SideNotes vs Stickier
We give SideNotes a 3.0 GPA and Stickier a 3.2, out of 4.0. SideNotes grades higher on features. Stickier grades higher on the free plan. 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.
SideNotes
Screen-edge notes panel for Mac, with a separate iPhone app
Free trial · from $9.99 one-time
Stickier
Sticky notes for Mac with iCloud sync and an iPhone companion app
Free plan · from $4.99 one-time
How we grade them
| 3.0GPASideNotesVery good | 3.2GPAStickierVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | AThe Mac app is free, with no in-app purchases listed. Stickier Mobile for iPhone and iPad is $4.99 once on the US App Store, and it supports Family Sharing. That's less than a month of a typical note subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | AOn a Mac the whole app is free: note windows, iCloud sync, revisions and the quick note shortcut. If your notes only need to live on your Mac, you never pay. It's the phone app that costs. |
| Features | 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. | BEach note is its own window that can collapse, stay on top or snap to a grid. Notes take bold, italics, links, bullets and checkboxes, and a revisions button brings back earlier text. Solid for sticky notes, which is the whole job here. No reminders or attachments are on record, though. |
| Ease of use | 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. | BNo rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. A global shortcut key starts a quick note, and notes save automatically. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | CMac, iPhone and iPad, synced through iCloud, and that's the lot. No Windows, Android or web version, and no other sync service is named. The Mac app needs macOS 13.1 or later, and the mobile one iOS or iPadOS 16.4. |
| Best for | notes that slide out from the edge of your Mac screen | free sticky notes on a Mac that sync through iCloud |
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: SideNotes and Stickier. How we grade
Where they differ
- SideNotes starts at $9.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $19.99 one-time for Mac. Stickier starts at $4.99 one-time purchase for the iPhone and iPad app.
- Stickier has a free plan. SideNotes does not, though it has a free trial.
- SideNotes also covers Markdown and tasks.
In commonmacOSiOSOne-time purchaseNotesMenu bar app
At a glance
| SideNotes | Stickier | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $9.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $19.99 one-time for Mac | $4.99 one-time purchase for the iPhone and iPad app |
| Free plan | None | The Mac app is free on the Mac App Store, and its listing shows no in-app purchases. The iPhone and iPad companion app, Stickier Mobile, is a paid download. |
| Free trial | Free trial download of the Mac app; the site does not state its length | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Apptorium | Camazotz LLC |
| Price read from | apptorium.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
Stickier
- Mac users who want floating sticky notes that sync through iCloud
- Keeping a short checklist on top of other windows
- Showing a note in an iPhone Home Screen or Lock Screen widget
Worth knowing
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.
Stickier
- It runs on Apple devices only: the site lists a macOS app and an iOS app, with no Windows, Android or web version.
- The Mac app is free, but the iPhone and iPad app is a separate $4.99 purchase on the US App Store.
- Sync runs through iCloud; the site and the store listings name no other sync service.
- The Mac app requires macOS 13.1 or later, and Stickier Mobile requires iOS or iPadOS 16.4 or later.
Key features
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.
Stickier
- Sticky note windows
- On the Mac each note opens in its own window, which can be collapsed, kept always on top of other windows, and lined up with a snap-to-grid option.
- iCloud sync
- Notes save automatically and sync through iCloud between Macs, iPhones and iPads. Custom note colors sync across devices as well.
- Note revisions
- A revisions button on the note toolbar shows recent revisions of a note, and a Restore button replaces the current text with an earlier revision.
- Formatting, bullets and checkboxes
- Notes take bold, italic, underlined and struck-through text and web links. Bullets and checkboxes repeat on the next line and can be indented.
- Menu bar and quick note shortcut
- The Mac app offers optional menu bar access and a global shortcut key for quick notes. A second shortcut can show the notes list window.
- Widgets on iPhone and iPad
- Stickier Mobile shows notes in Home Screen, Today View and Lock Screen widgets, and the widget text size can be changed in Settings.
Plans
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.
Stickier
Stickier$0
The Mac app, free on the Mac App Store with no in-app purchases listed. Requires macOS 13.1 or later.
Stickier Mobile$4.99
one-time purchase (US App Store)
The iPhone and iPad companion app, with Home Screen, Today View and Lock Screen widgets. Supports Family Sharing; requires iOS 16.4 or later.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stickier
No public discounts listed.
