Comparison

markdown notes vs Diple

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

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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

About

Diple

A focused writing and organization tool for Markdown notes, journals, and plain text. Capture ideas with speech-to-text, track changes with version history, and export to various formats. Organize your library with folders and access protection.

Highlights
  • Markdown and plain text editing
  • Speech to Text input
  • Version History tracking
  • Folder organization
  • Export to Word and PDF
  • Password/Biometric folder protection
Features
Read full description

Diple brings your notes, writing, and reading together. Capture an idea, keep a journal, or work on a longer draft in Markdown or plain text. Then bring your documents into Collections and turn separate pieces into a work of your own. Markdown and Plain Text • Switch between Live, Immersive, Preview, and Source modes for writing and reading • Use Markdown headings, lists, to-do lists, tables, links, code blocks, and more • Insert images from Photos or Files to bring words and pictures together • Jot down ideas in plain text or capture them with Speech to Text Collections and Reading • Organize related documents with covers, chapters, numbering, and a reading order of your choice • Browse the table of contents, read across documents, and pick up where you left off Themes and Writing Paper • Explore ink-inspired, classic, and other themes with Light or Dark appearance • Choose Writing Paper for editing and reading, or create your own from images • Change your app icon to make your writing space feel your own Export and Share • Export documents to Markdown, TXT, Word, or PDF for sharing, printing, or further editing • Export documents in batches or as whole folders, or combine a collection into one file Data Migration • Move documents, folders, and Collections to Diple on another nearby device. Transfer everything or just what you select, with local images, notes, version history, and folder protection settings kept intact, so nothing is lost when you switch phones • After Face ID or Touch ID verification, data is encrypted and transferred directly between devices without passing through our servers, keeping your personal data private • Migration doesn't use iCloud or take up iCloud storage Version History • Revisit your edits, compare changes, and restore the content you need • Lock important versions to preserve milestones and prevent automatic cleanup Organization and Search • Create folders and nested folders to organize notes, journals, and drafts • Search document titles and content to find what you need • Use find and replace to update repeated text • Recover accidentally deleted documents from Trash Access Protection • Add password, Face ID, or Touch ID verification to folders or Collections • Enable Trash protection to require biometric verification for documents from protected folders Biometric verification is handled by the system. Diple does not access or store facial or fingerprint data. Available in 28 interface languages. Diple Pro offers monthly and yearly subscriptions and a one-time lifetime purchase. Prices and available trial offers are shown on the purchase screen. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. If you receive a free trial, the subscription renews at the displayed price when it ends. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends; renewal is charged within 24 hours before the end of that period. Manage or cancel subscriptions in your Apple Account settings. Lifetime purchases do not renew. Terms of Use: https://michaelsilvester.github.io/journal/diple-terms-of-use/?lang=en Privacy Policy: https://michaelsilvester.github.io/journal/diple-privacy-policy/?lang=en

Screenshots

markdown notes4 screens
Diple4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Diple at free against markdown notes's freemium. Diple also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 10 days). markdown notes's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). 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. markdown notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and Diple sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

markdown notes ships an update every 10 days, Diple every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
markdown notes versus Diple: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parametermarkdown notesDiple
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size71 MB42 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBaconWorks, LLC云强 林

Customer experience

markdown notes

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

Diple

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

In-app purchases

3 purchases

markdown notes

Subscriptions2
  • Smolpad Pro$1.491 Month
  • Smolpad Pro$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Smolpad Pro Lifetime$29.99
3 purchases

Diple

Subscriptions2
  • DeepNote Pro Monthly3 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • DeepNote Pro Yearly7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • DeepNote Pro Lifetime$14.99

Questions

Is markdown notes free?
markdown notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Diple free?
Diple is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, markdown notes or Diple?
markdown notes and Diple are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do markdown notes or Diple have ads?
Neither markdown notes nor Diple shows ads.
Which is updated more often, markdown notes or Diple?
markdown notes ships an update every 10 days, and Diple every 2 days. Most recently, markdown notes was updated on October 10, 2026 and Diple on October 3, 2026.

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