# SideNotes

> Screen-edge notes panel for Mac, with a separate iPhone app

SideNotes is a Mac notes app from Apptorium that sits at the edge of the screen and opens over whatever app is in use. Notes can hold Markdown text, tasks, images, snippets and shortcuts to files, are organized in color-coded folders, and sync through iCloud. It is a one-time purchase per major version with a free trial, and SideNotes Mobile for iPhone and iPad is sold separately.

- **Category:** Note-Taking Apps
- **Made by:** Apptorium (since 2019)
- **Website:** https://www.apptorium.com/sidenotes
- **Runs on:** macOS, iOS
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 9, 2026

## Pricing

SideNotes is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $9.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $19.99 one-time for Mac.

- **Pricing model:** Free trial
- **Free plan:** None.
- **Free trial:** Free trial download of the Mac app; the site does not state its length.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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. |

Read from https://www.apptorium.com/sidenotes on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with SideNotes before buying.

## Ways to pay less

- **Student discount through Student App Centre** (Education): 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. Source: https://www.apptorium.com/sidenotes/buy

## Mac App Store prices by country

"The app", as each country's Mac App Store showed it on Oct 9, 2026. These are the app's prices, not the website's.

| Country | Price | In US dollars |
| --- | --- | --- |
| United States | $19.99 | |
| United Kingdom | £19.99 | about $26.43 (32% more) |
| Germany | 22,99 € | about $25.76 (29% more) |
| Canada | $24.99 | about $17.57 (12% less) |
| Australia | $29.99 | about $20.94 (about the same) |
| India | ₹ 1,999 | about $20.67 (about the same) |
| Brazil | R$ 129,90 | about $25.95 (30% more) |
| Mexico | $399.00 | about $21.92 (10% more) |
| Turkey | ₺999,99 | about $20.34 (about the same) |
| Indonesia | Rp 399ribu | about $22.31 (12% more) |
| Philippines | ₱ 1,290.00 | about $20.53 (about the same) |
| South Africa | R399.99 | about $24.19 (21% more) |

## Key features

- **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.

## Good for

- 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

- 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.

## Works with

iCloud, Apple Shortcuts, AppleScript, Alfred, Raycast, PopClip, Hookmark, Dropzone

**Tags:** Notes, Markdown, Tasks, One-time purchase, Keyboard-first, Menu bar app

## Alternatives

- [Tot](https://toolgpa.com/tools/tot): Seven-note text scratchpad for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/sidenotes-vs-tot)
- [Antinote](https://toolgpa.com/tools/antinote): Mac scratchpad for temporary notes, quick math and checklists. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/antinote-vs-sidenotes)
- [Stickier](https://toolgpa.com/tools/stickier): Sticky notes for Mac with iCloud sync and an iPhone companion app. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/sidenotes-vs-stickier)
- [Drafts](https://toolgpa.com/tools/drafts): Quick-capture notes app for Apple devices with text actions. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/drafts-vs-sidenotes)
- [Apple Notes](https://toolgpa.com/tools/apple-notes): Apple's free notes app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/apple-notes-vs-sidenotes)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026:

- https://www.apptorium.com/sidenotes
- https://www.apptorium.com/sidenotes/buy
- https://www.apptorium.com/sidenotes/features
- https://www.apptorium.com/sidenotes-mobile
- https://www.apptorium.com/about
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sidenotes-screen-edge-notes/id1441958036?mt=12
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sidenotes-mobile/id1607089308

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/sidenotes
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).