The Stickies Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Stickies 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.
Stickies
The Insider’s Guide
Freeware sticky notes for the Windows desktop
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Stickies’s own pages.
Made by Zhorn Software · checked Oct 9, 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 Stickies’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Stickies’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Stickies, taken from its own pages and our grades.
One snag from its own download page: several antivirus products flag the installer, which the author calls a false positive.
- 1
Best for yellow sticky notes on a Windows desktop
If you want notes on a phone or a Mac, look elsewhere.
- 2
It is free
Stickies has no paid plan at all. 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.
- 3
It runs on Windows
Windows.
- 4
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.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 72 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Stickies is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Stickies at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Windows
- Made by
- Zhorn Software
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for yellow sticky notes on a Windows desktop
Stickies is a free Windows program that puts yellow notes on your desktop and keeps them where you left them through a reboot, with alarms and notes tied to an app or document. It's Windows only, your notes live in one SQLite file on that PC, several antivirus products flag the installer, and it's freeware rather than open source. If you want notes on a phone or a Mac, look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Freeware for home and office, on as many computers as you like, where paid plans in this category sit at $6 a month in the middle. No registered-only features, no time delays and no nag screens. Donations go through PayPal if you feel like it. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The full program is free on Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11 with no cap on anything, and so are the add-on tools and translations on the same site. There's no paid version to be nudged towards. |
| Features | C | It does the sticky-note job completely: text or images, notes that sleep until a date or wake every day, alarms, notes attached to an app, website or document, notes sent to other PCs by network or email, and a documented API. But that's a far smaller job than note-taking, and everything lives in one local file. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, so we go by the listing: a small installer, no registry writes, everything in one SQLite file, and a note on the desktop straight away. One snag from its own download page: several antivirus products flag the installer, which the author calls a false positive. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | One operating system. The download page lists Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11 and no other platform, so there's no Mac, phone or web version, and the API is for other Windows applications. |
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 Stickies is for
- Fits if you want plain yellow notes that stay put on one Windows PC
- Works for offices that pass notes between PCs on a local network or by email
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want your notes on a phone or a Mac, as it's Windows 7 to 11 only with no web version
- Not for you if you want open source, because the author keeps the source code and the license forbids modifying it
- Tight if your antivirus is strict, since the download page says several products flag the installer
- Watch out: every note lives in one SQLite file on that PC, so getting notes to another machine means sending them over a network or email
Good to know
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Stickies is free to use.
No registered-only features, no time delays and no nag screens.
Stickies
$0
The full program for Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11, with free add-on tools and translations on the same site.
The 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.
Read from zhornsoftware.co.uk on Oct 9, 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: Windows
Freeware sticky notes for the Windows desktop. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: local-first, public API, notes.
But that's a far smaller job than note-taking, and everything lives in one local file.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Windows
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Stickies is made by Zhorn Software.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
72/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Stickies's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 100 of 147) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Stickies has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Stickies’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 of 147
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 147
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Stickies 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
Stickies is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could make
- Notes: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
- An API that other software can build on.
What this rests on. Stickies’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
Simple Sticky Notes, Notezilla, Google Keep and Stickier
The 4 tools Stickies is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Simple Sticky Notes
Free
Free sticky notes for the Windows desktop with reminders.
- Simple Sticky Notes also covers tasks.
- 3.0GPA
Notezilla
Free plan · from $19.95/yr
Desktop sticky notes for Windows with phone and web access.
- Only Notezilla lists a web app.
- Only Notezilla lists iOS, Android and macOS apps.
- Notezilla can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 3.2GPA
Google Keep
Free plan · from $7/mo
Google's app for quick notes, lists and reminders.
- Only Stickies lists a Windows app.
- Only Google Keep lists a web app.
- Only Google Keep lists iOS and Android apps.
- 2.8GPA
Stickier
Free plan · from $4.99 one-time
Sticky notes for Mac with iCloud sync and an iPhone companion app.
- Only Stickies lists a Windows app.
- Only Stickier lists macOS and iOS apps.
- Stickier can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
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 Stickies free?
Yes. Stickies is free to use.
How much does Stickies cost?
Stickies lists one plan. Stickies: $0.
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.
How does Stickies compare with other note-taking apps?
Stickies's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.
Is Stickies good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Stickies A for value for money. Stickies has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Stickies?
Stickies is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: A real app for Windows.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Stickies’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Zhorn Software's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-04.
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 Zhorn Software. Prices change, so check zhornsoftware.co.uk before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 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.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Stickies, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/stickies
- 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, "Stickies: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/stickies
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/stickies/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Stickies, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 148 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 Stickies’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. Stickies is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Zhorn Software. Prices and plans change: check zhornsoftware.co.uk before you buy.