Noticky vs SideNotes
We give Noticky and SideNotes the same GPA: 3.0 out of 4.0. Noticky grades higher on the free plan. SideNotes grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, ease of use and platforms.
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
SideNotes
Screen-edge notes panel for Mac, with a separate iPhone app
Free trial · from $9.99 one-time
How we grade them
| 3.0GPANotickyVery good | 3.0GPASideNotesVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | A$19.99 once for the Mac app, for 1 user on up to 5 Macs. That's about what three or four months of a typical note subscription costs. The iPhone and iPad app is another $9.99, and SideNotes 2 will be a paid upgrade, discounted for owners. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | CNo free version. There's a free trial download of the Mac app, but the site doesn't say how long it lasts. Once you've bought, there's a 14-day money-back guarantee. |
| Features | 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. | AIt does one thing, notes at the screen edge, and does it fully. Markdown with the markup hidden, checklists, images, snippets and shortcuts to files, all in colour-coded folders. Then iCloud sync, automatic backups, Shortcuts actions and an AppleScript API on top. |
| Ease of use | 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. | BNo rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. You open it with a click, a keyboard shortcut or by moving the cursor to the edge. A formatting toolbar appears when you select text. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | CMac, iPhone and iPad, synced through iCloud, with hooks into Alfred, Raycast, PopClip, Hookmark and Dropzone. All Apple, though. The Mac app needs macOS 13 or later, and the mobile one needs iOS or iPadOS 17. |
| Best for | sticky notes that float over fullscreen Mac apps | notes that slide out from the edge of your Mac screen |
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: Noticky and SideNotes. How we grade
Where they differ
- Noticky starts at $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $9.99 one-time for Mac. SideNotes starts at $9.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $19.99 one-time for Mac.
- Noticky has a free plan. SideNotes does not, though it has a free trial.
- Noticky also covers templates and screenshots.
- SideNotes also covers tasks.
In commonmacOSiOSOne-time purchaseNotesMarkdownMenu bar app
At a glance
| Noticky | SideNotes | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $9.99 one-time for Mac | $9.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $19.99 one-time for Mac |
| Free plan | 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. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial download of the Mac app; the site does not state its length |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Try Hard | Apptorium |
| Price read from | noticky.app | apptorium.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
SideNotes
- Mac users who want notes at hand without switching apps
- Keeping snippets, links and screenshots beside the work in progress
- People who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription
Worth knowing
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.
SideNotes
- Apple platforms only: the Mac app needs macOS 13 or later, and SideNotes Mobile needs iOS or iPadOS 17.
- SideNotes Mobile is a separate $9.99 purchase and lacks the Mac app's file shortcuts and backups.
- The payment covers version 1.x. The vendor says SideNotes 2 will be a paid upgrade, discounted for owners and free for those who bought in the prior 6 months.
- A free trial is offered, but the site does not say how long it lasts.
Key features
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.
SideNotes
- Screen-edge panel
- The panel sits on the left or right edge of the screen and shows above other apps, including full-screen ones. It opens with a click, a keyboard shortcut or by moving the cursor to the edge.
- Folders, colors and pinning
- Notes are grouped into folders, can be given colors, reordered by drag and drop, pinned to the top of the list and folded to save space.
- Markdown with hidden markup
- Notes are formatted with Markdown, and the markup can stay out of sight while writing. A formatting toolbar appears when text is selected.
- Tasks, images and file shortcuts
- A note can hold checklists, pictures, text snippets, or a shortcut to a file or folder. Color codes typed as #rrggbb get a preview.
- iCloud sync and backups
- Notes sync through iCloud across Mac, iPhone and iPad. The Mac app also backs notes up automatically to a local folder, or to iCloud.
- Automation
- Shortcuts actions, an AppleScript API and URL links to notes and folders let other apps create, find and open notes. The site lists Alfred, Raycast, PopClip, Hookmark and Dropzone.
Plans
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.
SideNotes
SideNotes Mobile$9.99
one-time purchase (US App Store)
The iPhone and iPad app, sold separately from the Mac app. It syncs through iCloud but has no file shortcuts or backups.
SideNotes$19.99
one-time purchase per major version
The Mac app: a license for 1 user on up to 5 Macs, free updates within version 1.x and a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Ways to pay less
Noticky
No public discounts listed.
SideNotes
- Education
Student discount through Student App Centre
Apptorium's buy page says a student discount on SideNotes is available through Student App Centre. The page does not give the size of the discount.
