# Secure Notepad vs Lock Notes

The clearest difference is monetization model: Secure Notepad at free with in-app purchases against Lock Notes's subscription. Secure Notepad also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (13K vs 1.1K). Lock Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Secure Notepad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Lock Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Secure Notepad holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Secure Notepad has 13K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Secure Notepad's written reviews are positive against 73% of Lock Notes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Secure Notepad ships an update every 5 months, Lock Notes every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Secure Notepad | Lock Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notepad/id711178888/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-notes-passcode-protect/id1033962570/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 1.1K |
| Positive reviews | 69.9% of reviews | **73.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 3 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dmytro Vynokurov](https://appshunter.io/developer/350017076) | [JulyApps Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/427694580) |

## What reviewers say

### Secure Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notepad/id711178888)

Securely store personal notes, contacts, and passwords with password protection. Features a simple interface, biometric unlock options, and password recovery. Keep your sensitive information private and organized.

**Highlights:** Password protection for all notes, Biometric unlock (Face ID/Touch ID), Sort notes by date or alphabetically, Automatic app lock, Password recovery via security question, Recover recently deleted notes

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Notes | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Password protection
- 🔒 Security question for password recovery
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🚀 Straightforward note-taking
- 🔒 Prevents others from accessing private notes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paid version required for more than 3 notes
- 🐛 Notes disappearing or not syncing across devices
- 🐛 Password/security question issues
- 🔒 Lack of customization options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing or freezing
- Inability to restore deleted notes
- Sync issues between iOS devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to change app icon
- Syncing notes across devices
- More formatting options (bold, italic, etc.)
- Ability to organize notes into folders
- Dark mode option


### Lock Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-notes-passcode-protect/id1033962570)

Securely store and protect your private notes with a passcode or Touch ID. Keep sensitive information like passwords, secrets, and diary entries safe from unauthorized access. Backup and sync notes across devices, customize their appearance, and even add images.

**Highlights:** Passcode and Touch ID protection, Security question recovery, iCloud backup and sync, Customizable font style and size, Insert images into notes, Print and share notes

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Auto Backup | $14.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Notes | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lock Notes Pro | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure notes
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient
- 🔑 Passcode/biometric protection
- 💾 Cloud backup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free notes
- 💰 Paywall for advanced features
- 🐛 Crashes and data loss issues
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
- 📁 No folder organization

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing after updates
- Inability to access notes after device reset
- Sync issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Advanced formatting options
- Ability to change passcode
- Improved search capabilities
- Folder/organization system
- Better backup and restore options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Secure Notepad free?

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

### Is Lock Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Secure Notepad or Lock Notes?

Secure Notepad is rated higher. Secure Notepad averages 4.7 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Lock Notes averages 4.5 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do Secure Notepad or Lock Notes have ads?

Neither Secure Notepad nor Lock Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Secure Notepad or Lock Notes?

Secure Notepad ships an update every 5 months, and Lock Notes every 10 days. Most recently, Secure Notepad was updated on September 24, 2026 and Lock Notes on September 23, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*