Comparison

Plain Note vs Sticky Color Notes Widget

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

Head to head
About

Plain Note

A straightforward, text-only notepad for quickly capturing thoughts, memos, and drafts. Organize notes with customizable tags and access them easily via home and lock screen widgets. Offers optional iCloud sync and extensive customization through in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • Text-only note-taking
  • Customizable tags with icons
  • Lock screen and home screen widgets
  • Character and line count
  • Note archiving and organization
  • Theme, icon, and font customization
Features
Read full description

Plain Note is a simple, text-only notes app that makes it easy to capture ideas, jot down everyday notes, and draft social media posts and emails. No ads. No sign-up required. Notes are stored on your device and, if you use iCloud sync, in your own iCloud account as well. The developer does not collect the contents of your notes. It's a good fit for people who want to jot things down and quickly refer back to them, rather than use a notes app with lots of features. You can organize your notes by adding tags, and it supports lock screen and home screen widgets. It can be used on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Features • You can categorize your notes with tags. • Customize tag icons and colors. • You can count the number of characters and lines. • Archive and organize your notes. • Widgets can be added to the lock screen and home screen. • Customize themes, app icons, and fonts. (Some features are available for a fee.) Premium (in-app purchase) • Sync data across iPhone, iPad, and Mac via iCloud. • All themes and app icons are available. • All tag icons are available. • All font customizations are available. *Prices may vary by country or region. Please check in the app. *Some features may not be available in all languages or regions. Terms of Use: https://monelyze.app/en/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://monelyze.app/en/privacy

About

Sticky Color Notes Widget

Display notes and checklists directly on your iPhone's Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy. Organize tasks like grocery lists or reminders for quick access without opening the app. Customize appearance with various colors, fonts, and backgrounds.

Highlights
  • Home, Lock Screen, and StandBy widgets
  • Interactive checklists
  • Customizable text and background colors
  • Photo backgrounds
  • Note sharing
  • Trash for deleted notes
Features
Read full description

Sticky Color Notes Widget puts your notes and checklists right on your iPhone Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy. Keep a grocery list, to-do list, packing list, or quick reminder in view without opening the app. Create as many notes as you like for free. KEY FEATURES • Home Screen widgets in small, medium, and large sizes • Lock Screen widgets and StandBy support • Choose which note each widget shows, so you can line up several sticky notes for different purposes • Interactive checklists: tap an item on the widget to check it off, even from the Lock Screen • Bullet lists: tap the List button to add "•" bullets, and new lines continue the list automatically • Deleted notes stay in the Trash for 30 days, so you can restore them • Share a note's text with other apps MAKE IT YOURS • Any text color and background color • Use your own photo as the note background (it shows on the widget too) • Seven font weights and left, center, or right alignment • Custom fonts and text sizes (Pro) EASY ONE-HANDED USE The add button sits at the bottom of the screen and the formatting buttons sit right above the keyboard, so you can write and style notes with one hand. GREAT FOR • Grocery and shopping lists on your Lock Screen • Daily to-dos and chores you check off as you go • Packing lists and "don't forget" reminders • Goals, quotes, and words of encouragement on your Home Screen • Notes for family members • Study and work tasks FREE AND PRO The free version includes unlimited notes and one checklist. Pro is a one-time purchase that adds: • No ads • Unlimited checklists • Custom fonts • Text size options in the editor • Customizable note list display FAQ Is it free? Yes. You can create unlimited notes for free. Do I need an account? No. Your notes are stored on your device. How do I add a widget? Touch and hold your Home Screen background, tap Edit > Add Widget, and choose Sticky Notes. Then touch and hold the widget, tap Edit Widget, and pick the note you want to show. Have feedback or a feature request? Send it from the app's Settings screen. We keep improving the app with regular updates.

Screenshots

Plain Note4 screens
Sticky Color Notes Widget4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Plain Note at none against Sticky Color Notes Widget's shown. Plain Note also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 118). Sticky Color Notes Widget's advantage is iOS requirement (18 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment 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. Plain Note sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Sticky Color Notes Widget sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Plain Note against 4.5 for Sticky Color Notes Widget. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plain Note has 1.1K ratings behind it against 118, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of Plain Note's written reviews are positive against 61% of Sticky Color Notes Widget's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Plain Note ships an update every 9 days, Sticky Color Notes Widget monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Plain Note versus Sticky Color Notes Widget: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlain NoteSticky Color Notes Widget
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (1.1K ratings) — better4.5 (118 ratings)
Positive reviews62.6% of reviews — better61.1% of reviews
Number of ratings1.1K — better118
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterMonthly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.018 — better
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMonelyze Inc.Osawa Shunsuke

Customer experience

Plain Note

All ratings1,090 ratings
Positive90.4%
Neutral3.7%
Negative6.0%
Written reviews107 reviews
Positive62.6%
Neutral14.0%
Negative23.4%

Sticky Color Notes Widget

All ratings118 ratings
Positive86.4%
Neutral5.9%
Negative7.6%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive61.1%
Neutral5.6%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Plain Note

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Notes sometimes get deleted after updates
  • Widget not working as expected, showing wrong note

Requested features

7 requests
  • Ability to swipe widget to display another note
  • Subfolders for better organization
  • Export function to backup notes
  • Option to change app colors
  • Support for multiple notes in one widget
Show 2 more
  • Text formatting options (bold, italics, headings)
  • Ability to insert photos and videos

Sticky Color Notes Widget

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Plain Note

Subscriptions2
  • Premium - Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Premium - Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium - Lifetime$29.99
2 purchases

Sticky Color Notes Widget

One-time2
  • Support for development$2.99
  • Pro Edition$3.99

Questions

Is Plain Note free?
Plain Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sticky Color Notes Widget free?
Sticky Color Notes Widget is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Plain Note or Sticky Color Notes Widget?
Plain Note is rated higher. Plain Note averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Sticky Color Notes Widget averages 4.5 from 118 ratings.
Do Plain Note or Sticky Color Notes Widget have ads?
Sticky Color Notes Widget shows ads; Plain Note does not.
Which is updated more often, Plain Note or Sticky Color Notes Widget?
Plain Note ships an update every 9 days, and Sticky Color Notes Widget monthly. Most recently, Plain Note was updated on November 11, 2026 and Sticky Color Notes Widget on November 7, 2026.

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