Apple Notes vs Quick Note
We give Apple Notes a 3.8 GPA and Quick Note a 2.8, 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.
Quick Note
Menu bar sticky notes that float above other Mac windows
Free trial · from $12.99 one-time
How we grade them
| 3.8GPAApple NotesExcellent | 2.8GPAQuick NoteGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | APro is $12.99 once on the US App Store, and that one purchase covers iPhone, iPad and Mac. Paid plans in this category typically start at $5.99 a month, so it's about two months of somebody else's subscription. |
| 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. | CThere's no free plan to stay on. You can use it free for 30 days with up to 6 notes, which is enough to see if a floating note suits you. Going further needs the Pro purchase, and iCloud sync is Pro only. |
| 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 small thing fully. Notes float above other windows, turn translucent or collapse when they're in the way, and take headings, checklists and links from keyboard shortcuts. Colours, folders and favourites keep them sorted. It's a sticky note, not a notebook, and it doesn't pretend otherwise. |
| 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. Click the menu bar icon, or press the shortcut, and you're typing, with nothing to name or save. |
| 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 and iPad, synced over iCloud with Pro, plus Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript, a desktop widget and Spotlight. All Apple. It needs macOS 15 or iOS 18 or later, and there's no Windows or Android version. |
| Best for | free notes if you only use Apple devices | floating sticky notes from the Mac menu bar |
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 Quick Note. How we grade
Where they differ
- Apple Notes is free. Quick Note starts at $12.99 one-time.
- Apple Notes has a free plan. Quick Note does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Apple Notes lists a web app.
- Quick Note can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Apple Notes also covers transcription and linked notes.
- Quick Note also covers menu bar app.
In commoniOSmacOSNotes
At a glance
| Apple Notes | Quick Note | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $12.99 one-time |
| 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. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free to use for 30 days with up to 6 notes |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Apple | Kaunteya Suryawanshi |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| 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
Quick Note
- Mac users who want a note visible on top of the window they work in
- Short-lived reminders, phone numbers and checklists
- People who format text from the keyboard
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.
Quick Note
- The free version stops at 6 notes and 30 days of use; going further needs the one-time Pro purchase.
- iCloud sync is part of Pro only.
- There is no Windows or Android version. The docs FAQ still calls the app Mac only, while the App Store lists an iPhone and iPad version.
- The App Store listing requires macOS 15 or later on the Mac and iOS 18 or later on iPhone and iPad.
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.
Quick Note
- New note from the menu bar
- A click on the menu bar icon or a global keyboard shortcut opens a new note straight away, with nothing to name or save.
- Floating notes
- Notes stay on top of other apps' windows. A note can be made translucent when it is in the way, or collapsed to save space and expanded again.
- Rich text on keyboard shortcuts
- Headings, bold, italics, strikethrough, highlight, named links and bulleted, numbered and checklist lists are all applied with keyboard shortcuts.
- Colors, folders and favorites
- Each note can have its own color, related notes can be grouped in folders, and favorite notes are pinned to the top of the menu.
- iCloud sync
- With Pro, notes and folders are backed up to the user's iCloud account and kept in sync across Macs and with the iPhone and iPad app.
- macOS automation
- Notes can be created from a desktop widget, the Services menu, Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript or Terminal, and found through Spotlight search.
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.
Quick Note
Quick Note Pro$12.99
one-time purchase (US App Store)
Removes the 6-note and 30-day limits of the free version and adds iCloud sync. One purchase covers iPhone, iPad and Mac.
