# Second Notes vs Firstext

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Firstext at 50% against Second Notes's 0%. Firstext also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months). Second Notes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown).

Firstext is free to download; Second Notes costs $0.99 up front. Firstext sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Second Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Second Notes ships an update every 6 months, Firstext every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Second Notes | Firstext |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 1 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Goldbug Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/457767039) | [Akihiro Usui](https://appshunter.io/developer/1387267485) |

## What reviewers say

### Second Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/second-notes/id926162863)

A text editor for creating notes with live Markdown formatting. Sync notes across your iOS devices and Mac via iCloud. Export notes as text files and import from other applications.

**Highlights:** Live Markdown formatting, iCloud sync, Cross-device compatibility (iOS/Mac), Export to text file, Import from other apps, Text search, Keyboard shortcuts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Firstext

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firstext/id1642650670)

This app is a straightforward text editor designed for quick note-taking and text creation. It automatically saves your work and allows for easy sharing to other applications with customizable actions. Advanced features like search, replace, and character counting are also included.

**Highlights:** Instant text input on launch, Automatic text saving and restoration, Customizable text sharing actions, Cursor movement by swiping, Search and replace functionality, Character and line counting, Font size adjustment

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Snack-Sized Tip | $0.49 | one-time |
| Restriction Removal | $1.99 | one-time |
| Coffee-Sized Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lunch-Sized Tip | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Second Notes free?

Second Notes costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Firstext free?

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

### Do Second Notes or Firstext have ads?

Firstext shows ads; Second Notes does not.

### Which is updated more often, Second Notes or Firstext?

Second Notes ships an update every 6 months, and Firstext every 2 weeks. Most recently, Second Notes was updated on September 19, 2026 and Firstext on September 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.*