# Color Notes vs LOCK MEMO

The clearest difference is review sentiment: LOCK MEMO at 74% against Color Notes's 14%. LOCK MEMO also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.1). Color Notes's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Color Notes sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month and LOCK MEMO sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

LOCK MEMO holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 640 and 495 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of Color Notes's written reviews are positive against 74% of LOCK MEMO's.

Color Notes ships an update every 6 weeks, LOCK MEMO monthly. Both last shipped on September 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Color Notes | LOCK MEMO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (640 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-notes/id830515136/reviews) | **[4.7 (495 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-memo-secure-notes/id1070901429/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **640** | 495 |
| Positive reviews | 14.5% of reviews | **74.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 62 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hagens Media, LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/452501582) | [EasterEggs](https://appshunter.io/developer/553389214) |

## What reviewers say

### Color Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-notes/id830515136)

Capture thoughts and tasks with a digital notebook. Create, edit, and organize notes with customizable colors. Sync across devices to keep your ideas accessible anywhere, eliminating the need for physical notepads.

**Highlights:** Create, delete, and edit notes, Organize with customizable colors, Virtual online notebook, To-do list functionality, Cloud synchronization, Multiple device support

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $7.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and fast
- 📝 Great note-taking app
- 🎨 Useful color-coding
- 👍 Versatile and useful

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lost all notes after update
- 🐛 Syncing issues
- 🔍 Difficult to find old notes
- 💸 Too many ads
- 🔒 Unable to access account on new device

**Reported bugs**

- Losing all notes after updates
- Inability to access old notes
- Saving and syncing issues

**Requested features**

- Reminders feature
- Ability to print notes
- Better syncing across devices


### LOCK MEMO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-memo-secure-notes/id1070901429)

This app offers a straightforward way to create and manage private notes with robust passcode protection. It's designed for intuitive use, requiring no complex setup to keep your personal information, ideas, and daily entries secure and organized.

**Highlights:** Passcode protection, Create and edit notes, Folder management, Search notes, iCloud backup, Adjustable font size

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan | $0.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very easy to use and intuitive
- 🔒 Password protection and security features
- 💾 Reliable for storing notes and important information
- ⚡ Simple and lightweight application
- 📝 Great for quick memos and memory jogger

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Notes disappearing unexpectedly
- 🐛 Edit function stops working after extended use
- 📱 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- ❌ No alphabetical sorting capability
- ❌ No search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing from folders
- Edit function becomes unavailable
- App incompatible with newer iOS versions
- Touch ID not functioning despite advertised
- Password recovery issues

**Requested features**

- Alphabetical sorting of notes
- Search functionality
- Touch ID/biometric authentication
- Text formatting options (bold, underline, italics)
- Ability to share or export notes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Color Notes free?

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

### Is LOCK MEMO free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Color Notes or LOCK MEMO?

LOCK MEMO is rated higher. Color Notes averages 4.1 out of 5 from 640 ratings, while LOCK MEMO averages 4.7 from 495 ratings.

### Do Color Notes or LOCK MEMO have ads?

LOCK MEMO shows ads; Color Notes does not.

### Which is updated more often, Color Notes or LOCK MEMO?

Color Notes ships an update every 6 weeks, and LOCK MEMO monthly. Most recently, Color Notes was updated on September 27, 2026 and LOCK MEMO on September 27, 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.*