Refind vs markdown notes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Refind
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Save everything worth revisiting. Refind is a beautiful read later app for people who constantly discover interesting things online but rarely return to them. Save articles, YouTube videos, GitHub repositories, blogs, tutorials, podcasts and more in a single tap. Instead of disappearing into endless bookmarks or forgotten folders, your discoveries stay organized and ready whenever you need them. Save from anywhere Refind integrates directly with the iOS Share Sheet, making it effortless to save content from Safari, X, Reddit, Instagram, YouTube and hundreds of other apps. No copying. No switching between apps. Just share and save. Automatic organization Forget folders. Every saved link is automatically categorized based on its source. Add your own tags whenever you want, then browse everything through a clean, distraction free library. Search instantly by: • Title • Website • URL • Automatic tags • Custom tags Rediscover what matters Saving something is only useful if you actually come back to it. Daily resurfacing gently reminds you about links you’ve forgotten, helping you revisit valuable discoveries instead of collecting digital clutter. Designed to stay out of your way Refind was built around simplicity. No complicated folder systems. No unnecessary features. No ads. Just a calm place for everything worth remembering. Built for people who save everything Perfect for: • Students • Developers • Designers • Researchers • Founders • Writers • Lifelong learners Whether you’re collecting design inspiration, programming tutorials, AI tools, recipes, travel guides or articles to read later, Refind keeps everything within reach. Features • Save links directly from the Share Sheet • Automatic metadata fetching • Automatic source detection • Automatic tags • Custom tags • Lightning fast search • Daily resurfacing reminders • Beautiful reading library • Archive completed links • iCloud sync • Native iPhone and Mac experience • One time purchase available Download Refind today and build a library you’ll actually revisit. Terms of Use - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
markdown notes
A minimalist Markdown editor that stores all your notes as plain text files, accessible across your devices. It offers beautiful writing tools, seamless cloud sync, and powerful organization features without any bloat.
- Plain .md file storage
- iCloud Drive sync
- Markdown syntax highlighting
- Task list checkboxes
- Folder and instant search organization
- Menu bar app on Mac
- Export to PDF, HTML, RTF (Pro)
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Smolpad is a smol Markdown editor with respect for your files. Every note is a plain .md file you can open with any app, on any device, forever. Your files are your own. No database. No lock-in. No bloat. Just a tiny, fast home for your notes on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. WRITE IN MARKDOWN, BEAUTIFULLY • Syntax dims as you type, or hides away entirely with one tap • Task lists become real checkboxes. Checkboxes that check. • Headings, bold, italic, code, quotes, and tables, styled as you write • A formatting bar for common touches, plus full keyboard shortcuts • Pictures too: drag or paste one in, resize it by its corner, and it lives as a plain file beside the note YOUR FILES, ANYWHERE • Notes sync through your own iCloud Drive, included free • Open your notes folder in Finder or Files any time • Organize with folders, pins, and instant search • Find notes in Spotlight, and open them with Siri or Shortcuts • Nothing ever leaves your devices except to your own cloud SMOL ON PURPOSE • On the Mac, Smolpad lives in your menu bar, one hotkey away • Tear off a note into its own window when you want to stay a while • On iPhone and iPad, it opens fast and stays out of your way • Seven hand-picked fonts and a clean, quiet interface MAKE IT YOURS WITH SMOLPAD PRO • Unlimited notes (the free tier includes ten) • Dropbox, pCloud, or Google Drive sync, in a folder that belongs to you • Export to PDF, HTML, or rich text, and print • Lock Screen widgets on iPhone, and Smolpad on Apple Watch • Twenty-nine editor themes, from Tokyo Night to Catppuccin • Seventeen app icons and the full menu bar icon set Smolpad Pro is available as a monthly or yearly subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. The free tier is a real notes app, not a trial. Made by a smol team that believes plain text outlives everything. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://smolpad.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is device support: markdown notes at 4 against Refind's 2. Refind's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Refind sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and markdown notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | Refind | markdown notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | — | Every 10 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 71 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kartik Vats | BaconWorks, LLC |
In-app purchases
Refind
- Refind Infinite$8.99
markdown notes
- Smolpad Pro$1.491 Month
- Smolpad Pro$14.991 Year
- Smolpad Pro Lifetime$29.99









