FSNotes vs Simplenote
We give FSNotes a 3.4 GPA and Simplenote a 3.8, out of 4.0. FSNotes grades higher on features. Simplenote grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FSNotes
Open-source Markdown notes app for Mac and iPhone
Free plan · from $4.99 one-time
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAFSNotesVery good | 3.8GPASimplenoteExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$8.99 once for the Mac app and $4.99 once for iPhone and iPad, with no subscription. Both together cost about what a typical notes app here charges for a couple of months. They are separate purchases, mind. | AIt's free. There's no paid plan at all, where paid plans in this category typically start at $5.99 a month. Sync, backups, sharing and version history are all part of the one free account. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe code is free under the MIT licence, and every release on GitHub includes a free build of the full Mac app, which Homebrew can install too. You miss out on App Store automatic updates. The iPhone and iPad app is the one part with no free route. | AEverything is free: the apps, syncing, backups and sharing. Automattic says it puts no limit on how many notes you keep. You do need an account, mind. It won't run without one. |
| Features | AMarkdown files any editor can read, instant search built for more than 10,000 files, links in double brackets, tags, AES-256 encryption for notes or whole folders, optional Git history and backups, plus Mermaid and MathJax. That's the whole job for personal notes. | BSync, tags, pins, search as you type, version history, Markdown, checklists and links between notes. Good basics. But notes are text only, with no images or files attached, and they aren't encrypted at rest. |
| Ease of use | BNo account to make: point it at a folder and type. It's built around keyboard shortcuts in the Notational Velocity style, which is quick once your fingers know them. No App Store rating is on record to go by, so a B is as high as we go. | A4.75 from about 4,300 App Store ratings. There's no sync button to press and no folders to set up. You type, you tag, you search. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac and iPhone, synced through iCloud Drive, with Git if you want it. All Apple, though. There's no Windows, Android or web version, Dropbox and Google Drive sync aren't available on iOS, and the iPad build lacks full keyboard shortcuts and multiple windows. | AiPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux and the web, which is everything most people own. A note can also be published to a public link, and WordPress.com is listed as an integration. |
| Best for | fast Markdown notes as plain files on a Mac | free plain-text notes on every device |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FSNotes and Simplenote. How we grade
Where they differ
- FSNotes starts at $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $8.99 one-time for Mac. Simplenote is free.
- Only Simplenote lists a web app.
- Only Simplenote lists Android, Windows and Linux apps.
- FSNotes can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Simplenote also covers linked notes.
In commonFree planmacOSiOSOpen sourceWorks offlineNotesMarkdown
At a glance
| FSNotes | Simplenote | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $8.99 one-time for Mac | Free |
| Free plan | The source code is free under the MIT license, and each release on GitHub includes a free build of the Mac app. The iPhone and iPad app is sold only through the App Store. | Everything is free: the apps, backups, syncing and sharing. Automattic says it places no restriction on the number of notes. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Oleksandr Hlushchenko | Automattic |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | simplenote.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
FSNotes
- Mac and iPhone users who want notes kept as plain Markdown files
- Keyboard-driven note-takers used to Notational Velocity-style apps
- People who want an open-source app with no account or subscription
Simplenote
- Plain-text notes synced across phone, desktop and browser at no cost
- People who prefer tags and search over folders
- Publishing a note to a public web link
Worth knowing
FSNotes
- It runs on Apple platforms only, and the Mac and iPhone apps are separate purchases on the App Store.
- The iOS app syncs through iCloud Drive only; Dropbox, WebDAV and Google Drive sync are not available.
- The iPad build lacks dedicated iPad features such as full keyboard shortcuts and multiple windows; development focuses on macOS and iPhone.
- The free Mac build comes from GitHub releases or Homebrew; the site names the App Store apps as the official stable releases with automatic updates.
Simplenote
- Notes are text only: images, PDFs and other files cannot be attached, though Markdown can embed an image hosted elsewhere.
- Notes are encrypted in transit but not at rest, and Automattic advises against storing particularly sensitive information.
- An account is required; Simplenote cannot be used without one.
- Notes are shared one at a time, and an individual note cannot be hidden.
Key features
FSNotes
- Plain Markdown files
- Notes are GitHub Flavored Markdown or plain text files in folders you choose, readable in any other editor. Images and attachments can sit in TextBundle containers.
- Keyboard-centric and fast
- Notational Velocity-inspired controls and shortcuts, instant search and a two-pane view, built to stay smooth with more than 10,000 files.
- iCloud Drive sync
- The same folders and notes, including pinned notes, stay available on a Mac and an iPhone through iCloud Drive.
- Git versioning and backups
- Optional Git integration makes scheduled commits, shows note history and can push to or pull from a remote repository.
- Encrypted notes and folders
- Individual notes or whole folders can be protected with AES-256 encryption and unlocked with Touch ID.
- Links, tags and rich Markdown
- Cross-note links in double brackets, tags, syntax highlighting for more than 30 programming languages, and Mermaid and MathJax rendering.
Simplenote
- Automatic sync
- Notes stay updated across phones, computers and the web app automatically and in real time, with no sync button to press.
- Tags, pins and instant search
- Notes are organized with tags and pins, and search finds them as you type with keyword highlighting.
- Version history
- Notes are backed up with every change, so you can look back at what a note said last week or last month.
- Markdown
- Notes can be written, previewed and published in Markdown. The help center lists Markdown support on the web, Android, iOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Collaboration and publishing
- A note can be shared with another person by email address so both can edit it, or published to a public simp.ly link for read-only viewing.
- Checklists and internal links
- Notes can contain checklists with nested items, and internal links jump from one note to another.
Plans
FSNotes
GitHub release$0
A zip of the Mac app posted with each release on GitHub, also installable through Homebrew. The site points to the App Store for automatic updates.
FSNotes for iOS$4.99
one-time purchase (US App Store)
The iPhone and iPad app, with iCloud Drive sync, encrypted notes and folders, tags and Git integration. Requires iOS 18.0 or later.
FSNotes for Mac$8.99
one-time purchase (US Mac App Store)
The Mac app, updated automatically through the Mac App Store. Requires macOS 12.4 or later.
Simplenote
Free$0
Every app and feature, including sync, version history, collaboration and publishing, with a Simplenote account.
