# Notepad vs Basic Journal

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Notepad at 84% against Basic Journal's 40%. Notepad also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.3) and ratings volume (29K vs 4). Basic Journal's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notepad sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Basic Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notepad holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notepad has 29K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Notepad's written reviews are positive against 40% of Basic Journal's.

Notepad ships an update every 8 days, Basic Journal every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notepad | Basic Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (29K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-easy-notes-and-memos/id725368535/reviews)** | [3.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-journal/id1139438456/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **29K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **84.3% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 75 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [1381802 Ontario Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318613521) | [James Hudson](https://appshunter.io/developer/599997663) |

## What reviewers say

### Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-easy-notes-and-memos/id725368535)

Capture thoughts, create to-do lists, and organize ideas with a versatile digital notebook. Supports handwriting, text notes, and secure cloud syncing. Personalize your experience with custom themes and icons.

**Highlights:** Create to-do lists with checkboxes, Unlimited text notes, Handwritten notes with Apple Pencil, Organize notes into folders, Pin and sort notes, iCloud backup and sync, Advanced search functionality

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Membership | $1.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $19.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 📝 Useful for notes, lists, and reminders
- 🎨 Customizable font and color options
- 💾 Reliable for storing important information
- 🔍 Helpful search functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Premium subscription required to remove ads
- 🐛 Occasional data loss or note disappearance
- 📤 Lack of sharing or exporting options
- 🔒 No password protection for individual notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly disappearing
- Ads covering up the note-taking area

**Requested features**

- Add drawing/highlighting tools
- Integrate with calendar and contacts
- Ability to sort and organize notes
- Option to password protect specific notes


### Basic Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-journal/id1139438456)

A fast and simple journal app designed for busy individuals to quickly jot down notes on daily activities. It offers an elegant, chronological display of entries with easy editing and export options.

**Highlights:** Quick note-taking, Chronological note display, Summary and detail views, Edit and delete notes easily, Recently edited notes highlighted, iCloud syncing, Text export option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Is Basic Journal free?

Basic Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Notepad or Basic Journal?

Notepad is rated higher. Notepad averages 4.8 out of 5 from 29K ratings, while Basic Journal averages 3.3 from 4 ratings.

### Do Notepad or Basic Journal have ads?

Both Notepad and Basic Journal show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notepad or Basic Journal?

Notepad ships an update every 8 days, and Basic Journal every 2 weeks. Most recently, Notepad was updated on October 18, 2026 and Basic Journal on October 7, 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.*