Apple Notes vs Noticky
We give Apple Notes a 3.8 GPA and Noticky a 3.0, out of 4.0. Apple Notes grades higher on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Noticky
Sticky notes for Mac that stay on top, even in fullscreen
Free plan · from $4.99 one-time
How we grade them
| 3.8GPAApple NotesExcellent | 3.0GPANotickyVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree on the App Store, with no in-app purchases. The only money that might come up is iCloud storage: 5 GB is free, and iCloud+ starts at $0.99 a month for 50 GB. | A$9.99 once for the Mac app, with future updates included, and $4.99 once for Pro on iPhone and iPad. Paid plans in this category typically start at $5.99 a month, so both together cost less than three months of one. No subscriptions at all. |
| Free plan and trial | AEvery feature is free on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus the browser at iCloud.com. Sync runs on the 5 GB of iCloud storage that comes with an Apple Account. | BOnly the iPhone and iPad app has a free version: unlimited notes and folders, but 1 wall with up to 8 notes. The Mac app has no free tier. The site says trial terms depend on where you buy it, and the terms say all sales are final. |
| Features | AText, checklists, tables, scans, sketches and audio recordings with live transcripts, all in one note. Search reads handwriting and the text inside scanned documents. Add tags, Smart Folders, links between notes, shared folders and locked notes. | BIt does one thing, sticky notes, and does it fully. Notes float above fullscreen apps, link to a Mac app, dock to a screen edge, lock with Touch ID and stay out of screenshots and screen sharing. Markdown renders as you type. Checklists sync with Apple Reminders. It isn't trying to be your notebook. |
| Ease of use | A4.8 from about 650,000 App Store ratings. Commenters who tried Obsidian, Notion or Evernote say they settled on it because it's simple and already there. | BWe have no App Store rating on record for it, so a B is our ceiling. It lives in the menu bar, and Command-Shift-N opens a capture window from any app. Nothing to set up beyond that. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus a web version at iCloud.com for everything else. No Android or Windows app, though, and sharing only works with people who use iCloud. | CMac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, synced through iCloud, with Apple Shortcuts, PopClip and a local MCP server for Claude Desktop or Codex. One family of devices. The Mac app needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later, and there's no Windows, Android or web version. |
| Best for | free notes if you only use Apple devices | sticky notes that float over fullscreen Mac apps |
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: Apple Notes and Noticky. How we grade
Where they differ
- Apple Notes is free. Noticky starts at $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $9.99 one-time for Mac.
- Only Apple Notes lists a web app.
- Noticky can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Apple Notes also covers transcription and linked notes.
- Noticky also covers Markdown, templates, screenshots and menu bar app.
In commonFree planiOSmacOSNotes
At a glance
| Apple Notes | Noticky | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $9.99 one-time for Mac |
| Free plan | The app is listed as free on the App Store, with no in-app purchases. Syncing runs through iCloud, which includes 5 GB of free storage with an Apple Account. | Only the iPhone and iPad app has a free version: unlimited notes and folders, and 1 wall with up to 8 notes. The Mac app has no free tier. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Apple | Try Hard |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | noticky.app |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Apple Notes
- People who use only Apple devices
- Quick capture with Quick Note, Siri or dictation on Apple Watch
- Scanning receipts and documents into searchable notes
- Families and friends sharing notes and folders over iCloud
Noticky
- Keeping a note in view above a fullscreen app on the Mac
- People who share their screen and want private notes left out
- Mac users who want sticky notes tied to the apps they work in
- Buyers who prefer one-time purchases to subscriptions
Worth knowing
Apple Notes
- Apps are listed only for Apple devices; on anything else, notes are reached in a web browser at iCloud.com.
- Notes on iCloud.com works only with notes stored in iCloud, not with notes kept in other accounts such as Google or Yahoo.
- Sync relies on iCloud, which includes 5 GB of free storage; iCloud+ plans with more storage start at $0.99 per month for 50 GB.
- Sharing is limited to people who use iCloud, and Apple says certain features are available only in select languages and regions.
Noticky
- The Mac app needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later, and there is no Windows, Android or web version.
- The Mac and iPhone apps are sold separately at $9.99 and $4.99, and iCloud sync does not carry a purchase across.
- The Mac app has no free tier; the site says trial terms depend on the purchase channel, and the terms state that all sales are final.
- The free iPhone version is limited to 1 wall with up to 8 notes.
Key features
Apple Notes
- Rich notes
- A note can combine text styles, checklists, tables, photos, PDFs, maps and web links. Section headers collapse to hide the text under them.
- Audio recording and transcripts
- Audio sessions are recorded inside a note with a live transcript, and transcripts are searchable to find a particular moment.
- Document scanner and handwriting
- A built-in scanner captures paper documents. Sketches and handwriting are added with a finger, or with Apple Pencil on a compatible iPad, including on inline PDFs.
- Folders, tags and Smart Folders
- Notes sit in folders and subfolders or carry typed or handwritten tags. Smart Folders collect notes by rules such as date created, checklists or attachments.
- Search and links between notes
- Search covers typed text, handwriting and the text inside scanned documents and photos. Notes can link to one another, with >> as a typing shortcut.
- Shared and locked notes
- Notes and folders can be shared with other iCloud users, with changes shown in real time and an Activity view. A note can be locked with the device passcode or a custom password.
Noticky
- Always on top, even in fullscreen
- Notes float above every window, including fullscreen apps, and can be placed freely, stacked in a cascade or tiled into a grid.
- App-aware notes, Quick Access, Edge Dock
- A note linked to a Mac app appears when that app is active. Nine keyboard slots bring back specific notes, and a note can dock to a screen edge as a compact tab.
- Hidden from screen sharing
- Selected notes stay visible to the user but are left out of screenshots, recordings and screen sharing. Individual notes can also be locked with Touch ID.
- Quick Add and live Markdown
- Command-Shift-N opens a capture window from any app for text or images. Markdown headings, lists, checkboxes and code blocks render as they are typed.
- Sticky screenshots and image overlays
- A selected screen area or a clipboard image can be pinned as a floating overlay with adjustable opacity, a position lock and click-through.
- Reminders, Shortcuts and MCP
- Checklist items can sync with Apple Reminders, Apple Shortcuts can create and open notes, and a local MCP server lets Claude Desktop or Codex search and edit them.
Plans
Apple Notes
Free$0
Every feature of the app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus browser access at iCloud.com.
Noticky
Noticky for iOS (Free)$0
The iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch app with unlimited notes and folders, 1 wall of up to 8 notes, and the Blank Wall and Eisenhower Matrix templates.
Noticky Pro for iOS$4.99
one-time purchase
Unlimited walls with up to 64 notes each, every Pro template, Go Live, Lock Screen Wallpaper and premium appearance options.
Noticky for Mac$9.99
one-time purchase
The Mac app with every feature and future updates. Sold on the Mac App Store, by direct download, or as a standalone purchase on Setapp.
