Comparison

Notepad with Browser vs markru

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

Head to head
About

Notepad with Browser

Features
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Sprout is a powerful note-taking app that seamlessly combines web research and writing. Its clean, refined UI is packed with features for writing, helping your ideas grow from Seed to Sprout. [Key Features] β—† Built-in browser that connects research and writing Research without switching apps and take notes instantly. From discovery to writing, everything happens in one app. β—† Simple yet powerful editor Supports character count, find & replace, Undo/Redo, and moreβ€”from everyday notes to serious writing. β—† Reminder notifications Set reminders per note for task management and idea follow-ups. β—† Multi-device support and iCloud sync Available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. iCloud sync is available on iPhone. iCloud sync on iPad/Mac is available with Sprout Pro. β—† Widget support Quickly access pinned and recent notes from Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets. β—† Customize your experience Supports Dark Mode, accent color changes, and font size adjustments for a comfortable writing environment. β—† Standard file format Notes are saved as .md (Markdown), offering great compatibility with other apps and direct access from the Files app. β—† Privacy-focused Your note content is never collected or viewed by the developer. Data is stored only on your device and in iCloud. [Sprout Pro] Enjoy more with Sprout Pro, a premium plan available with a one-time purchase. β€’ iCloud sync on iPad/Mac β€’ Unlimited favorites β€’ Advanced reference preview (write while viewing photos/PDFs) β€’ App lock with Face ID / Passcode Features and availability may vary based on in-app display. --- Organize your thoughts and grow your ideas with Sprout.

About

markru

Features
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Markdown notes are easy to write β€” and easy to forget. markru is built for what comes after writing: shelving, binding, and rereading your own notes like books. (Some features β€” tag suggestions, summaries β€” use Apple Intelligence on supported devices.) YOUR NOTES, SHELVED LIKE BOOKS Promote finished notes from drafts to your bookshelf. Browse by shelf, search, and sort by what you read last. BIND NOTES INTO ONE READABLE BOOK Combine related pages into one book. Reorder pages, add new ones, and read them as a single piece β€” or unbind anytime. WRITE IN CLEAN MARKDOWN A focused editor with live preview and a formatting bar for headings, lists, checklists, tables, code, and more. Some writing helpers β€” tag suggestions, formatting, and summaries β€” are partly powered by Apple Intelligence, right on your device. Note: These AI-assisted features require a supported device and OS version. Where Apple Intelligence isn't available, they simply fall back to manual entry β€” everything else in the app still works, and no note content is ever sent to an external server. CAPTURE IDEAS IN SECONDS Quick Capture works like a paper memo: jot it down, the title can come later. Import .md and .txt files, or send text from any app with the share sheet. KEEP YOUR SHELVES IN ORDER See your note, shelf, and book counts at a glance. Clean up, compress, or bind notes as your library grows. PICK UP RIGHT WHERE YOU LEFT OFF markru remembers your reading progress in every book, so returning to your notes feels like reopening one. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account required. Your notes live as plain Markdown files on your device or in iCloud Documents β€” never on our servers. Write lightly. Reread deeply.

Screenshots

Notepad with Browser4 screens
markru4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: markru at none against Notepad with Browser's 1. Notepad with Browser's advantage is iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Notepad with Browser sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. markru asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notepad with Browser ships an update every 6 days, markru weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Notepad with Browser versus markru: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotepad with Browsermarkru
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 days β€” betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad β€” better
Requires iOS17.6 β€” better26.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size4 MB9 MB
Age rating17+4+
Developeryuma arakikazunobu tsujino

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Notepad with Browser

One-time1
  • Sprout Pro (Lifetime)$9.99
None

markru

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Notepad with Browser free?
Notepad with Browser is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is markru free?
markru is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Notepad with Browser or markru have ads?
Neither Notepad with Browser nor markru shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notepad with Browser or markru?
Notepad with Browser ships an update every 6 days, and markru weekly. Most recently, Notepad with Browser was updated on October 6, 2026 and markru on October 9, 2026.

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