# Nextcloud Notes vs DS note

The clearest difference is rating: DS note at 2.8 against Nextcloud Notes's 2.2. DS note also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

DS note holds the better App Store score, 2.8 against 2.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 93 and 109 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of Nextcloud Notes's written reviews are positive against 31% of DS note's.

Nextcloud Notes ships an update every 2 months, DS note every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nextcloud Notes | DS note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.2 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextcloud-notes/id813973264/reviews) | **[2.8 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-note/id918177542/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 93 | **109** |
| Positive reviews | 27.3% of reviews | **30.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 18 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nextcloud GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1296825573) | [Synology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/321493109) |

## What reviewers say

### Nextcloud Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextcloud-notes/id813973264)

This app allows you to create, edit, and organize notes on your mobile device. It syncs seamlessly with a Nextcloud server, ensuring your notes are accessible across all your devices and the web interface. Supports plain text and markdown formatting for versatile note-taking.

**Highlights:** Syncs with Nextcloud server, Create and delete notes, Organize notes in categories, Plain text editing, Markdown formatting, Export notes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Successfully syncs with Nextcloud instances
- ⚡ Improving performance and reliability over time
- 📝 Simple, lightweight note-taking interface
- 🔒 Privacy-focused with self-hosted option
- 📱 Cross-platform availability (iOS, Android)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent data loss and note deletion issues
- 🔌 Unreliable synchronization with server
- 🔐 Login and authentication failures
- ⚠️ Poor handling of connection interruptions
- 📉 App crashes and force-closes required

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly appear empty and lose content
- Empty files being saved to server
- Login resets to default server address
- 404 errors when getting settings
- Sync fails with large note collections

**Requested features**

- Text formatting options (bold, underline, italics)
- File and image attachment support
- Note categorization and organization
- Pin important notes to top
- Ability to rename notes easily


### DS note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ds-note/id918177542)

Create, organize, and share notes anywhere, even offline. This app syncs with your personal cloud storage, allowing you to manage to-do lists, project information, and memories. Organize with tags, notebooks, and shortcuts for easy access and sharing.

**Highlights:** Note creation and editing, Offline access, Tagging and notebook organization, Note sharing, Sync with Synology NAS

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Data stored on personal NAS for privacy
- 🔄 Reliable synchronization across devices
- 💰 Free alternative to Evernote
- 📱 Available on multiple platforms (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Web)
- ✅ Simple and intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Notes disappear when app left open without saving
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app instability
- 🐛 Copy-paste functionality unreliable
- 🐛 Keyboard arrow keys don't work on iPad
- 🐛 Apple Pencil causes app crashes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes content erased when leaving app open
- App crashes on startup
- App crashes when using Apple Pencil
- App crashes during text input with swipe-to-text
- App crashes when printing

**Requested features**

- Dark mode for all platforms
- Apple Pencil support for iPad
- Arrow key support for Bluetooth keyboards
- Auto-save functionality
- Offline mode for note creation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nextcloud Notes free?

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

### Is DS note free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Nextcloud Notes or DS note?

DS note is rated higher. Nextcloud Notes averages 2.2 out of 5 from 93 ratings, while DS note averages 2.8 from 109 ratings.

### Do Nextcloud Notes or DS note have ads?

Neither Nextcloud Notes nor DS note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nextcloud Notes or DS note?

Nextcloud Notes ships an update every 2 months, and DS note every 3 months. Most recently, Nextcloud Notes was updated on September 30, 2026 and DS note on October 1, 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.*