Inkpad Notepad vs Simplenote
We give Inkpad Notepad a 3.0 GPA and Simplenote a 3.8, out of 4.0. Simplenote grades higher on value for money, the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Inkpad Notepad
Simple synced notepad for notes and to-do lists, with AI chat
Free plan · from $5/mo
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAInkpad NotepadVery good | 3.8GPASimplenoteExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPremium is $5 a month billed annually, about what this category typically charges. But on a plain notepad that mostly buys 500 MB of storage, no ads, 10 old versions per note and 100 AI requests. Standard at $12.50 and Plus at $20 are the same again with more AI. | 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 | BFree covers sync between your phone and the web, offline notes and 30 MB of storage, which is a lot of plain text. But you get ads, and unlimited syncs and note history are listed for paid plans only. | 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 | BPlain notes that can turn into a to-do list or a shopping list, saved as you type, with tags and search as you type. There's a GPT-based chat assistant and a trash that keeps deleted notes for 30 days. It's a simple notepad by design, and note history and the PIN lock are paid. | 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 | A4.6 from about 8,600 App Store ratings. It's styled after a paper notepad and saves as you write, so there's very little to learn. Sign-in is through a Google or Apple account only. | 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 | BAndroid, iPhone and a web version for your computer, all on one account. That's good coverage. But there's no desktop app and no integrations or API on the listing. | 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 | a plain notepad that syncs between phone and browser | 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: Inkpad Notepad and Simplenote. How we grade
Where they differ
- Inkpad Notepad starts at $5 per month, billed annually. Simplenote is free.
- Only Simplenote lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Simplenote is open source, according to its own site.
- Inkpad Notepad also covers chat assistant and tasks.
- Simplenote also covers Markdown and linked notes.
In commonFree planWebiOSAndroidWorks offlineNotes
At a glance
| Inkpad Notepad | Simplenote | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $5 per month, billed annually | Free |
| Free plan | Sync between mobile devices and the web, offline notes and 30 MB of storage, with ads shown. Unlimited syncs, note history and the AI models are listed for paid plans only. | 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 | Workpail, LLC | Automattic |
| Price read from | inkpad.me | simplenote.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Inkpad Notepad
- People who want a plain notepad for lists and quick notes
- Reading and editing phone notes from a computer's browser
- Android and iPhone users who want the same notes on both
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
Inkpad Notepad
- The free plan shows ads and stops at 30 MB of storage; hiding ads needs a paid plan.
- The website quotes prices billed annually. The US App Store also lists monthly options and a Basic plan ($1.99 monthly, $19.99 yearly) that the website's table omits.
- Sign-in works only through a Google or Apple account.
- AI use is capped by plan, from 100 standard requests on Premium to 600 on Plus, and the advanced model is on Plus only.
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
Inkpad Notepad
- Notes, to-do lists and shopping lists
- A note can stay as plain text or be switched to a to-do list or a shopping list. Everything is saved automatically as you write.
- Sync and web access
- Notes sync between Android and iOS devices and back up online, and the same account opens them in a web browser on a computer. Notes on the phone stay available offline.
- Search and tags
- Keyword search filters the list of notes as you type, and tags group related notes together.
- AI chat assistant and writing tools
- A chat assistant built on GPT helps with editing and brainstorming, writing tools fix spelling, grammar and style, and a quiz mode asks questions about your notes.
- Note history and PIN code
- Paid plans can view and restore up to 10 earlier versions of a note and protect the app with a PIN code.
- Export, import and trash
- Notes export to an Inkpad Archive zip file that can be imported into another account. Deleted notes sit in the trash for 30 days before they are removed.
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
Inkpad Notepad
Free$0
Sync between mobile devices and the web, offline notes and 30 MB of storage, with ads.
Premium$5
per month, billed annually
500 MB of storage, unlimited syncs with 500 MB of uploads a month, no ads, 10 earlier versions per note, premium support and 100 standard AI requests.
Standard$12.50
per month, billed annually
Everything in Premium, with the standard AI request allowance raised to 300.
Plus$20
per month, billed annually
Everything in Standard, plus the advanced AI model, with 600 standard and 100 advanced AI requests.
Simplenote
Free$0
Every app and feature, including sync, version history, collaboration and publishing, with a Simplenote account.
Ways to pay less
Inkpad Notepad
- Annual discount
Yearly in-app plans cost about 17% less
The US App Store lists Inkpad Lite at $5.99 monthly or $59.99 yearly, and Standard at $14.99 or $149.99, about 17% less than twelve monthly payments.
Simplenote
No public discounts listed.
