# Secure Notepad vs Simple Notepad

The clearest difference is ads: Secure Notepad at none against Simple Notepad's shown. Secure Notepad also leads on ratings volume (13K vs 2.8K) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Simple Notepad's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Secure Notepad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Simple Notepad sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Secure Notepad against 4.6 for Simple Notepad. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13K and 2.8K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Secure Notepad's written reviews are positive against 68% of Simple Notepad's.

Secure Notepad ships an update every 5 months, Simple Notepad every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Secure Notepad | Simple Notepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notepad/id711178888/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notepad-bestnote/id1207183021/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 2.8K |
| Positive reviews | **69.9% of reviews** | 68.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dmytro Vynokurov](https://appshunter.io/developer/350017076) | [EasterEggs](https://appshunter.io/developer/553389214) |

## 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


### Simple Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notepad-bestnote/id1207183021)

This app offers a unique note-taking experience with a three-tab system for memos, remarks, and history. Attach photos to your notes and secure them with a password. Organize your thoughts with folder division for efficient management.

**Highlights:** Three-tab note structure (Memo, Remarks, History), Attach images to notes, Password security lock, Folder division for organization, Revision history tracking, Additional remarks field

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan | $3.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🎨 Customizable colors and themes
- 🗂️ Folder organization
- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- 📝 Good for note-taking and journaling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Intrusive ads
- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 📱 Not optimized for iPad
- 🖋️ No handwriting support
- 💾 No backup/sync options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Notes disappearing after updates
- Vertical orientation not working
- Unable to recover lost notes

**Requested features**

- Option to remove ads
- Ability to sync notes across devices
- More font and formatting options
- Print functionality
- Improved iPad support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Secure Notepad free?

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

### Is Simple Notepad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Secure Notepad or Simple Notepad?

Secure Notepad is rated higher. Secure Notepad averages 4.7 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Simple Notepad averages 4.6 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do Secure Notepad or Simple Notepad have ads?

Simple Notepad shows ads; Secure Notepad does not.

### Which is updated more often, Secure Notepad or Simple Notepad?

Secure Notepad ships an update every 5 months, and Simple Notepad every 3 weeks. Most recently, Secure Notepad was updated on September 23, 2026 and Simple Notepad on September 22, 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.*