Comparison

Notes vs Notes 3

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

Head to head
About

Notes

Capture thoughts, reminders, and ideas in a secure, private space. Notes save automatically as you type, with fast search and optional biometric locking for your peace of mind. Organize with color-coding and choose from classic or modern themes.

Highlights
  • Automatic saving as you type
  • Biometric note locking (Face ID/fingerprint)
  • Fast search across all notes
  • Color-coded organization
  • Lined paper mode
  • Modern and classic themes
Features
Read full description

Stop losing your notes. Simple Notepad gives you a reliable place to write thoughts, reminders, and ideas that save automatically and stay completely private. • One-tap note creation - Open the app and start typing immediately • Auto-save as you type - Never lose a single word, even if your phone dies • Fast search across all notes - Find anything by typing a few words • Lock notes with Face ID or fingerprint - Keep private thoughts secure • Color-coded organization - Pick from 12 colors to sort your notes • Lined paper mode - Write on ruled lines with a classic red margin Perfect for busy parents tracking kids' schedules, students organizing study notes, or anyone who needs to capture thoughts quickly. Whether you're jotting down a grocery list during lunch or writing meeting notes between calls, this notepad works the way paper should work - except you can search it later. Choose between Modern theme for a clean look or Classic theme for a warm, paper-like feel. View notes as colorful cards or a simple list. Drag to reorder, long-press to delete, or share text through your phone's built-in share menu. Your notes live only on your device. No accounts, no syncing, no cloud storage. Just a simple, private notebook that saves everything automatically and finds it instantly when you need it. The app gets out of your way so you can focus on what matters - getting thoughts out of your head and onto the page. No complicated features, no learning curve, no subscription fees. Download Simple Notepad and start writing notes that actually stick around. Your thoughts deserve a safe place to live.

About

Notes 3

This utility app combines note-taking, task management, and freeform drawing into a single, intuitive interface. Capture ideas, organize to-dos, and sketch concepts without needing multiple applications.

Highlights
  • Note-taking and organization
  • Task reminders and to-do lists
  • Freeform drawing canvas
  • Customizable backgrounds
  • Seamless workflow between features
Features
Read full description

Notes 3-in-1 brings together note-taking, task reminders, and freeform drawing in one simple app, so you can capture ideas without switching between tools. Whether you are writing down quick thoughts, planning your day, or sketching freely, Notes 3-in-1 gives you one flexible space to do it all. What you can do with Notes 3-in-1: - Write and organize notes with ease - Create task reminders and keep track of to-dos - Draw, doodle, and brainstorm on a freeform canvas - Personalize your experience with background options that match your style - Move seamlessly between writing, planning, and drawing in one app Notes 3-in-1 is designed for everyday use - whether you are journaling, making checklists, studying, planning a project, or simply capturing inspiration when it comes.

Screenshots

Notes4 screens
Notes 33 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Notes 3 at 5.0 against Notes's 4.6. Notes 3 also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). Notes's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and ratings volume (9 vs 2). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Notes 3 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notes ships an update weekly, Notes 3 every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Notes versus Notes 3: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotesNotes 3
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (9 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings9 — better2
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStijn AaZekun Xu

Customer experience

Notes

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Notes 3

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Notes

No in-app purchases

None

Notes 3

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Notes free?
Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Notes 3 free?
Notes 3 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Notes or Notes 3?
Notes 3 is rated higher. Notes averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Notes 3 averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Notes or Notes 3 have ads?
Both Notes and Notes 3 show ads.
Which is updated more often, Notes or Notes 3?
Notes ships an update weekly, and Notes 3 every 2 days. Most recently, Notes was updated on October 3, 2026 and Notes 3 on September 25, 2026.

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