The Napkin Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Napkin in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Napkin
The Insider’s Guide
iPhone app for saving quotes and ideas and revisiting them as flows
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Napkin’s own pages.
Made by Napkin GmbH · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Napkin’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Napkin’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 7 of the 169 other note-taking apps we grade
Napkin is an iPhone app for saving short ideas and quotes, typed, dictated, scanned from a book or shared from other apps. It links related ideas and plays them back as short curated flows for reflection, with an AI that suggests topics. The earlier desktop version was switched off on June 30, 2026.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Napkin, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You install it and share or type something in, with nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for saving quotes and ideas on an iPhone
Napkin is an iPhone app for saving short ideas and quotes and playing them back as short flows.
- 2
Paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $5 per month, or $40 per year.
- 3
It runs on iOS
iOS.
- 4
Share from other apps
Send text from other apps to Napkin through the share sheet, or type an idea in with the keyboard.
- 5
Flows of ideas
Saved ideas are connected into short, curated playlists meant for quick moments of reflection.
- 6
AI topic suggestions
A personal AI reads your saved ideas and suggests topics you may want to look at again.
- 7
A 2.0 GPA, above 7 of 169
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Napkin you would be making dictation that types into any app on your computer. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Napkin at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $5 per month, or $40 per year
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- iOS
- Made by
- Napkin GmbH
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for saving quotes and ideas on an iPhone
Napkin is an iPhone app for saving short ideas and quotes and playing them back as short flows. You can't use it without a subscription, it runs on iPhone only, and it needs iOS 26.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | $40 a year, or about $3.33 a month, which is the edge of the category's cheapest quarter. The listing also shows a $3 monthly and $30 yearly pair without saying why. |
| Free plan and trial | F | Nothing is free: the listing says a subscription is needed and shows no free plan or trial. |
| Features | C | It does one smaller job fully: collect ideas by typing, dictating, scanning a book or sharing, then revisit them with AI topic suggestions. It isn't a notes library, and the desktop version was switched off on 30 June 2026. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record. You install it and share or type something in, with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | iPhone only. No iPad, Mac, Windows, Android or web version, and no integrations listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Napkin is for
- Fits if you collect quotes from books and articles and want to see them again later
- Works for people on an iPhone who want a calm review habit more than a note library
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want to try before paying, as there is no free plan or trial
- Skip it if you also write on a laptop: the desktop version was shut down and no replacement is promised
- Too light for notes with folders, long text or search, as it is built for short ideas
- Watch out: it needs iOS 26.0 or later, and the listing shows two pairs of subscription prices
Good to know
Good for
- Collecting quotes and short ideas from reading
- People who want a calm review habit more than a full note library
Worth knowing
- Runs on iPhone only; the desktop prototype was shut down on June 30, 2026, and no replacement is promised.
- The App Store listing says a subscription is needed to use Napkin, and it shows no free plan or trial.
- The listing also shows a second pair of subscription prices, $3 monthly and $30 yearly, without saying what differs.
- It requires iOS 26.0 or later.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$3.33
A month to start, paid by the year
Napkin is a paid product, starting at $5 per month, or $40 per year.
Nothing is free: the listing says a subscription is needed and shows no free plan or trial.
All features, monthly
$5
per month
Subscription with all features, billed monthly through the App Store.
All features, yearly
$40
per year
The same subscription billed yearly, which works out to about $3.33 a month.
Read from apps.apple.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: iOS
iPhone app for saving quotes and ideas and revisiting them as flows. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, dictation, notes.
It does one smaller job fully: collect ideas by typing, dictating, scanning a book or sharing, then revisit them with AI topic suggestions.
- Share from other apps
- Send text from other apps to Napkin through the share sheet, or type an idea in with the keyboard.
- Flows of ideas
- Saved ideas are connected into short, curated playlists meant for quick moments of reflection.
- AI topic suggestions
- A personal AI reads your saved ideas and suggests topics you may want to look at again.
- Scan and dictate
- Scan a passage from a printed book or dictate an idea by voice instead of typing it.
Where it runs
- iOS
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Napkin is made by Napkin GmbH.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
7/169
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Napkin's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 7 of the 169 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 61 of 169) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 20 of the 72 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 19 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 170 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Napkin’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 55 of 169
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 169
- CFeaturesAbove 4 of 169
- BEase of useAbove 61 of 169
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 34 of 169
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 118 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Napkin is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Napkin you would be making dictation that types into any app on your computer. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 152 of the 169 other note-taking apps grade higher. It costs $40 a year.
What you could make
- Notes: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Dictation that types into any app on your computer.
- A real app for iOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Napkin’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
mymind, Reflect, Capacities and Apple Notes
The 4 tools Napkin is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
mymind
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Private AI-tagged store for bookmarks, notes and images.
- mymind has a free plan. Napkin does not.
- Only mymind lists a web app.
- Only mymind lists macOS and Android apps.
- 2.2GPA
Reflect
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Open-source daily notes app with backlinks and local Markdown.
- Reflect has a free plan. Napkin does not.
- Only Reflect lists a macOS app.
- Only Reflect lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
Capacities
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Object-based note-taking app with daily notes and backlinks.
- Capacities has a free plan. Napkin does not.
- Only Capacities lists a web app.
- Only Capacities lists macOS, Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- 3.4GPA
Apple Notes
Free
Apple's free notes app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web.
- Apple Notes has a free plan. Napkin does not.
- Only Apple Notes lists a web app.
- Only Apple Notes lists a macOS app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Napkin free?
No. Napkin is a paid product, starting at $5 per month, or $40 per year.
How much does Napkin cost?
Napkin lists 2 plans. All features, monthly: $5 per month.
What platforms does Napkin work on?
Napkin is available on iOS.
Does Napkin have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Napkin is listed for iOS.
Does Napkin have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Napkin is listed for iOS.
Is Napkin open source?
Napkin is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Who makes Napkin?
Napkin is made by Napkin GmbH.
What are the alternatives to Napkin?
The closest alternatives to Napkin in our directory are mymind, Reflect, Capacities and Apple Notes.
How does Napkin compare with other note-taking apps?
Napkin's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 7 of the 169 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 10.
Is Napkin good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Napkin B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 20 of the 72 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Napkin?
To replace Napkin you would be making dictation that types into any app on your computer.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Napkin’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Napkin's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Napkin GmbH. Prices change, so check napkin.one before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Napkin, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/napkin
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Napkin: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/napkin
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/napkin/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Napkin, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 170 note-taking apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft OneNote Insider's GuideMicrosoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes3.8 GPA
- Goodnotes Insider's GuideHandwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant3.6 GPA
- Joplin Insider's GuideOpen source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose3.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Napkin’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Napkin is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Napkin GmbH. Prices and plans change: check napkin.one before you buy.