# Notepad vs Greatnotes5

The clearest difference is ads: Greatnotes5 at none against Notepad's shown. Greatnotes5 also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 8 days). Notepad's advantage is review sentiment (84% vs 65%) and ratings volume (28K vs 1.4K). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notepad sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Greatnotes5 sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notepad holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notepad has 28K ratings behind it against 1.4K, 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 65% of Greatnotes5's.

Notepad ships an update every 8 days, Greatnotes5 every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notepad | Greatnotes5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (28K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-easy-notes-and-memos/id725368535/reviews)** | [4.6 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/greatnotes5-ai-note-taking/id1591954297/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **28K** | 1.4K |
| Positive reviews | **84.1% of reviews** | 65.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 100 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [1381802 Ontario Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318613521) | [Kanza Ahmad](https://appshunter.io/developer/1667956463) |

## 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


### Greatnotes5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/greatnotes5-ai-note-taking/id1591954297)

Record, transcribe, and organize lectures, meetings, and ideas with AI-powered summaries, instant answers, and quick actions. Export notes as polished PDFs for easy sharing and collaboration.

**Highlights:** Automatic transcription with time-stamps, AI-generated summaries and key takeaways, Ask AI questions about your notes, Quick AI actions: translate, proofread, expand, Export notes as PDF, Record lectures and meetings

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GreatNotes Weekly Premium | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| GreatNotes 40% Off | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| GreatNotes Yearly Offer | $39.99 | per year |
| GreatNotes Yearly Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $239.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Is Greatnotes5 free?

Greatnotes5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Notepad or Greatnotes5?

Notepad is rated higher. Notepad averages 4.8 out of 5 from 28K ratings, while Greatnotes5 averages 4.6 from 1.4K ratings.

### Do Notepad or Greatnotes5 have ads?

Notepad shows ads; Greatnotes5 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notepad or Greatnotes5?

Notepad ships an update every 8 days, and Greatnotes5 every 3 days. Most recently, Notepad was updated on September 24, 2026 and Greatnotes5 on September 23, 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.*