Comparison

NCP Exclusive Remote Access vs Side Notes

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NCP Exclusive Remote Access

Establish secure VPN connections to corporate networks from your mobile device. Supports multiple network profiles and advanced security features for seamless remote access.

Highlights
  • Secure VPN connections
  • Multiple network profiles
  • VPN Path Finder Technology
  • Centralized management
  • Touch ID support
  • Split tunneling
Read full description

REQUIREMENTS Juniper SRX Series as VPN gateway and NCP Exclusive Remote Access Management are required as part of the company IT infrastructure for operating the NCP Exclusive Remote Access Clients. The NCP VPN Client for Apple iPad and iPhone requires at least iOS version 9.3 or above. For testing purposes please contact NCP engineering at: ios-client@ncp-e.com DESCRIPTION The NCP Exclusive Remote Access Client enables a highly secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection to the corporate networks of companies or organizations. Access to multiple networks is supported, each connection has its own VPN profile. Using standard IPsec protocols, connections can be established from tablets and smartphones to Juniper SRX Series gateways. NCP VPN Path Finder Technology enables remote access even when the device is located behind firewalls or proxies that would otherwise hinder the establishment of an IPsec tunnel. The NCP Exclusive Remote Access Client meets the highest demands on reliability, stability and security. With an unparalleled intuitive interface, professional end users benefit from seamless integration of the client with their Apple iPhone and iPad devices. The NCP Exclusive Remote Access Client is optimized for management by NCP's Exclusive Remote Access Management (ERAM). ERAM enables the central management and distribution of user configurations and certificate updates. For the initial set-up the client is pre-configured with a minimum configuration and the individual configuration is deployed by ERAM. FEATURES - Central configuration and certificate rollout via NCP Exclusive Remote Access Management - Touch ID support - Access to multiple networks is supported, each connection has its own VPN profile - IKEv1 and IKEv2 - Fallback IPsec / HTTPS (VPN Path Finder Technology) - VPN on Demand (Always On) - iOS Keychain support - Strong Authentication (certificates in a PKI) - 3D Touch Support - Split tunneling - Proxy support

About

Side Notes

This app helps you organize thoughts by viewing multiple notes simultaneously. It offers layouts for comparing options, conducting analyses, or structuring complex ideas. Focus on your thinking with a clean, intuitive interface and privacy-focused design.

Highlights
  • Side-by-side note viewing
  • Multiple layout options (Dual, Four, Single)
  • Visual comparison of ideas
  • SWOT analysis and Eisenhower Matrix support
  • Rich text editing
  • Offline functionality
  • Export notes as PDF or text
Features
Read full description

See both sides of every decision at once. Side Notes shows several notes on one screen, so your pros and cons, two options or a SWOT analysis sit side by side instead of hiding in separate lists. Pick a template, start typing, and compare at a glance. Free, with no ads and no account. START FAST WITH TEMPLATES • Pros & Cons: two columns, one clearer answer • Option A vs Option B: compare two choices side by side • SWOT analysis: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in one grid • Eisenhower matrix: sort tasks by urgent and important • Retrospective: went well, to improve, ideas, actions • Blank board: any layout, your own structure THREE LAYOUTS FOR THE WAY YOU THINK • Dual: two notes side by side • Four: a 2x2 grid for matrices and frameworks • Single: one full note when you need room to write Tap any note to edit it full screen, then swipe to move to the next one. MADE FOR REAL DECISIONS Should you take the job offer? Which apartment, which laptop, which city? Put every argument where you can see it. Run a SWOT on a business idea or a career move, plan your week with the Eisenhower matrix, and close a project or a sprint with a retrospective. ON ALL YOUR DEVICES, NO SIGN UP Your boards sync with iCloud across iPhone, iPad and Mac. There is no account to create and nothing to log in to. WRITE, THEN FIND IT AGAIN • Rich text formatting such as bold and italic (iOS 26 and later) • Word count on every note • Search board titles and note content, filter by Today or This week • Swipe to duplicate or delete a board, or long press for more options SHARE YOUR THINKING Export any board as a PDF or share it as text, ready for a meeting, a teammate or your future self. MAKE IT YOURS Light or dark mode and the Ink accent color, with Brick, Forest and Ocean in Side Notes Plus. A calm, paper-like design with serif titles. GREAT ON IPAD AND MAC More room to see every note at once, plus keyboard shortcuts on iPad and Mac (Apple silicon). Fully translated into 34 languages and redesigned for the latest iOS with Liquid Glass. GO FURTHER WITH SIDE NOTES PLUS Everything above stays free. Side Notes Plus is an optional upgrade for when you want more: • Advanced templates: weighted decision matrix, OKR, weekly review, 5 whys • Your own templates: save any board as a template • Lock a board with Face ID or Touch ID • All accent colors: Brick, Forest and Ocean • Markdown export to Notion, Obsidian or any editor Choose a yearly plan with a 1-week free trial, a monthly plan, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Side Notes is free, with no ads and no account. Just a clear space to think things through. Side Notes Plus is an optional auto-renewable subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account; it renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://side-notes.app/en/privacy

Screenshots

NCP Exclusive Remote Access2 screens
Side Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Side Notes at 57% against NCP Exclusive Remote Access's 0%. Side Notes also leads on rating (3.9 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (22 vs 2). NCP Exclusive Remote Access's advantage is iOS requirement (9.3 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Side Notes holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Side Notes has 22 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of NCP Exclusive Remote Access's written reviews are positive against 57% of Side Notes's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
NCP Exclusive Remote Access versus Side Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNCP Exclusive Remote AccessSide Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (2 ratings)3.9 (22 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews57.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings222 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS9.3 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB12 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperN C P E GmbH Network Communications Products EngineeringStraw Technologies

Customer experience

NCP Exclusive Remote Access

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Side Notes

All ratings22 ratings
Positive68.2%
Neutral9.1%
Negative22.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral28.6%
Negative14.3%

In-app purchases

None

NCP Exclusive Remote Access

No in-app purchases

None

Side Notes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NCP Exclusive Remote Access free?
NCP Exclusive Remote Access is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Side Notes free?
Side Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, NCP Exclusive Remote Access or Side Notes?
Side Notes is rated higher. NCP Exclusive Remote Access averages 1.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Side Notes averages 3.9 from 22 ratings.
Do NCP Exclusive Remote Access or Side Notes have ads?
Neither NCP Exclusive Remote Access nor Side Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NCP Exclusive Remote Access or Side Notes?
NCP Exclusive Remote Access ships an update every 2 months, and Side Notes every 2 months. Most recently, NCP Exclusive Remote Access was updated on November 6, 2026 and Side Notes on November 3, 2026.

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