Comparison

Simplify Notes vs Opeal

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

Head to head
About

Simplify Notes

Capture and organize handwritten notes, notebooks, and PDFs in one place. Create unlimited notebooks, draw naturally with Apple Pencil, and import PDFs to study, plan, or research. Reduce clutter and enhance focus with a calm, organized system.

Highlights
  • Unlimited notebooks
  • Natural handwriting and drawing
  • Apple Pencil support
  • PDF import and annotation
  • Folder organization
  • Add images and tags
  • Quick search and PDF export
Features
Read full description

CAPTURE EVERY IDEA. ORGANIZE EVERY SUBJECT. Simplify Notes brings handwritten notes, notebooks and PDFs together in one calm, organized place. Write naturally with Apple Pencil, create notebooks for every subject, organize your work into folders and keep important ideas easy to find. Whether you’re studying for an exam, attending a lecture or planning a personal project, everything stays clear and connected. BUILT FOR THE WAY YOU STUDY • Create unlimited notebooks • Write and draw naturally • Use Apple Pencil on iPad • Import and work with PDFs • Organize notebooks into folders • Add images to your notes • Mark important content with tags and favorites • Search and find notes quickly • Export your work as PDF • Choose from multiple paper formats • Keep courses, projects and ideas together LESS CLUTTER. MORE FOCUS. Simplify Notes helps you reduce the mental load of scattered files, loose pages and disconnected ideas. Give every course, subject or project its own place, so you can focus on learning instead of searching. PERFECT FOR • College and university students • Lecture and class notes • Exam preparation • Research and assignments • Engineering and MBA studies • Personal projects • Everyday ideas and planning No account required. No subscription. Just open the app and start writing. Your ideas deserve a place you’ll actually remember.

About

Opeal

This tool helps you block distracting apps and manage your screen time effectively. Set focus timers to complete tasks and earn limited app access as a reward. It's designed to improve productivity and build self-control by creating intentional phone usage habits.

Highlights
  • App blocking
  • Focus timer
  • Customizable rules
  • Screen time tracking
  • Goal-based app unlocking
  • Productivity improvement
Features
Read full description

Opeal is an app blocker and focus timer that helps you block apps, reduce screen time, improve productivity, and build self control. Add TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, games, short videos, and social media to your blocklist. Start a focus timer, finish your goal, and unlock app time only after completing the task. Use Opeal to block apps while studying, working, reading, exercising, or preparing for bed. The app blocker keeps distracting apps locked during each focus session. This helps you reduce screen time without deleting every app you enjoy. The focus timer is useful for homework, exam prep, deep work, writing, reading, and daily routines. Break large tasks into smaller sessions, use Pomodoro-style intervals, and protect your attention. Create rules for different situations. Block apps during class, block social media while studying, limit games before bed, or restrict short videos during work. The app blocker helps stop endless scrolling, doomscrolling, automatic tapping, and repeated checking. Build self control with rules you choose. Decide which apps to lock, how long to focus, and how much time to unlock. Self control becomes easier when the rule is already set. Use the app blocker to create a repeatable routine instead of depending on motivation. Opeal is for students, professionals and anyone who wants to block apps, reduce screen time, improve productivity, and build self control. Start the focus timer, complete your goal, unlock your reward, and take control of your phone. Block apps. Start the focus timer. Use the app blocker to reduce screen time, strengthen self control, and improve productivity every day. How the reward works Pick the apps you want to block and set a focus task for yourself. Opeal keeps those apps unavailable while you work. Once you finish the task, you can use them for the play time your rule grants. When that earned time runs out, the block returns, so your next break starts with another choice to focus. Set your own challenge The focus-to-play ratio is adjustable. For example, one rule can turn 20 minutes of focus into 10 minutes of play; a stricter rule can grant only 5 minutes for the same 20 minutes. Choose a ratio that feels realistic for homework, creative work, or another task you decide to finish. Your reward is limited by the rule you set, so a break has a clear end. For the apps that take over your day You do not have to give up entertainment altogether. Put the apps you tend to open automatically behind a task, finish that task, and enjoy the time you earned. Opeal connects a concrete piece of focused effort with a concrete amount of app time. You choose the task, the apps and the trade-off. Start with one concrete task. Reading one section, finishing a draft, or working through a short assignment gives your focus time a purpose. Set the rule before you open a distracting app, and let the earned time be a break with a defined end. The aim is to choose when entertainment fits, then return to the next thing you want to do. Screen time control begins with a focus task you choose. Opeal makes screen time control practical by linking finished work to limited play time. Set your screen time control rule before opening the apps that usually pull you away. You can create up to two rules for free. Creating a third rule or more requires payment. Privacy Policy: https://deepfocus.meiease.com/#privacy Terms of Service: https://deepfocus.meiease.com/#terms

Screenshots

Simplify Notes2 screens
Opeal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Simplify Notes at none against Opeal's 3. Opeal's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Opeal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Simplify Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Simplify Notes against 5.0 for Opeal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simplify Notes ships an update weekly, Opeal every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Simplify Notes versus Opeal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimplify NotesOpeal
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings23 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMario GuzmanBeijing Beauty Face PSL Attraction Information Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

Simplify Notes

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

Opeal

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Simplify Notes

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Opeal

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Weekly3 Days trial$1.997 Days
  • Pro Yearly3 Days trial$23.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Simplify Notes free?
Simplify Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Opeal free?
Opeal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Simplify Notes or Opeal?
Simplify Notes and Opeal are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do Simplify Notes or Opeal have ads?
Simplify Notes shows ads; Opeal does not.
Which is updated more often, Simplify Notes or Opeal?
Simplify Notes ships an update weekly, and Opeal every 2 weeks. Most recently, Simplify Notes was updated on October 24, 2026 and Opeal on October 24, 2026.

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