Notes.io vs Tot (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Notes.io grades higher than Tot: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Notes.io grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Tot grades higher on features. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Tot
Seven-note text scratchpad for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch
Free plan · from $19.99 one-time
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 Tot if
- Fits if you want a scratchpad for text you'll only need for an hour
- Works for Shortcuts users who need somewhere to stash and fetch text
Look elsewhere if
- Too light for anyone who keeps notes long term, as seven dots is all you get
- Pricey if you want premium on both Mac and iPhone, since that's $19.99 twice, plus $1.99 for the Watch app
- Skip it if you'd paste passwords in, because backups are unencrypted and the vendor advises against storing secrets
- Not for you if you use Windows or Android, as it's Apple only with iCloud as the only sync
- Watch out: the Mac app needs macOS 14.0 or later, and the unlock only names dividers and custom bullets
How we grade them
| 2.8GPANotes.ioGood | 2.6GPATotGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, with no paid plan published anywhere on the site we read. | BThe unlock is $19.99 once, against $6 a month for the middle of this category, about three and a half months of a typical subscription. You pay it separately on the Mac and on iOS though, the Watch app is another $1.99, and the only things the listing names it buying are text dividers and custom smart bullets. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe site says it has been free since it started and needs no account to write and share a note. | BOne person could stay on the free download: both apps are free, and what's locked is dividers and custom bullets rather than the scratchpad itself. Seven dots is the ceiling whether you pay or not. |
| Features | DOne narrow function: write a note, share it by link and keep an archive. No folders, tags, search or apps are described. | CIt does the scratchpad job completely, and that is a much smaller job than a notes app. Seven colour-coded dots in one window, 100,000 characters each, formatted or plain text that converts to Markdown, smart bullets, iCloud sync, Shortcuts and widgets. Seven is the limit and the vendor says it can't be raised. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record. Open the page and type, with nothing to set up. | BNo rating on record, but there's nothing to set up and nothing to organise, because there are only seven places to put anything. On the Mac it drops down from the menu bar or a keyboard shortcut. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with no apps, extension or integrations listed. | CApple only: Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, synced through iCloud and nothing else, with Shortcuts actions on both. No Windows, Android or web version, and the Mac app wants macOS 14.0 or later. |
| Best for | a quick note you can share with a link | a seven-note scratchpad on Apple devices |
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 Tot. How we grade
Where they differ
- Tot can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Notes.io also covers file sharing.
- Tot also covers Markdown and menu bar app.
In commonFree planNotes
At a glance
| Notes.io | Tot | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $19.99 one-time in-app purchase, per platform |
| Free plan | The site says it has been free since it started and needs no account to write and share a note. | The Mac app and the iPhone and iPad app are free to download. Premium features, which the vendor says include text dividers and custom smart bullets, need the paid unlock. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Metromedya | The Iconfactory |
| Price read from | notes.io | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 9, 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.
Tot
- The site lists apps for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch only; there is no Windows, Android or web version.
- Notes are fixed at seven dots of up to 100,000 characters each, and the vendor says more cannot be added.
- Premium features are bought separately on the Mac and on iOS at $19.99 each, and the Apple Watch app costs another $1.99.
- Sync runs through iCloud only, and automatic backups are unencrypted JSON files; the vendor advises against storing secrets in Tot.
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.
Tot
- Seven dots
- All text lives in seven color-coded dots in one window. The vendor says the limit is deliberate and cannot be raised; each dot holds up to 100,000 characters.
- iCloud sync and Apple Watch app
- Dots sync between Mac, iPhone and iPad through iCloud. Tot Mini, a separate $1.99 Apple Watch app, joins the same sync and takes dictation and Scribble input.
- Rich text, plain text and Markdown
- A dot can hold rich or plain text, and rich text can be turned into Markdown for use on the web. Word and character counts update as you type.
- Smart bullets and dividers
- Smart bullets make checklists whose items toggle with a tap. Version 2 added up to eight custom bullet pairs and eight divider styles.
- Menu bar and floating window
- On the Mac, Tot opens from the menu bar, the Dock or both, can float above other windows, and can be shown with a keyboard shortcut.
- Shortcuts, widgets and backups
- Shortcuts actions on macOS and iOS store and retrieve the text of a dot, iOS has Home Screen widgets, and both platforms keep automatic local backups.
Plans
Notes.io
Free$0
Write and share notes in the browser without an account; sign in for notes over 18 KB.
Tot
Free download$0
Tot for Mac and Tot Pocket for iPhone and iPad are free on the App Store, with premium features locked until purchased.
Tot for macOS$19.99
one-time in-app purchase (US Mac App Store)
Unlocks the premium features on the Mac, such as text dividers and custom smart bullets. Requires macOS 14.0 or later.
Tot for iOS and iPadOS$19.99
one-time in-app purchase (US App Store)
Unlocks the premium features in Tot Pocket on iPhone and iPad. People who paid for Tot 1.0 on iOS get version 2 by restoring the purchase.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Notes.io or Tot?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Notes.io is free, and Tot starts at $19.99 one-time in-app purchase, per platform.
Which has a free plan, Notes.io or Tot?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Notes.io and Tot have a free plan.
Which platforms do Notes.io and Tot run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Notes.io lists a web app and only Tot lists macOS and iOS apps. 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.