# Notes by Color vs FlatNote

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FlatNote at none against Notes by Color's 1. FlatNote also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). Notes by Color's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notes by Color sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. FlatNote asks for nothing beyond the download.

FlatNote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

Notes by Color ships an update every 3 weeks, FlatNote every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes by Color | FlatNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-by-color-toono/id6762279647/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flatnote/id6781590712/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 2 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Two Moon Tree](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893631516) | [Kate Benediktsson](https://appshunter.io/developer/6781590714) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes by Color

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-by-color-toono/id6762279647)

This app uses color as its primary organizational tool, allowing users to create custom color labels for notes. It offers instant filtering and sorting by color, providing a visual system for quick access and organization. Features include AI-powered summaries, iCloud sync, and full-text search.

**Highlights:** Custom color labels, Instant color filtering, AI-powered note summaries, iCloud sync, Full-text search, Pin important notes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Premium | $6.99 | one-time |


### FlatNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flatnote/id6781590712)

This app allows you to create and organize notes using markdown formatting. It offers live formatting, image support, and robust organization features. Your notes are stored as plain files and sync via iCloud across your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Live markdown formatting, Image embedding in notes, Folder organization and pinning, Real checkboxes, In-note search, Cross-device iCloud sync, Plain .md file export

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes by Color free?

Notes by Color is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is FlatNote free?

FlatNote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Notes by Color or FlatNote?

FlatNote is rated higher. Notes by Color averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while FlatNote averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Notes by Color or FlatNote have ads?

Neither Notes by Color nor FlatNote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notes by Color or FlatNote?

Notes by Color ships an update every 3 weeks, and FlatNote every 2 months. Most recently, Notes by Color was updated on October 25, 2026 and FlatNote on October 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*