# SteelNote vs Harbor Notes

SteelNote and Harbor Notes are too close to call on the numbers: across 8 compared parameters — price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. SteelNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year and Harbor Notes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SteelNote | Harbor Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harbor-notes/id6788795948/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **4** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 17 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Claude Bezeaud](https://appshunter.io/developer/500254221) | [Cloudmanic Labs, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/483718119) |

## What reviewers say

### SteelNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steelnote-markdown-notes/id6765892871)

This app stores your notes as plain Markdown files on your device, ensuring you always own your data. It offers seamless syncing across Apple devices, instant search, and robust import options from other note-taking applications.

**Highlights:** Plain Markdown file storage, iCloud sync across Apple devices, Local full-text search, Import from multiple note apps, Link notes and see backlinks, Organize with folders and tags, Mark notes as private

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual | $24.99 | per year |
| Founder | $44.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


### Harbor Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harbor-notes/id6788795948)

Capture, organize, and secure all your thoughts, tasks, and files in one private space. This app offers rich note-taking features, robust organization, and instant search, even within images and scanned documents. Your data is yours, with optional end-to-end encryption and no ads or data selling.

**Highlights:** Rich notes with checklists, tables, and highlights, Notebooks, stacks, and tags for organization, Task management with due dates, Document scanning and sketching, Voice memos and file attachments, Instant search with OCR, Offline-first native apps

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited — Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited — Yearly | $99.00 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SteelNote free?

SteelNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Harbor Notes free?

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

### Do SteelNote or Harbor Notes have ads?

Neither SteelNote nor Harbor Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SteelNote or Harbor Notes?

SteelNote ships an update every 4 days, and Harbor Notes every 4 days. Most recently, SteelNote was updated on October 14, 2026 and Harbor Notes on October 11, 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.*