently, Notely was updated on September 30, 2026 and LightNotes on October 6, 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.*