# Notes vs Sticky Notes + Widget Memo

The clearest difference is rating: Notes at 4.8 against Sticky Notes + Widget Memo's 2.9. Notes also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ratings volume (641K vs 69). Sticky Notes + Widget Memo's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sticky Notes + Widget Memo sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notes has 641K ratings behind it against 69, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Notes's written reviews are positive against 48% of Sticky Notes + Widget Memo's.

Notes ships an update every 9 months, Sticky Notes + Widget Memo every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes | Sticky Notes + Widget Memo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (641K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes/id1110145109/reviews)** | [2.9 (69 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sticky-notes-plus-widget-memo/id1140487495/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **641K** | 69 |
| Positive reviews | **51.2% of reviews** | 47.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | [Alina Vetrov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1140487494) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes/id1110145109)

Capture your thoughts, ideas, and important information with a versatile note-taking app. Attach various file types, scan documents, create checklists, and even sketch directly within your notes. Organize with folders, tags, and smart searches, and collaborate with others on shared notes.

**Highlights:** Add attachments (PDFs, images, links), Scan paper documents, Create checklists, Sketch with finger or stylus, Search text in notes and handwriting, Collaborate on shared notes, Quick Note feature

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📝 Versatile note-taking app
- 🔒 Secure with password/biometric lock
- 🌐 Seamless sync across devices
- 🚀 Quick and responsive
- 📂 Organized with folders and tags

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Difficulty finding/retrieving notes
- 🔋 High battery drain when using Apple Pencil
- 📝 Limited formatting options (font, color, etc.)
- 🔒 Password reset issues with locked notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly disappearing or not syncing
- Cursor jumping around when editing text
- Typing lag and performance issues
- Inconsistent behavior when adding images
- Formatting problems when pasting content

**Requested features**

- Add undo/redo functionality
- Improve table formatting and calculations
- Allow custom folder colors and icons
- Implement a page view for longer notes
- Integrate with Reminders app for to-do lists


### Sticky Notes + Widget Memo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sticky-notes-plus-widget-memo/id1140487495)

Organize your thoughts with customizable stickies and widgets.  Create typed or handwritten notes, organize them with colored folders, and set reminders. Sync across devices and protect your data with password locks.

**Highlights:** Customizable home screen widgets, Colored folders and sub-folders, Handwritten and typed notes, Note sharing, Password protection, iCloud sync and backup, Customizable backgrounds and icons

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| School Theme Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Outdoors Theme Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pen Tool Extension | $0.99 | one-time |
| Fonts Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Creepy Theme Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| iCloud Sync | $2.99 | one-time |
| Sticky Notes Pro | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful for organization
- 🚀 Convenient widget
- 🚀 Variety of note styles
- 👍 Simple and intuitive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues
- 💰 Paid features required
- 🐛 Handwriting recognition problems
- 🐛 Notes disappearing
- 🐛 Laggy performance

**Reported bugs**

- Widgets not loading properly
- Handwriting not registering correctly
- Notes not saving or syncing
- Overlapping text and drawings

**Requested features**

- Add reminders and calendar integration
- Allow more customization of notes (fonts, colors, layouts)
- Improve widget functionality and customization
- Add ability to insert images and files
- Implement better organization tools (folders, tags, etc.)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes free?

Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sticky Notes + Widget Memo free?

Sticky Notes + Widget Memo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Notes or Sticky Notes + Widget Memo?

Notes is rated higher. Notes averages 4.8 out of 5 from 641K ratings, while Sticky Notes + Widget Memo averages 2.9 from 69 ratings.

### Do Notes or Sticky Notes + Widget Memo have ads?

Neither Notes nor Sticky Notes + Widget Memo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notes or Sticky Notes + Widget Memo?

Notes ships an update every 9 months, and Sticky Notes + Widget Memo every 3 weeks. Most recently, Notes was updated on September 24, 2026 and Sticky Notes + Widget Memo on September 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*