Stickies report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 9, 2026
Best for yellow sticky notes on a Windows desktop
Stickies is a small, free Windows program that puts yellow notes on your desktop and keeps them exactly where you left them, even through a reboot. A note can sleep until a set time, ring an alarm, or only show up while a certain app or document is on screen. It's Windows only, and your notes live in one file on that PC.
Who Stickies is for
- Great if you want plain yellow notes that stay put on your Windows screen
- Handy when a note should only appear alongside one app, website or document
- Good for offices that pass notes between PCs on a local network
Who Stickies is not for
- Skip it if you want your notes on a phone or a Mac, as it's Windows only
- Not for you if you want open source, because the author keeps the source code and the licence forbids modifying it
- Tight if your antivirus is strict, since the download page says several products flag the installer
Why Stickies gets a 3.2
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFreeware for home and office, on as many computers as you like. No registered-only features, no time delays and no nag screens. Donations go through PayPal if you feel like it.
- AFree plan and trialThe full program is free on Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11, and so are the add-on tools and translations on the same site. There's no paid version to be nudged towards.
- AFeaturesIt only does sticky notes, but it does them fully. Notes hold text or images, sleep until a date or wake every day, week or month, and can be attached to an app, website, document or folder. They can be sent to other PCs over a network or by email. There's a documented API and Group Policy control too.
- BEase of useNo rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It doesn't write to the registry and keeps everything in a single SQLite file. One snag from its own download page: several antivirus products flag the program and installer, which the author calls a false positive.
- DPlatforms and integrationsWindows only. The download page lists Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11 and no other platform, so there's no Mac, phone or web version. The API is for other Windows applications.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Zhorn Software's own pages on 9 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/stickies#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/stickies.svg" alt="Stickies: 3.2 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>What is Stickies?
Stickies is a small freeware Windows utility from Zhorn Software that puts yellow note windows on the desktop. Notes hold text or images, stay where they are placed through reboots, and can be hidden until a set time or given alarms so they act as reminders. All data is kept in a single SQLite database file, and the program does not write to the registry.
Stickies is free to use. See every plan
Good for
- Windows users who want plain notes that stay on screen
- Offices that pass notes between PCs on a local network
- Administrators who manage desktop settings through Group Policy
Worth knowing
- Windows only: the download page lists Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11 and no other platform.
- Notes live in one SQLite file on the PC; sharing between machines is done by sending notes over a network, SMTP or MAPI.
- The download page says several antivirus products flag the program and installer as malware, which the author calls a false positive.
- It is freeware, not open source: the author keeps the copyright and source code, and the license forbids modifying the program.
Key features
- Notes that stay put
- A note remains where it is placed until it is closed, including through reboots, and notes snap to each other and to the screen edges.
- Sleeping notes and alarms
- A note can be hidden for a period, until a date and time, or to wake every day, week or month, and alarms make sure it is noticed.
- Notes attached to apps and documents
- A note can be attached to an application, website, document or folder so that it only shows while that item is on screen.
- Sending notes to other PCs
- Notes transfer between machines over a TCP/IP network connection, an SMTP mail server or a MAPI client, using a hierarchical friends list.
- Styles and skins
- Fonts, colors and buttons can be changed and saved as styles, notes can be resized, and the site has a section of downloadable skins.
- API and Group Policy
- A documented API lets other Windows applications send commands to Stickies, and Active Directory administrators can control settings with Group Policy.
Stickies pricing
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Freeware for home and office use on any number of computers, with no registered-only features, time delays or nag screens. Donations are accepted through PayPal.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Stickies | $0 | The full program for Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11, with free add-on tools and translations on the same site. |
Read from zhornsoftware.co.uk on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Stickies before you buy.
Stickies alternatives
- Stickies vs Notezilla
Free plan · from $19.95/yr
- Stickies vs Google Keep
Free plan · from $7/mo
- Stickies vs Stickier
Free plan · from $4.99 one-time
Common questions
Is Stickies free?
Yes. Stickies is free to use. Freeware for home and office use on any number of computers, with no registered-only features, time delays or nag screens. Donations are accepted through PayPal.
How much does Stickies cost?
Stickies lists one plan. Stickies: $0. Prices were read from zhornsoftware.co.uk on Oct 9, 2026.
What platforms does Stickies work on?
Stickies is available on Windows.
Does Stickies have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Stickies is listed for Windows.
Does Stickies have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Stickies is listed for Windows.
Is Stickies open source?
Stickies is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Stickies have an API?
Yes. Stickies offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes Stickies?
Stickies is made by Zhorn Software.
What are the alternatives to Stickies?
The closest alternatives to Stickies in our directory are Simple Sticky Notes, Notezilla, Google Keep and Stickier. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Stickies.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026.