nvALT vs Tot (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, nvALT 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
nvALT grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Tot grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
nvALT
Free keyboard-driven Mac notes app with plain-text Markdown files
Free
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 nvALT if
- Fits if you want quick plain-text notes on a Mac, driven from the keyboard
- Works for people who already use Simplenote
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows, a phone or a browser, as it is Mac only
- Tight if you sync through Dropbox: the app warns against that while Simplenote sync is on
- Watch out: a new major version opens with default settings, so sync and the notes folder must be picked again
- Watch out: the author describes nvUltra as the app that follows nvALT
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
| 2.8GPAnvALTGood | 2.6GPATotGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, with no paid plan listed on its project page. | 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 | AFree outright, with no paid tier and no cap shown on the project page. | 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 | CSearch-first entry, plain-text files, Markdown preview, web clipping and Simplenote sync. The listing's gaps: sync is Simplenote only and the author points to a successor. | 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. You download it and start typing in the search field. | 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 | DMac only, needing macOS 12 or later. No Windows, mobile or web version. | 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 | keyboard-driven plain-text notes on a Mac | 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: nvALT and Tot. How we grade
Where they differ
- Tot can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- nvALT also covers web clipper.
- Tot also covers menu bar app.
In commonFree planmacOSNotesMarkdown
At a glance
| nvALT | Tot | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $19.99 one-time in-app purchase, per platform |
| Free plan | NvALT is free, with no paid plans listed. | 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 |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Brett Terpstra | The Iconfactory |
| Price read from | brettterpstra.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
nvALT
- nvALT 3 requires macOS 12 or later; there is no Windows, mobile or web version.
- Sync is through Simplenote only, and the app warns if notes sit in Dropbox while Simplenote sync is on.
- A first launch of a new major version opens with default settings, so sync and notes folder must be chosen again.
- The author describes nvUltra as the app he is building to follow nvALT.
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
nvALT
- Search-first note entry
- One field searches and creates: typing filters the list, and a title with no match becomes a new note on Return.
- Plain-text files
- New libraries are a folder of Markdown files, and tags are written to them as Finder tags.
- Apex Markdown preview
- Previews combine CommonMark, GitHub Flavored Markdown, MultiMarkdown and Kramdown syntax, with themes for editor and preview.
- Web clipping
- Safari extension ships inside the app; Chrome, Brave, Firefox and Zen extensions are installed separately.
- Simplenote sync
- Sync runs through Simplenote and is set up in the Synchronization tab of the notes settings.
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
nvALT
nvALT$0
Free download; the project page says it is free and shows no paid tier.
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, nvALT or Tot?
As of Nov 13, 2026, nvALT is free, and Tot starts at $19.99 one-time in-app purchase, per platform.
Which has a free plan, nvALT or Tot?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both nvALT and Tot have a free plan.
Which platforms do nvALT and Tot run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Tot lists an iOS app. Both list a macOS app. 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.