# Notebook vs Notepad

The clearest difference is ads: Notebook at none against Notepad's shown. Notebook also leads on review sentiment (65% vs 33%) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Notepad sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 24K ratings behind it against 64, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 33% of Notepad's.

Notebook ships an update every 6 days, Notepad every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | Notepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-ai-notes-notepad/id973801089/reviews)** | [4.3 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-an-organised-notes/id1099400916/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 64 |
| Positive reviews | **64.7% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 220 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zoho Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/388384807) | [Parth Pandya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1063945331) |

## What reviewers say

### Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-ai-notes-notepad/id973801089)

Capture your thoughts, ideas, and tasks with a versatile digital notebook. Create rich notes with text, files, audio, and video. Organize content visually, collaborate in real-time, and access everything across your devices.

**Highlights:** Rich note creation with text, files, audio, and video, Checklist creation for task management, Bookmark collection and offline reading, Kanban-style note organization, Real-time collaboration and sharing, AI-powered journaling suggestions, Cross-device and cloud synchronization

**Features:** Safari Extension, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notebook Pro | $2.49 | per month |
| Notebook Pro Plus | $3.99 | per month |
| Notebook AI | $4.99 | per month |
| Notebook Personal | $14.99 | per year |
| Notebook Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Notebook Pro Plus | $39.99 | per year |
| Notebook AI | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly organized and customizable
- 👍 Visually appealing and intuitive
- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- 🤳 Seamless cross-device sync
- 📝 Versatile note-taking features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional sync and stability issues
- 🔀 Inconsistent note order after editing
- 🔍 Limited search functionality
- 📤 Lack of export/backup options
- 🔗 Difficulty inserting links in notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing or getting corrupted
- Freezing and crashing issues
- Inconsistent behavior when editing notes
- Syncing problems across devices

**Requested features**

- Improved sorting and reordering options for notes
- Enhanced search capabilities
- Ability to export notes in various formats
- More customization options for notebook covers
- Integration with other productivity apps


### Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notepad-an-organised-notes/id1099400916)

Securely store and organize your thoughts with advanced features like PIN/biometric locking and an anti-theft system. Convert images to text, sync across devices, and customize your notes with rich formatting and tags. Share, backup, and easily retrieve your important information.

**Highlights:** PIN/Biometric note locking, Anti-theft system with photo capture, OCR for image to text conversion, Cloud sync across devices, Rich text formatting and styling, Tagging and color-coding for organization, Text, photo, and drawing note types

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month License For Notes App | $1.49 | per month |
| 1 Year License For Notes App | $11.99 | per year |
| Ad Free Notes | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 Month License | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 Year License | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Is Notepad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notebook or Notepad?

Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Notepad averages 4.3 from 64 ratings.

### Do Notebook or Notepad have ads?

Notepad shows ads; Notebook does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notebook or Notepad?

Notebook ships an update every 6 days, and Notepad every 3 months. Most recently, Notebook was updated on September 25, 2026 and Notepad on September 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.*