Comparison

Pinyinput 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

Pinyinput

Features
Read full description

Pinyinput is an input method that makes it easy to type Pinyin with tone marks. You type 'Han4yu3 Pin1yin1' and Pinyinput outputs 'Hànyǔ Pīnyīn'. Pinyinput installs a custom keyboard extension on your device so you can use it to type pinyin in a simple and consistent manner in any application.

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

Pinyinput3 screens
Side Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Side Notes at Free against Pinyinput's $2.99. Side Notes also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 27 months). Pinyinput's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Side Notes is free to download; Pinyinput costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pinyinput ships an update every 27 months, Side Notes every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Pinyinput versus Side Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPinyinputSide Notes
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating—3.9 (22 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—57.1% of reviews
Number of ratings—22 — better
Update frequencyEvery 27 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS9.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperImral Software Pty LtdStraw Technologies

In-app purchases

None

Pinyinput

No in-app purchases

None

Side Notes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pinyinput free?
Pinyinput costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Side Notes free?
Side Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Pinyinput or Side Notes have ads?
Neither Pinyinput nor Side Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pinyinput or Side Notes?
Pinyinput ships an update every 27 months, and Side Notes every 2 months. Most recently, Pinyinput was updated on October 4, 2026 and Side Notes on October 11, 2026.

Other comparisons