Notes.io vs Simplenote (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Simplenote grades higher than Notes.io: 3.4 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Simplenote grades higher on features, 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.
Which one is for you
Pick Notes.io if
- Fits if you want to jot something down and send a link without signing up
- Works for passing a snippet of text to someone on another device
Look elsewhere if
- Too light for real note-keeping: no folders, tags or search are described
- Skip it if the note is private, as the pages say little about the privacy of shared notes
- Watch out: the short link covers notes up to 18 KB, and longer ones need you to sign in or trim them
- Not for you if you want an app, as there is only the website
Pick Simplenote if
- Fits if you want plain notes on your phone, your computer and a browser for nothing
- Works for people who'd rather tag and search than build folders
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you keep photos, PDFs or scans in your notes, as it's text only
- Not for you if your notes are sensitive, since they aren't encrypted at rest and Automattic advises against it
- Too light for sharing a whole notebook, because notes are shared one at a time
- Watch out: you can't use it at all without a Simplenote account
- Tight if you want it connected to other tools, as WordPress.com is the only integration on the listing
How we grade them
| 2.8GPANotes.ioGood | 3.4GPASimplenoteVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, with no paid plan published anywhere on the site we read. | AFree outright, with no paid plan at all, where paid plans in this category sit at $6 a month in the middle. Sync, backups, sharing and version history are all part of the one free account. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe site says it has been free since it started and needs no account to write and share a note. | AEverything is free: the apps, syncing, backups and sharing, and Automattic says it puts no limit on how many notes you keep. There's no cap here to walk into. You do need an account, mind. It won't run without one. |
| Features | DOne narrow function: write a note, share it by link and keep an archive. No folders, tags, search or apps are described. | CSync, tags, pins, search as you type, version history, Markdown, checklists, links between notes and publishing to a public link. But the listing names the gap plainly: notes are text only, so no image, PDF or scan goes in, and they aren't encrypted at rest. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. Open the page and type, with nothing to set up. | A4.75 from about 4,300 App Store ratings, which is the top band. There's no sync button to press and no folders to set up. You type, you tag, you search. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with no apps, extension or integrations listed. | BiPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux and the web, which is everything most people own, and a note can be published to a public link. What holds it short of an A is the wiring: WordPress.com is the only integration on the listing. |
| Best for | a quick note you can share with a link | 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: Notes.io and Simplenote. How we grade
Price against what you get
Notes.io has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Simplenote has no paid plan and scores 3.0.
Simplenote scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other note-taking apps on the chart, none scores higher than Notes.io for less, and none scores higher than Simplenote for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Simplenote is open source, according to its own site.
- Notes.io also covers file sharing.
- Simplenote also covers Markdown and linked notes.
In commonFree planWebNotes
At a glance
| Notes.io | Simplenote | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The site says it has been free since it started and needs no account to write and share a note. | 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 | Metromedya | Automattic |
| Price read from | notes.io | simplenote.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Notes.io
- Links shorten only notes up to 18 KB; longer notes need you to sign in or trim them.
- The pages describe no folders, tags, search or apps, only writing, sharing and an archive.
- The site publishes no paid plans, and its pages say little about privacy of shared notes.
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
Notes.io
- No account to start
- Open the page and write; a note can be created and shared without signing up.
- Short share links
- Each note gets a link with an 8-character address that can be sent by SMS, email or a messaging app.
- Any device with a browser
- Notes are taken in the browser, so there is nothing to install on a phone or computer.
- Archive of your notes
- The site describes an archive of past notes that can be browsed quickly.
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
Notes.io
Free$0
Write and share notes in the browser without an account; sign in for notes over 18 KB.
Simplenote
Free$0
Every app and feature, including sync, version history, collaboration and publishing, with a Simplenote account.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Notes.io or Simplenote?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Notes.io and Simplenote are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Notes.io or Simplenote?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Notes.io and Simplenote have a free plan.
Which platforms do Notes.io and Simplenote run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Simplenote lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.