# Notepad vs Private Notes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Notepad at none against Private Notes's 4. Notepad also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.4). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Private Notes sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Notepad asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notepad ships an update every 9 days, Private Notes every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notepad | Private Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Size | 30 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 26.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zaid Naim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1855660500) | [Cengiz Darian Hanci](https://appshunter.io/developer/1878103848) |

## What reviewers say

### Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-dark-theme/id6756866442)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Private Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-notes-offline-notepad/id6792270378)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Lifetime - Welcome | $19.99 | one-time |
| Premium Lifetime | $27.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Is Private Notes free?

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

### Do Notepad or Private Notes have ads?

Neither Notepad nor Private Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notepad or Private Notes?

Notepad ships an update every 9 days, and Private Notes every 2 months. Most recently, Notepad was updated on September 20, 2026 and Private Notes on September 19, 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.*