Comparison

dol vs Notedown

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

Head to head
About

dol

Features
Read full description

dol is a notes app you write in markdown. Your notes live on your device, and you decide which server they sync through. โ–  Everything you would expect Live preview as you type. [[Wikilink]] autocompletion and backlinks. Search across titles and bodies. Find and replace inside a note. Nested folders and image attachments. โ–  Sync that goes nowhere else Your iPhone, iPad, and the Windows and Mac apps all see the same notes, and they travel through a CouchDB server you choose. Run your own or use a host โ€” either works. Setup takes about five minutes from the settings screen, and your password is stored only in the iOS keychain. โ–  Sync is optional Leave it off and your notes stay on this device. No internet connection needed. โ–  Import and export Bring in a folder of .md files you already have. Or go the other way: export every note and image as a single zip.

About

Notedown

Features
Read full description

Notedown is a featherweight markdown notes app for people who just want to write. No accounts, no sync, no clutter โ€” every note is saved as a plain .md text file on your device and never leaves it. WRITE IN MARKDOWN Use familiar markdown to structure your thoughts: headings, bold and italic, bulleted lists, checkboxes, quotes, code, and links. A one-tap formatting toolbar inserts the syntax for you, so you never have to remember it. EDIT OR PREVIEW Flip between a distraction-free editor and a clean rendered preview with a single tap. See exactly how your note looks, then jump back to writing. FULLY OFFLINE, FULLY YOURS Your notes are stored as standard markdown files in the app's own folder on your device. There is no cloud, no login, and nothing to set up. What you write stays with you. FIND ANYTHING FAST Search across all of your notes instantly. The list keeps your most recently edited notes at the top. SHARE WHEN YOU WANT Export any note as markdown text through the standard share sheet. SIMPLE BY DESIGN - Light and dark themes - English and Japanese - Portrait, one-handed friendly layout - Free to use (contains ads) Notedown is the calm, lightweight alternative to heavy note apps โ€” just markdown, and nothing in your way.

Screenshots

dol4 screens
Notedown4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Notedown at every 4 days against dol's every 8 days. dol's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). 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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

dol ships an update every 8 days, Notedown every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
dol versus Notedown: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterdolNotedown
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 4 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size13 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPraxo StudioYuki Okawa

In-app purchases

None

dol

No in-app purchases

None

Notedown

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is dol free?
dol is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Notedown free?
Notedown is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do dol or Notedown have ads?
Neither dol nor Notedown shows ads.
Which is updated more often, dol or Notedown?
dol ships an update every 8 days, and Notedown every 4 days. Most recently, dol was updated on October 31, 2026 and Notedown on October 9, 2026.

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