# Private Notes and Secret Diary vs Simple Notepad

The clearest difference is rating: Simple Notepad at 4.6 against Private Notes and Secret Diary's 3.9. Simple Notepad also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 10 months) and review sentiment (68% vs 38%). Private Notes and Secret Diary's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Private Notes and Secret Diary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Simple Notepad sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple Notepad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Notepad has 2.9K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Private Notes and Secret Diary's written reviews are positive against 68% of Simple Notepad's.

Private Notes and Secret Diary ships an update every 10 months, Simple Notepad every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Private Notes and Secret Diary | Simple Notepad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-notes-and-secret-diary/id982348636/reviews) | **[4.6 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notepad-bestnote/id1207183021/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **2.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 38.5% of reviews | **68.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tigran Mkhitaryan](https://appshunter.io/developer/602761285) | [EasterEggs](https://appshunter.io/developer/553389214) |

## What reviewers say

### Private Notes and Secret Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-notes-and-secret-diary/id982348636)

Securely store and manage your private notes with password protection. Keep personal details safe from prying eyes on your device, even when sharing with others.

**Highlights:** Password protection for notes, Secure storage of personal details, Create simple notes, Share device while keeping notes secure, Prevent unauthorized access

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### Simple Notepad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-notepad-bestnote/id1207183021)

This app offers a unique note-taking experience with a three-tab system for memos, remarks, and history. Attach photos to your notes and secure them with a password. Organize your thoughts with folder division for efficient management.

**Highlights:** Three-tab note structure (Memo, Remarks, History), Attach images to notes, Password security lock, Folder division for organization, Revision history tracking, Additional remarks field

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan | $3.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🎨 Customizable colors and themes
- 🗂️ Folder organization
- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- 📝 Good for note-taking and journaling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Intrusive ads
- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 📱 Not optimized for iPad
- 🖋️ No handwriting support
- 💾 No backup/sync options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Notes disappearing after updates
- Vertical orientation not working
- Unable to recover lost notes

**Requested features**

- Option to remove ads
- Ability to sync notes across devices
- More font and formatting options
- Print functionality
- Improved iPad support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Private Notes and Secret Diary free?

Private Notes and Secret Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Simple Notepad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Private Notes and Secret Diary or Simple Notepad?

Simple Notepad is rated higher. Private Notes and Secret Diary averages 3.9 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Simple Notepad averages 4.6 from 2.9K ratings.

### Do Private Notes and Secret Diary or Simple Notepad have ads?

Simple Notepad shows ads; Private Notes and Secret Diary does not.

### Which is updated more often, Private Notes and Secret Diary or Simple Notepad?

Private Notes and Secret Diary ships an update every 10 months, and Simple Notepad every 3 weeks. Most recently, Private Notes and Secret Diary was updated on November 1, 2026 and Simple Notepad on November 13, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*