Comparison

Notepad vs Nocturnum

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

Head to head
About

Notepad

Capture ideas, manage tasks, and stay organized with this fast, secure, and easy-to-use note-taking app. It offers a distraction-free interface for writing or recording audio notes, organizing them efficiently for quick access.

Highlights
  • Quick note creation
  • Audio note recording
  • Clean, minimal interface
  • Organized note access
  • Secure note storage
  • Task management
Features
Read full description

Notepad is your personal space to write notes, save ideas, record thoughts, and organize everyday tasks. Use it as a private diary, digital notebook, voice notes app, and daily planner in one convenient place. Whether you need to write a quick reminder, create a checklist, keep a journal, or capture an idea before you forget it, Notepad makes everyday note-taking simple. PRIVATE NOTES AND PERSONAL DIARY Keep your personal thoughts, daily reflections, and important information organized in one place. Use Notepad as your everyday diary or journal to record experiences, plans, and ideas. LOCK YOUR PERSONAL NOTES Add a layer of privacy to your personal note-taking experience with the app's supported lock features. Keep private writing separate from your everyday notes and access protected content using the available security options. VOICE NOTES AND SPEECH-TO-TEXT Capture ideas when typing is inconvenient. Use supported voice recording and speech-to-text features to turn spoken thoughts into notes, save important information, and revisit your ideas later. AI WRITING ASSISTANCE Make writing easier with available AI writing tools. Get help developing ideas and creating text when you need inspiration for personal notes, drafts, and everyday writing. QUICK ACCESS WITH WIDGETS Access your notes more conveniently with supported Home Screen widgets. Keep important information within reach and make your note-taking routine easier. CHECKLISTS AND DAILY PLANNING Organize everyday activities with useful note-taking tools. • Create and edit text notes • Make checklists and to-do lists • Write daily reminders and plans • Keep a personal journal or diary • Record voice notes where supported • Convert speech into text where supported • Draw and sketch ideas • Access notes using available widgets A NOTEBOOK FOR EVERYDAY LIFE Use Notepad for study notes, work ideas, shopping lists, meeting notes, personal reflections, creative writing, daily plans, and quick reminders. Keep your thoughts organized without needing a separate app for every small task. From a simple text note to a longer journal entry, your notebook is ready whenever inspiration strikes. SIMPLE, USEFUL AND PERSONAL Good ideas can come at any time. Capture them, organize them, and return to them when you need them. Notepad brings everyday writing, planning, and personal note-taking together in one convenient app. Download Notepad: Private Diary & Lock and create a space for your everyday thoughts and ideas. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/kalkani-privacy-policy/home Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Nocturnum

Capture ideas quickly and organize them with Markdown formatting. This app provides a focused writing environment that remains fast and efficient as your note collection grows. Easily sort, search, and access your thoughts for seamless productivity.

Highlights
  • Quick idea capture
  • Markdown formatting
  • Workspace and notebook organization
  • Fast search functionality
  • JSON and Markdown export
  • Inbox for temporary notes
Features
Read full description

Nocturnum helps you capture ideas quickly, shape them with Markdown, and keep your notes easy to find. It gives you a calm writing space that stays fast as your library grows. From quick thoughts to deep project docs, everything stays clear and organized. Use Nocturnum as your daily note workspace on iPhone and iPad. You can write, sort, search, and return to the right context without losing momentum. **Capture Without Friction** Create notes from anywhere in the app and start writing immediately. Inbox keeps fast captures safe until you are ready to organize them. **Organize by Context** Group notes into workspaces, notebooks, and sub-notebooks that match how you think. Reorder key lists so active projects stay at the top. **Write Clearly in Markdown** Use headings, lists, checklists, links, and code blocks to keep ideas structured. Rich formatting stays readable while editing and reviewing. **Find What Matters Fast** Search across titles and note content to jump directly to the detail you need. Built-in views like Recent and Favorites help you resume work in seconds. **Keep Ownership of Your Data** Export full JSON backups when you need a complete snapshot of your library. Export markdown files for portable archives and import backups when restoring. Download Nocturnum today and build a notes system you can trust every day.

Screenshots

Notepad4 screens
Nocturnum4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Nocturnum at 4.5 against Notepad's 4.0. Nocturnum also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

Both are free to download. Notepad sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month and Nocturnum sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Nocturnum holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notepad ships an update monthly, Nocturnum every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Notepad versus Nocturnum: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotepadNocturnum
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings)4.5 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.226.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVishal KalkaniFishington Studios

Customer experience

Notepad

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Nocturnum

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Notepad

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Access – Monthly$0.491 Month
  • Unlimited – Yearly3 Days trial$3.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$4.99
1 purchases

Nocturnum

One-time1
  • Upgrade to Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Notepad free?
Notepad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nocturnum free?
Nocturnum is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notepad or Nocturnum?
Nocturnum is rated higher. Notepad averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Nocturnum averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Notepad or Nocturnum have ads?
Neither Notepad nor Nocturnum shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notepad or Nocturnum?
Notepad ships an update monthly, and Nocturnum every 4 weeks. Most recently, Notepad was updated on November 5, 2026 and Nocturnum on November 5, 2026.

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