Comparison

LightNotes vs DMS Notes

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

Head to head
About

LightNotes

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
Read full description

LightNotes is the fastest, most private note taking app for iPhone and iPad. Take smart notes with markdown support, organize your thoughts instantly, and keep your data secure with Face ID protection. Perfect for developers, students, writers, and anyone who values productivity and privacy. FAST NOTE TAKING Instant response, even with large texts. Create, edit, and organize notes without delays. Built with Swift for native iOS performance that outperforms web-based competitors. COMPLETE PRIVACY Your notes stay on your device - no cloud required. No registration, no tracking, no data collection. Complete control over your personal information with local storage only. MARKDOWN SUPPORT Professional text formatting made simple. Full markdown syntax support with live preview. Perfect for technical documentation, code snippets, and structured writing. BEAUTIFUL THEMES Three carefully crafted color palettes plus automatic dark mode. Clean, distraction-free interface that adapts to your preferences and lighting conditions. SECURE NOTES Face ID and passcode protection for sensitive information. Military-grade encryption keeps your private thoughts completely secure from unauthorized access. MULTILINGUAL SUPPORT Full localization in 10 languages: English, Russian, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Portuguese and Dutch. Native language support for global users. NATIVE iOS EXPERIENCE Built exclusively for iOS with Swift and SwiftUI. Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem, optimized for all iPhone models. PERFECT FOR DEVELOPERS Code snippets, technical notes, and markdown documentation. Syntax highlighting support and export options for development workflows. IDEAL FOR STUDENTS Quick study notes, research organization, and offline access. No internet required - perfect for classrooms and libraries with limited connectivity. GREAT FOR WRITERS Distraction-free writing environment with markdown formatting. Export to multiple formats including PDF, HTML, and plain text for publishing workflows. PRIVACY-FOCUSED USERS Local storage means complete data ownership. No cloud synchronization, no server uploads, no privacy concerns. Your data never leaves your device. KEY FEATURES • No ads, no subscriptions, no registration required • Works completely offline - no internet connection needed • Export notes - plain text, and more • Minimal app size - won't slow down your device • Regular updates with new features and improvements • Responsive customer support and active development EXPORT AND SHARING Share your notes in multiple formats. Export to PDF for presentations, HTML for web publishing, or plain text for maximum compatibility. Seamless integration with other iOS apps. Download LightNotes today and experience the perfect balance of simplicity, power, and privacy. Your thoughts deserve the best note taking app available.

About

DMS Notes

Features
Read full description

Pay once - no in app purchases or subscriptions. Data Management Systems (DMS) Notes brings the clarity of a professional document register to everyday notes and reminders. Every note, folder and section is numbered automatically — 1, 1.1, 1.2.1 — so your ideas stay ordered, searchable and easy to reference. Capture a thought in seconds, then organise it into a clean hierarchy of folders, sections and subsections. Reorder anything and the numbering updates instantly. ORGANISE LIKE A PRO • Folders → Sections → Subsections → Notes • Automatic DMS-style numbering, generated from your structure • Drag to reorder — references re-number instantly • Two ways to browse: drill-down Folders or a fully expanded Outline NINE NUMBERING STYLES Pick the style that fits your work: • Numeric (1, 1.1, 1.2.1) — ISO 2145 decimal • Leading Zero (01, 01.01) — sortable filing codes • Letter Decimal (A, A.01) and Letter Only (A, A.B) • Roman (I, I.1) — parts & front matter • Legal Outline (I, A, 1, a, i) — contracts, policies & minutes • Bullets and Dashes • Custom Prefix (SOP-001, QMS-014.02) — ISO 9001 document control NOTES THAT DO MORE • Rich text — bold, italic, underline and bullets • Built-in checklists you can tick off • Custom tags with suggestions, fully searchable • Colour labels, priorities and pinning REMINDERS & DUE DATES • Add due dates and reminders to notes, sections and folders • Today, Upcoming and Overdue at a glance • Local notifications that include the DMS reference SHARE & EXPORT • Export any project, folder or section as a clean, nested PDF checklist • Share as an image or plain text too FIND ANYTHING • Search across titles, body text, tags, references and locations • Pinned, Completed, Archived and Trash views • An audit log of every change, with date and time PRIVATE BY DESIGN • Syncs across iPhone and iPad with iCloud (CloudKit) • Your notes live in your private iCloud — we never see them • No account, no ads, no tracking • Works fully offline Beautifully designed for iPhone and iPad, with an adaptive iPad sidebar, light and dark mode, haptics and a fast, uncluttered interface. Bring order to your notes. Try DMS Notes today.

Screenshots

LightNotes4 screens
DMS Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: LightNotes at Free against DMS Notes's $3.99. LightNotes also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On ads, in-app purchases 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

LightNotes is free to download; DMS Notes costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
LightNotes versus DMS Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightNotesDMS Notes
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.5 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOppeldt DmitriiSteven Wilkinson

In-app purchases

None

LightNotes

No in-app purchases

None

DMS Notes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is LightNotes free?
LightNotes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DMS Notes free?
DMS Notes costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do LightNotes or DMS Notes have ads?
Neither LightNotes nor DMS Notes shows ads.

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