# Notepad vs Notes

The clearest difference is ads: Notes at none against Notepad's shown. Notes also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 84%) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). Notepad's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (28K vs 8). On price, rating, 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 Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 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 — 4.8 for Notepad against 4.9 for Notes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notepad has 28K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Notepad's written reviews are positive against 100% of Notes's.

Notepad ships an update every 8 days, Notes every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notepad | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (28K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-easy-notes-and-memos/id725368535/reviews) | **[4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-notebook-and-reminders/id1582204558/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **28K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 84.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 75 MB | 155 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [1381802 Ontario Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318613521) | [Planning Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1618240887) |

## 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 | $17.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $19.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Membership | $39.99 | 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


### Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-notebook-and-reminders/id1582204558)

Capture ideas, plan events, and manage tasks with this versatile note-taking app. Organize notes with custom views, filters, and priority pinning. Enjoy voice notes, file attachments, and secure local accounts.

**Highlights:** Voice notes, Checklist creation, File attachments, Drag and drop organization, Board and list views, Local accounts, Day/night modes

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access for a Month | $1.49 | per month |
| Full Access for a Year | $11.99 | per year |
| Full Access Forever | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Is Notes free?

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

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

Notes is rated higher. Notepad averages 4.8 out of 5 from 28K ratings, while Notes averages 4.9 from 8 ratings.

### Do Notepad or Notes have ads?

Notepad shows ads; Notes does not.

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

Notepad ships an update every 8 days, and Notes every 3 months. Most recently, Notepad was updated on September 25, 2026 and Notes on September 21, 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.*