Stickier vs Tot

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

Tot

• Mac and iPhone users who want a scratchpad for short-lived text
• People who prefer a fixed handful of notes to a growing library
• Shortcuts users who need a place to stash and fetch text

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.