# Notepad vs Shadow Security

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadow Security at none against Notepad's 3. Shadow Security also leads on ads (none vs shown). Notepad's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notepad sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Shadow Security asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notepad ships an update monthly, Shadow Security every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notepad | Shadow Security |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 months |
| Size | 33 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mahadev Enterprise](https://appshunter.io/developer/1751937034) | [Stephen Luadzers](https://appshunter.io/developer/1867049030) |

## What reviewers say

### Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-to-do-list/id6755900469)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| 3-Day Free Trial | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly | $99.99 | per year |


### Shadow Security

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-security/id6759615832)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Is Shadow Security free?

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

### Do Notepad or Shadow Security have ads?

Notepad shows ads; Shadow Security does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notepad or Shadow Security?

Notepad ships an update monthly, and Shadow Security every 5 months. Most recently, Notepad was updated on September 20, 2026 and Shadow Security on September 9, 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.*