Comparison

SP Voice vs Standard Notes

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

Head to head
About

SP Voice

Record high-quality audio discreetly with customizable fake backgrounds and a black screen interface. Control recordings remotely and protect files with a passcode. Supports Apple Watch for seamless operation.

Highlights
  • Discreet recording with fake backgrounds
  • Black screen interface
  • Remote control via Apple Watch
  • Passcode and biometric protection
  • Adjustable audio quality
  • Audio playback and editing
Features
Read full description

Want to record voice memo in highest quality without any notice. This is the app that you need: SP Voice. This is one of the best app for record conversations in any meeting without disturbing other. No need to place in your pocket or beg, place your device close to the source of voice and record, no one know that you are recording the voice. With SP Voice, you can record any audio voice without any UI controls appear while the device shows one of the fake backgrounds. Simulate that you are browsing the web, a blog or showing a still image while recording. Moreover, you can show, transparent, or hide all the UI controls to simulate a real spy experience. Addition, you can wirelessly remote this app via Apple watch. RECORDER • Automatic Mode: automatically do record action and other actions when app launch • Support upside down interface for even better voice recording quality • Highest quality voice recording by placing the device close to the source of voice • Ability to limit audio recording duration • Choose the audio quality between low, medium, high or best • Save recorded files inside app private folder with passcode protection PLAYER & EDITOR • Playback recorded audio at different speed: normal, slow or fast • Built-in audio editor to trim or delete audio data INTERFACE • Screen is completely black to simulate the device is turned off • Fake other people that you're on other activities by using fake backgrounds • Alternative static image slideshow or dynamic rotating clock or interactive web browsing fake backgrounds • Ability to your own image fake background • Dimmed screen with zero brightness in black background • Hideable all UI buttons on the screen • Adjustable the visible of the UI transparency • Make sure you tap the correct button with haptic feedback support PASSCODE • No one can stop your recording by secure the recording and lock all UI buttons with passcode • Support Touch ID and Face ID to unlock passcode • Advanced passcode system can lock recorder UI buttons, lock app access when launch, and lock access recorded audio files ACCESSORIES • Support cable and bluetooth earphone for recording and playback • Wirelessly remote this app via Apple Watch SHARING • Easy sharing from inside the app or use USB cable for iTunes Files Sharing • Direct sharing recorded files to cloud storage

About

Standard Notes

Securely capture and sync your thoughts across all devices with end-to-end encryption. This app offers a simple, lasting place for all your notes, from personal thoughts to sensitive information, with robust privacy features.

Highlights
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Cross-device syncing
  • Offline access
  • Passcode and biometric lock
  • Tagging system
  • Open-source code
  • Optional productivity editors and themes
Features
Read full description

Standard Notes is a private and secure end-to-end encrypted notes app. It allows you to write and sync your notes across all your devices, including your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and web browser. Private means your notes are end-to-end encrypted, so only you can read your notes. Even we can't read the contents of your notes. Simple means it does one job and does it well. Standard Notes is a safe and lasting place for your life's work. Our focus is making it easy to write notes wherever you are and syncing them with encryption to all your devices. Our users love us for: • Personal Notes • Tasks & Todos • Passwords & Keys • Code & Technical Procedures • Private Journal • Meeting Notes • Cross-platform Scratchpad • Books, Recipes, & Movies • Health & Fitness Log Standard Notes comes free with: • Seamless sync across all your devices, with easy to use applications on iPhone, iPad, Mac, web browsers, and other platforms. • Offline access, so you can access your downloaded notes even without a connection. • No limit on number of devices. • No limit on number of notes. • Passcode lock protection, along with Touch ID and Face ID protection. • A tagging system to organize your notes (like #work, #ideas, #passwords, #crypto). • The ability to pin, lock, protect, and move notes to trash, which allows you to recover deleted notes until the trash is emptied. Standard Notes is completely open-source, which means when we say your notes are encrypted with industry-leading XChaCha-20 encryption, and that only you can read your notes, you don't have to take our word for it. Our code is open to the world to audit. We made Standard Notes simple because longevity is important to us. We want to make sure we're here, protecting your notes, for the next hundred years. You shouldn't have to find a new notes app every year. To sustain our development, we offer optional paid subscriptions which give you access to powerful tools like: • Productivity editors (like Markdown, Code, Spreadsheets) • Beautiful themes (like Midnight, Focus, Solarized Dark) • Powerful cloud tools including daily backups of your encrypted data delivered to your email inbox every day, or backed up to your cloud provider (like Dropbox and Google Drive). We're always happy to talk, whether it be a question, thought, or issue. Please feel free to email us any time at help@standardnotes.com. When you take the time to send us a message, we'll be sure to do the same. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

SP Voice4 screens
Standard Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Standard Notes at Free against SP Voice's $2.99. Standard Notes also leads on review sentiment (64% vs 26%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). SP Voice's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#165 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads and device support 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

Standard Notes is free to download; SP Voice costs $2.99 up front. Standard Notes sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $119.99 per year. SP Voice asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Standard Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Standard Notes has 3.8K ratings behind it against 287, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of SP Voice's written reviews are positive against 64% of Standard Notes's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SP Voice ships an update every 2 months, Standard Notes every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
SP Voice versus Standard Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSP VoiceStandard Notes
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.4 (287 ratings)4.7 (3.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews26.5% of reviews64.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2873.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#165 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB92 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperRatha SouStandard Notes Ltd.

Customer experience

SP Voice

All ratings287 ratings
Positive84.3%
Neutral4.9%
Negative10.8%
Written reviews34 reviews
Positive26.5%
Neutral5.9%
Negative67.6%

Standard Notes

All ratings3,751 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral2.2%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews595 reviews
Positive64.0%
Neutral10.4%
Negative25.5%

User reviews

SP Voice

From 287 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Ease of use
  • ✨ Quality of recordings
  • 💯 No subscription required
  • ✅ Haptic feedback for discreet use

Room to improve

  • ❌ Fails to record
  • ❌ Recordings not accessible
  • ❌ App crashes or freezes
  • ❌ Not truly invisible/stealthy
  • ❌ Blank black screen on launch

Standard Notes

From 3.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and reliable sync
  • 🔒 Excellent privacy and security
  • 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
  • 📚 Great for organizing notes
  • 💻 Cross-platform availability

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
  • 🔑 Frustrating login/authentication issues
  • 💰 Expensive premium subscription
  • 📱 Limited features in free version
  • 🖍️ Lack of formatting options

Bugs and requests

SP Voice

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • App does not record
  • Cannot access recordings
  • App not allowing audio playback
  • Orange microphone indicator visible
  • Red indicator around clock visible
Show 11 more
  • App crashes continually
  • App stops recording on its own
  • Cannot click record button
  • Red recording indicator is present
  • Blank black screen on launch
  • Setup icon unresponsive after unlock
  • Lost saved files after reinstall
  • App does not work with latest iPhone update
  • Automatic mode not working
  • Red bar at the top of the screen is visible
  • Background scrolls back to 'None'

Requested features

9 requests
  • Provide support for forgotten codes/passcodes
  • Allow audio playback of previously recorded audio
  • Update to fix glitches preventing audio access
  • Ensure recordings continue even when timer rings
  • Add option to save recordings as .mp3
Show 4 more
  • Clarify recording duration limits
  • Provide warning for low memory during recording
  • Ensure data is saved when memory runs out
  • Fix recorded time display for over 1 hour

Standard Notes

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Notes disappearing or getting deleted unexpectedly
  • Sync issues between devices
  • Keyboard and UI bugs on mobile
  • Compatibility problems with older iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for images and attachments
  • Implement a more robust search function
  • Introduce a dark mode option
  • Allow for better note organization (folders, nested tags)
  • Add undo/redo functionality

In-app purchases

None

SP Voice

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Standard Notes

Subscriptions1
  • Professional Plan7 Days trial$119.991 Year

Questions

Is SP Voice free?
SP Voice costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Standard Notes free?
Standard Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SP Voice or Standard Notes?
Standard Notes is rated higher. SP Voice averages 4.4 out of 5 from 287 ratings, while Standard Notes averages 4.7 from 3.8K ratings.
Do SP Voice or Standard Notes have ads?
Neither SP Voice nor Standard Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SP Voice or Standard Notes?
SP Voice ships an update every 2 months, and Standard Notes every 5 weeks. Most recently, SP Voice was updated on October 19, 2026 and Standard Notes on October 19, 2026.

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