Apple Notes vs SnipNotes

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

SnipNotes

• Apple Watch owners who want to dictate and read notes on the wrist
• Collecting copied text, links and addresses to act on later
• People who prefer a one-time purchase to a notes subscription

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.

SnipNotes

• It runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch only; the developer says there are no current plans for Windows or Android.
• iCloud sync, subcategories, tags, file attachments, drawing and voice recordings are all paid.
• Sync works through iCloud only; the FAQ rules out Dropbox, OneDrive and Nextcloud because notes are stored as database records.
• The feature table marks drawing, dictation, Siri, widgets, reminders and passcode protection as not yet supported on the Mac.

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.

SnipNotes

Capture from clipboard, voice and share sheet

Notes can be created from copied text, dictated with Siri or in-app voice input, dragged in from other apps or sent through the share sheet. A note can also store the current location.

Apple Watch app

Notes can be dictated, read and managed on the watch, and synced notes stay available when the iPhone is out of range. LTE watches can create notes on the go.

Inbox, archive, categories and tags

New notes land in an inbox and can be archived, pinned or filed in categories. Nested categories and colored tags are paid features.

Quick actions and automation

Detected addresses open in a map and phone numbers can be called, and a note can become a calendar event. Shortcuts actions and a URL scheme connect it to other apps.

Attachments, drawing and voice recordings

Paid upgrades add file attachments such as PDFs and videos, drawing with a finger or Apple Pencil on iPhone and iPad, and voice recordings that iOS 26 or later can transcribe.

iCloud sync with offline access

With SnipNotes Plus, notes sync through the user's private iCloud account. They are also stored locally, so they can be read and edited without a connection.

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.

SnipNotes

• Free$0

  The app with its core features on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. Paid features such as iCloud sync stay locked.

• SnipNotes Plus (Subscription)$1.99

  billing period not labelled; a monthly option exists

  Unlocks every paid feature on iOS and macOS, including ones added later, after a 7-day free trial. The US App Store lists two subscription items at $1.99.

• Single-feature upgrades$3.99

  one-time purchase per feature

  Subcategories, Note Attachments, Note Tags and Voice Recordings sold one at a time. The vendor's blog gave $4.99 for tags and voice recordings at launch.

• SnipNotes Plus (yearly subscription)$14.99

  per year

  The listing's promoted subscription for one year, with a free trial. Its price comes from the page's purchase data and is not shown as text.

• SnipNotes Plus (iOS)$14.99

  one-time purchase

  Premium features for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch only. Listed while the vendor says all purchases are reduced for a short time.

• SnipNotes Plus (iOS + macOS)$24.99

  one-time purchase

  Premium features on both iOS and macOS with one purchase. Also listed during the vendor's temporary sale; the regular price is not shown.

Apple Notes

No public discounts listed.

SnipNotes

• Lifetime license

  One-time purchase instead of a subscription

  SnipNotes Plus can be unlocked permanently with a single purchase, for one platform or for iOS and macOS together, as an alternative to the monthly or annual subscription.

• Other savings

  Temporary sale on all in-app purchases

  The App Store description says all purchases are reduced for a short time and gives no end date. Tags and Voice Recordings are listed at $3.99 against the $4.99 quoted at launch.