# Strongbox vs Standard Notes

Strongbox and Standard Notes both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 84% of Strongbox's written reviews are positive against 64% of Standard Notes's. Strongbox also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks) and device support (5 vs 3). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Strongbox sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Standard Notes sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $119.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Strongbox against 4.7 for Standard Notes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.1K and 3.8K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Strongbox's written reviews are positive against 64% of Standard Notes's.

Strongbox ships an update fortnightly, Standard Notes every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Strongbox | Standard Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (4.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strongbox-password-manager/id897283731/reviews) | [4.7 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standard-notes/id1285392450/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.1K** | 3.8K |
| Positive reviews | **83.7% of reviews** | 64.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 145 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Phoebe Code Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/897283734) | [Standard Notes Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/586976285) |

## What reviewers say

### Strongbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strongbox-password-manager/id897283731)

Securely store and manage all your passwords with one master password. Supports open-source formats and offers advanced security features like biometric unlock and YubiKey protection. Includes password auditing and cloud syncing for easy access.

**Highlights:** Biometric unlock (Face ID/Touch ID), Passkey support, YubiKey protection, Password auditing (Have I Been Pwned?), Cloud syncing (iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive), Secure password generation, TOTP Two Factor Authentication codes

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

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Strongbox Pro (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Monthly Tip | $2.99 | per month |
| Strongbox Pro (Yearly) | $19.99 | per year |
| Strongbox Pro (Yearly) | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly Tip | $19.99 | per year |
| Strongbox Pro (Yearly) | $24.99 | per year |
| Strongbox Pro (Yearly) | $24.99 | per year |
| Strongbox Pro (Yearly) | $24.99 | per year |
| Little Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Small Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $19.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $99.99 | one-time |
| Strongbox Pro (Lifetime) | $99.99 | one-time |
| Huge Tip | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration with iOS
- 🔒 Highly secure with end-to-end encryption
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🔒 Open-source and transparent
- 🚀 Reliable and stable performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paid features can be expensive for some users
- 🐛 Occasional syncing and compatibility issues
- 💰 Lifetime license cost may be prohibitive
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes reported by some users

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when using certain iOS versions
- Issues with database syncing and corruption

**Requested features**

- Ability to create custom templates and fields
- Improved organization and search functionality
- Tighter integration with Apple Keychain
- Support for more cloud storage providers


### Standard Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/standard-notes/id1285392450)

Securely capture and sync your thoughts across all devices with end-to-end encryption. This app offers a simple, lasting place for all your notes, from personal thoughts to sensitive information, with robust privacy features.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Cross-device syncing, Offline access, Passcode and biometric lock, Tagging system, Open-source code, Optional productivity editors and themes

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Plan | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and reliable sync
- 🔒 Excellent privacy and security
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 📚 Great for organizing notes
- 💻 Cross-platform availability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔑 Frustrating login/authentication issues
- 💰 Expensive premium subscription
- 📱 Limited features in free version
- 🖍️ Lack of formatting options

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing or getting deleted unexpectedly
- Sync issues between devices
- Keyboard and UI bugs on mobile
- Compatibility problems with older iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add support for images and attachments
- Implement a more robust search function
- Introduce a dark mode option
- Allow for better note organization (folders, nested tags)
- Add undo/redo functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Strongbox free?

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

### Is Standard Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Strongbox or Standard Notes?

Strongbox and Standard Notes are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4.1K and 3.8K ratings respectively.

### Do Strongbox or Standard Notes have ads?

Neither Strongbox nor Standard Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Strongbox or Standard Notes?

Strongbox ships an update fortnightly, and Standard Notes every 5 weeks. Most recently, Strongbox was updated on October 17, 2026 and Standard Notes on October 17, 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.*