# Side Notes vs Actions For Obsidian

The clearest difference is rating: Actions For Obsidian at 4.8 against Side Notes's 3.9. Actions For Obsidian also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 57%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Side Notes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Actions For Obsidian sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Side Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Actions For Obsidian holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 40 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Side Notes's written reviews are positive against 88% of Actions For Obsidian's.

Side Notes ships an update every 2 months, Actions For Obsidian every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Side Notes | Actions For Obsidian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-notes-pros-and-cons-list/id1555821224/reviews) | **[4.8 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/actions-for-obsidian/id1659667937/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 22 | **40** |
| Positive reviews | 57.1% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Straw Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1120982866) | [Carlo Zottmann](https://appshunter.io/developer/575640423) |

## 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


### Actions For Obsidian

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/actions-for-obsidian/id1659667937)

This app bridges your personal knowledge management notes with Apple's automation tools. It offers over 40 actions to integrate your notes with other applications, enabling seamless data flow between your vaults and the wider Apple ecosystem.

**Highlights:** Create and manipulate notes, Search and organize notes, Work with files and folders, Integrate with Dataview, Utilize note properties, Execute Obsidian commands

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| macOS+iOS License Upgrade (S) | $6.99 | one-time |
| macOS-only License (S) | $8.99 | one-time |
| iOS-only License (S) | $8.99 | one-time |
| macOS+iOS License Upgrade (M) | $8.99 | one-time |
| macOS-only License (M) | $11.99 | one-time |
| iOS-only License (M) | $11.99 | one-time |
| iOS-only License (L) | $14.99 | one-time |
| macOS + iOS License (S) | $14.99 | one-time |
| macOS + iOS License (M) | $19.99 | one-time |
| macOS + iOS License (L) | $22.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Incredible productivity boost
- 👍 Fixes Obsidian's lack of native Shortcuts support
- 💡 Game-changer for Obsidian integration
- 👍 Extensive list of actions
- 👍 Excellent developer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App returns to Actions app instead of staying in Obsidian
- 🐛 Black screen when opening Obsidian on completion
- 🐛 Continuous pop-up asking for money
- 🐛 Splash screen opens on iOS every time Shortcut runs
- 🐛 Lists removed vaults

**Reported bugs**

- App returns to Actions app instead of staying in Obsidian
- Black screen when opening Obsidian on completion
- Continuous pop-up asking for money
- Splash screen opens on iOS every time Shortcut runs
- Lists removed vaults

**Requested features**

- Better handling of app switching after action completion
- Option to clear removed vaults
- Native Apple Watch support for commands
- Open source the entire app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Side Notes free?

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

### Is Actions For Obsidian free?

Actions For Obsidian is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Side Notes or Actions For Obsidian?

Actions For Obsidian is rated higher. Side Notes averages 3.9 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Actions For Obsidian averages 4.8 from 40 ratings.

### Do Side Notes or Actions For Obsidian have ads?

Neither Side Notes nor Actions For Obsidian shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Side Notes or Actions For Obsidian?

Side Notes ships an update every 2 months, and Actions For Obsidian every 3 weeks. Most recently, Side Notes was updated on November 3, 2026 and Actions For Obsidian on November 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*