Zutext vs smalltype
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Zutext
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Zutext is a Markdown note-taking app that keeps your notes safe: local-first storage, end-to-end encrypted sync once you set a passphrase, and attachments kept in your own cloud. Write in an editor that switches between formatted editing and Markdown source. What gets saved is always plain Markdown. Tables, task lists, code blocks with syntax highlighting, math and Mermaid diagrams are built in. Organize with folders, tags, to-dos and reminders, split the window to edit two notes side by side, and search notes, folders and files at once. โข Flexible editing: move between formatted, source and split-window modes and edit however you like. โข Local first: all local features work offline, and your notes live in an encrypted local database. โข End-to-end encryption: set a passphrase and only devices that have it can read your synced notes. The server stores ciphertext only. โข Your cloud: attachments and backups are stored in your own Google Drive or iCloud. โข No lock-in: export to .md, .txt, .html and .pdf at any time. โข Your settings: customizable keyboard shortcuts, light and dark themes, and your window and open notes restored at launch. Signing in is optional. Every local feature works without an account. Manual sync and backup are free.
smalltype
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Short notes, many times a day, saved as plain .md files in real folders. Open the same folder on your Mac in VS Code, Vim, or any editor. Calm, minimal, and ready for iPhone Duo. smalltype is for your notes. The small ones, the quick ones, the big ones, the unpolished ones. It's a fast, quiet place to type. ## Start No tutorial, no setup screen. Tap New Note and start typing. Leave one empty and it quietly disappears, so you never end up with a pile of blank untitled notes. That's the whole app. ## Yours Every note is a real .md file, sitting right there in the Files app. You can open it, copy it, or back it up yourself, anytime. Delete one and it still goes to Recently Deleted, same as any other file: nothing's gone for good. ## Sync or Don't Keep notes in iCloud Drive to have them on every device. Or keep them On My iPhone, fully local, never leaving your device. Either way, you can switch anytime. ## Visible Markdown Markdown markers stay gently visible as you type. What you see is exactly what's in the file. A bar above the keyboard types the markers for you, with undo and redo a tap away. ## Organize Folders, search, and quick note-making, all from one screen. Nothing to set up first. Put "daily" in a folder's name and new notes inside it get today's date as their name. ## No Catch No ads. No subscription. No tracking. No account, ever. Markdown notes. Yours to keep.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: smalltype at every 5 days against Zutext's every 10 days. Zutext's advantage is device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Zutext ships an update every 10 days, smalltype every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Zutext | smalltype |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Every 5 days โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac โ better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 โ better | 26.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 44 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ju Sungjae | Herman Haidin |
In-app purchases
Zutext
No in-app purchases
smalltype
No in-app purchases









