Comparison

Neatbase vs FlatNote

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

Head to head
About

Neatbase

Organize any type of information with a flexible database app that feels like a notes app. Create custom collections with various field types, view data in cards or tables, and sync across devices. Offers offline access and robust privacy.

Highlights
  • Customizable notebooks with user-defined fields
  • Card and table views for data visualization
  • Offline access and iCloud sync
  • 27+ field types including images and formulas
  • Data export to CSV
  • Collaboration and web form creation (Pro)
Features
Read full description

The personal database that feels like a notes app. Build your own CRM, inventory, contact book, or any other collection in minutes — native, private, and synced with iCloud. Most notes apps give you a blank page. Neatbase gives you structure. Create a notebook, choose its fields, and adding notes becomes as easy as filling out a form. View everything as clean cards or a spreadsheet-style table — sort, filter, and group to see exactly what matters. WHAT WILL YOU BUILD? - A lightweight CRM — leads, deals, follow-ups, activity logs - A home inventory — photos, prices, barcodes - A client directory — tap to call, tap to email - A project plan — statuses, due dates, progress - A content calendar planned around publish dates - An expense log with categories and receipt photos - A library of your books, movies, and recipes — rated and tagged If you can describe it, you can collect it in Neatbase. A FIELD FOR EVERYTHING Choose from 27 field types: text and numbers, currency, dates with reminders, toggles, star ratings, color-coded tags, dropdowns, images, checklists, colors, durations, percent bars, barcodes and QR codes, tap-to-call phone and tap-to-email fields, secrets locked behind Face ID or Touch ID, buttons that open URLs — plus formulas, cross-notebook references, and comment threads with Pro. Change your mind anytime: add, rename, or reorder fields, and every existing note updates instantly. TWO VIEWS, ONE NOTEBOOK Browse and edit in a clean card view, or switch to a full table — resize and reorder columns, edit inline, copy and paste, navigate with the keyboard. Each notebook remembers your view, filters, and sorting. TRULY NATIVE. ACTUALLY FAST. Built in SwiftUI for iPhone, iPad, and Mac — one download covers all three. It launches instantly, works fully offline, and syncs through iCloud. No account to create, no password, no onboarding. Most database apps are websites in a wrapper — Neatbase feels like it shipped with your device. YOUR DATA IS NOBODY'S BUSINESS Your notes live on your device and sync securely through your own iCloud. No tracking, no analytics, no ads. Export everything to CSV anytime — even on the free plan. Your data is always yours. SHARE A NOTEBOOK THROUGH ICLOUD (PRO) Share and collaborate with anyone using their Apple Account. Shared notebooks stay in your iCloud, and our server never sees them. TURN ANY NOTEBOOK INTO A WEB FORM (PRO) Publish a form in a few taps. Anyone with the link can submit from any browser, and responses land in your notebook automatically. Add your logo, pick an accent color, share the link. Perfect for intake forms, signups, surveys, orders, and RSVPs. WORK WITH CLAUDE ON THE MAC (PRO) Let Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI assistants read and edit your notebooks on your Mac. Turn it on in Settings. FREE TO USE, FAIR TO UPGRADE Free includes 3 notebooks with 100 notes each, both views, iCloud sync, groups, templates, and CSV export. Neatbase Pro unlocks unlimited notebooks and notes, sharing, web forms, assistants on the Mac, and advanced fields — one simple yearly subscription, Family Sharing included. ALSO INCLUDED Notebook templates, Spotlight search, Home Screen widgets, reminders on date fields, nested groups, pinning, keyboard navigation, and custom icons for every notebook. Don't settle for a blank page. Collect and organize anything, your way. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://neatbase.com/privacy

About

FlatNote

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
Read full description

FlatNote is a markdown notes app for people who want their writing to stay plain, portable, and theirs. It runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and your notes sync across all of them through your own iCloud, or stay in a folder you choose. Type markdown and watch it format as you go. Headings, bold, italic, strikethrough, links, quotes, bullet lists, and tappable checkboxes all render while you write. The raw symbols stay out of your way and reappear only on the line you are editing, so you always know exactly what you typed. WHAT YOU GET - Live formatting. See the result as you type, with a one minute reference note included. - Photos in your notes. Paste an image or attach one; it is saved next to the note as an ordinary file, not in a database. - Folders, pins, and sorting. Organize notes into real directories and keep the ones you use on top. - Real checkboxes. Tap to check things off, right in the note. - Find in a note. Search the open note and jump between highlighted matches. - Quick formatting. A formatting bar above the keyboard on iPhone and iPad, and standard shortcuts on Mac. - Find your notes fast. Search the whole library by title or content. YOUR WORDS BELONG TO YOU - Every note is a plain .md file. No proprietary format, no lock-in, readable in any app, on any device, years from now. - Your notes live in your iCloud and sync across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac automatically, signed in with your Apple ID. No separate account to make. - Export carries everything. Share any note as markdown, with its pictures included, or export your whole library as one zip of ordinary files. The files are also right there in the Files app on iOS and Finder on Mac. - Delete is honest. Deleted notes go to Trash, where they can be recovered. QUIET BY DESIGN - No ads. No tracking. No analytics. Nothing about you leaves your devices and your iCloud. - Works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, in light and dark. FlatNote keeps the format simple so you can keep your thinking clear.

Screenshots

Neatbase4 screens
FlatNote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FlatNote at none against Neatbase's 1. FlatNote also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.4). Neatbase's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Neatbase sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $34.99 per year. FlatNote asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Neatbase against 5.0 for FlatNote. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Neatbase ships an update every 3 days, FlatNote every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Neatbase versus FlatNote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNeatbaseFlatNote
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS26.417.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSeb FontanKate Benediktsson

Customer experience

Neatbase

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

FlatNote

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Neatbase

Subscriptions1
  • Neatbase Pro$34.991 Year
None

FlatNote

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Neatbase free?
Neatbase 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, Neatbase or FlatNote?
Neatbase and FlatNote are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Neatbase or FlatNote have ads?
Neither Neatbase nor FlatNote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Neatbase or FlatNote?
Neatbase ships an update every 3 days, and FlatNote every 2 months. Most recently, Neatbase was updated on October 31, 2026 and FlatNote on October 31, 2026.

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