# Notebook vs markdown notes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Notebook at none against markdown notes's 3. Notebook also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). markdown notes's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. markdown notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Notebook asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notebook ships an update monthly, markdown notes every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | markdown notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markdown-notes-smolpad/id6792438749/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 163 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nguyen Anh](https://appshunter.io/developer/6771672178) | [BaconWorks, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6783126115) |

## What reviewers say

### Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-smart-notes/id6790701541)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### markdown notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markdown-notes-smolpad/id6792438749)

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.

**Highlights:** 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)

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smolpad Pro | $1.49 | per month |
| Smolpad Pro | $14.99 | per year |
| Smolpad Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Is markdown notes free?

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

### Do Notebook or markdown notes have ads?

Neither Notebook nor markdown notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notebook or markdown notes?

Notebook ships an update monthly, and markdown notes every 10 days. Most recently, Notebook was updated on October 7, 2026 and markdown notes on October 10, 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.*