# Notepad vs OrigNotes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OrigNotes at none against Notepad's 7. OrigNotes also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). Notepad's advantage is ratings volume (28K vs 313). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notepad sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. OrigNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Notepad against 4.7 for OrigNotes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notepad has 28K ratings behind it against 313, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 84% and 84% positive.

Notepad ships an update every 8 days, OrigNotes every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notepad | OrigNotes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (28K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-easy-notes-and-memos/id725368535/reviews)** | [4.7 (313 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orignotes/id6446162922/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **28K** | 313 |
| Positive reviews | **84.1% of reviews** | 83.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 75 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [1381802 Ontario Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/318613521) | [Hangzhou Future Writing Technology Co.,LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676398498) |

## 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


### OrigNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orignotes/id6446162922)

Create, organize, and manage high-quality handwritten notes with ease. Supports handwriting, drawing, image insertion, and PDF annotation. Stay organized and productive for study, work, or daily ideas.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes and drawing, Image insertion and PDF annotation, Organize and search documents, Customizable note covers and paper styles, Palm rejection and writing settings, Variety of brushes and tools, Cloud sync support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Is OrigNotes free?

OrigNotes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Notepad is rated higher. Notepad averages 4.8 out of 5 from 28K ratings, while OrigNotes averages 4.7 from 313 ratings.

### Do Notepad or OrigNotes have ads?

Notepad shows ads; OrigNotes does not.

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

Notepad ships an update every 8 days, and OrigNotes every 11 days. Most recently, Notepad was updated on September 28, 2026 and OrigNotes on September 26, 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.*