# Side Notes vs Thinkdrop

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Side Notes at none against Thinkdrop's 2. Side Notes also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 31%). Thinkdrop's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 3.9) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Thinkdrop sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Side Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Thinkdrop holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 35 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of Side Notes's written reviews are positive against 31% of Thinkdrop's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Side Notes ships an update every 2 months, Thinkdrop every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Side Notes | Thinkdrop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-notes-pros-and-cons-list/id1555821224/reviews) | **[4.3 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinkdrop-drop-your-thoughts/id1584511088/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 22 | **35** |
| Positive reviews | **57.1% of reviews** | 31.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 12 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Straw Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1120982866) | [Ho Ye Lam](https://appshunter.io/developer/1363234647) |

## What reviewers say

### Side Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-notes-pros-and-cons-list/id1555821224)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Thinkdrop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinkdrop-drop-your-thoughts/id1584511088)

Capture fleeting ideas, thoughts, and reminders quickly and privately. Record, write, or snap your thoughts, then securely store them with end-to-end encryption. Gain insights into your thinking patterns and reduce mental clutter.

**Highlights:** Capture thoughts via writing, voice, or image, End-to-end encryption for privacy, Organize thoughts into threads, Speech recognition for audio notes, Pin important thoughts, Sentiment analysis for insights

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Think Drop 2 Monthly Premium | $2.99 | per month |
| Think Drop 2 Annual Premium | $23.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Side Notes free?

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

### Is Thinkdrop free?

Thinkdrop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Side Notes or Thinkdrop?

Thinkdrop is rated higher. Side Notes averages 3.9 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Thinkdrop averages 4.3 from 35 ratings.

### Do Side Notes or Thinkdrop have ads?

Neither Side Notes nor Thinkdrop shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Side Notes or Thinkdrop?

Side Notes ships an update every 2 months, and Thinkdrop every 3 weeks. Most recently, Side Notes was updated on October 11, 2026 and Thinkdrop on October 10, 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.*