QR Widgets vs HelixNotes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
QR Widgets
Display a customizable QR code directly on your device's home screen for instant access. Input any text to generate a unique code and personalize its appearance with custom colors and sizes.
- Add QR code to homescreen
- Automatic code generation from text
- Customizable colors
- Multiple size options
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- Add a QR code to your homescreen for quick and easy access when you need it. - Generates the code automatically based on your text input. - Customise the colours to suit your home screen. - Comes in 3 different sizes.
HelixNotes
A private, open-source Markdown note-taking app that keeps your data on your device. Organize notes with notebooks, tags, and wiki links, and utilize advanced features like mathematical notation and diagrams.
- Local Markdown storage
- Visual and source code editor
- Notebooks, tags, and wiki links
- Task management and calendar views
- KaTeX and Mermaid diagram support
- Version history and backups
- Optional WebDAV sync
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HelixNotes is a private, open-source Markdown notes app. Your notes remain standard Markdown files under your control. No account is required, and HelixNotes has no company-operated cloud. Write with a clean visual editor or switch to source mode when you want direct access to the Markdown. Organize your work with notebooks, tags, wiki links and full-text search. Features include: • Tasks collected from checklists across your notes • List and calendar views with priorities and due dates • Wiki links and an interactive graph view • Daily notes with a built-in calendar • Markdown tables, code blocks and syntax highlighting • KaTeX mathematical notation and Mermaid diagrams • Outline navigation and tag autocomplete • Version history and automatic backups • Light, dark and customizable themes • Optional WebDAV sync with your own server • Optional AI tools using your own provider Nothing leaves your device unless you enable a feature that connects to an external service. Your notes stay readable outside HelixNotes, without a proprietary format or platform lock-in. HelixNotes is free software released under the GNU AGPLv3. Its source code is publicly available on GitLab.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: HelixNotes at Free against QR Widgets's $0.99. HelixNotes also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On rating, ratings volume, ads 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
HelixNotes is free to download; QR Widgets costs $0.99 up front. QR Widgets sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. HelixNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for QR Widgets against 5.0 for HelixNotes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively.
QR Widgets ships an update every 2 months, HelixNotes every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | QR Widgets | HelixNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Collin Hemeltjen | Yuri Karamian |
Customer experience
QR Widgets
HelixNotes
In-app purchases
QR Widgets
- Colors$0.99
HelixNotes
No in-app purchases





