# Strongbox vs Notesnook

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Strongbox at 4.1K against Notesnook's 672. Strongbox also leads on device support (5 vs 3). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Strongbox sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Notesnook sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. 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 Notesnook. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Strongbox has 4.1K ratings behind it against 672, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Strongbox's written reviews are positive against 79% of Notesnook's.

Strongbox ships an update fortnightly, Notesnook every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Strongbox | Notesnook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (4.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strongbox-password-manager/id897283731/reviews) | [4.7 (672 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notesnook-private-notepad/id1544027013/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.1K** | 672 |
| Positive reviews | **83.7% of reviews** | 78.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 145 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Phoebe Code Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/897283734) | [Streetwriters LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536533660) |

## 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


### Notesnook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notesnook-private-notepad/id1544027013)

This open-source app offers secure, encrypted note-taking and organization across all your devices. It features a robust editor, to-do lists, and a private journal with advanced security to protect your personal information.

**Highlights:** Military-grade encryption, Cross-platform synchronization, To-do lists and task management, Private journal with media support, Rich text and Markdown editor, Notebook organization, App lock with fingerprint support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notesnook Pro | $0.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Essential Plan | $1.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $2.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $4.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $4.49 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $6.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Believer Plan | $8.99 | per month |
| Notesnook Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Essential Plan | $19.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $29.90 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro | $49.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Pro Plan | $69.99 | per year |
| Notesnook Believer Plan | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Clean and intuitive UI
- 👍 Cross-platform compatibility
- 👍 Generous free tier

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync and login issues
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes
- 💰 Expensive premium tier
- 🔒 Lack of free encryption features

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch on older iOS devices
- Sync issues leading to data loss
- Unreliable login and verification process

**Requested features**

- Improved search functionality
- Reminders and calendar integration
- Handwriting and drawing support
- Multilingual support
- Improved table and spreadsheet features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Strongbox free?

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

### Is Notesnook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Strongbox or Notesnook?

Strongbox and Notesnook are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4.1K and 672 ratings respectively.

### Do Strongbox or Notesnook have ads?

Neither Strongbox nor Notesnook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Strongbox or Notesnook?

Strongbox ships an update fortnightly, and Notesnook every 8 days. Most recently, Strongbox was updated on October 17, 2026 and Notesnook on October 16, 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.*