Comparison

Side Notes vs Blocklist

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

Head to head
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

Think Better with Side-by-Side Notes Side Notes revolutionizes how you organize your thoughts by letting you view multiple notes simultaneously. Perfect for making decisions, comparing options, and structuring complex ideas. WHY SIDE NOTES? Traditional note apps force you to think linearly, one note at a time. But real thinking isn't linear-it's multidimensional. Side Notes embraces this by giving you three powerful layouts: - Dual Layout - Two notes side by side Perfect for: Pros vs Cons, Before vs After, Option A vs Option B - Four Layout - Four notes in a 2x2 grid Perfect for: SWOT Analysis, Eisenhower Matrix (Urgent/Important), Comparison tables - Single Layout - One full note Perfect for: Meeting notes, Journaling, Quick captures REAL-WORLD USE CASES - Career Decisions - Compare job offers with pros, cons, and decision notes side by side - Vacation Planning - Evaluate destinations with budget, highlights, and itineraries - Project Management - Use Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize tasks - Business Strategy - Conduct SWOT analysis with all four quadrants visible - Home Projects - Plan renovations with before/after comparisons and budgets - Product Research - Compare features, prices, and reviews across options - Learning - Study with questions on one side, answers on the other - Budget Planning - Track planned vs actual spending KEY FEATURES Simple & Intuitive Clean, minimalist design that gets out of your way. Focus on thinking, not on learning complex features. Beautiful Themes Choose from 5 carefully crafted themes: Classic, Ocean, Sunset, Forest, and Midnight. Fast & Lightweight Instant launch, smooth performance. No bloat, no lag. Privacy First Your notes stay on your device. No cloud sync means no data collection, no tracking, no privacy concerns. Works Offline Full functionality without internet. Your thoughts are always accessible. No Subscription One-time purchase. No recurring fees, no feature paywalls. Rich Text Editing Format your notes with bold, italic, lists, and more. Smart Search Find any note or board instantly with powerful search. Easy Export Share your boards as PDF or plain text whenever you need. Multilingual Available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Hindi. PERFECT FOR - Students analyzing study materials - Professionals making business decisions - Entrepreneurs conducting market research - Project managers prioritizing tasks - Anyone who thinks visually - People who compare options before deciding THE SIDE NOTES DIFFERENCE While other apps focus on endless features and complexity, Side Notes does one thing exceptionally well: helping you think clearly by organizing information spatially. It's the difference between reading a list and seeing a comparison. GET STARTED IN SECONDS 1. Create a new board 2. Choose your layout (Dual, Four, or Single) 3. Start writing 4. Switch between notes with a tap 5. See your thoughts organized clearly No tutorials needed. No learning curve. Just open and start thinking better. WHAT USERS SAY "Finally, an app that matches how I actually think!" "Perfect for my daily pros/cons lists" "The SWOT analysis layout is brilliant" "So simple, yet so powerful" TRY IT TODAY Transform how you make decisions, compare options, and organize complex thoughts. Download Side Notes and experience the power of multidimensional thinking.

About

Blocklist

Read full description

Blocklist — Call & Message Filter Take back control of your phone. Blocklist lets you block unwanted calls, identify unknown numbers, and filter spam messages — all on your device, with no data ever leaving it. Block Calls Add phone numbers to your block list and they'll never ring through again. Identify numbers from telcos or businesses so you always know who's calling before you pick up. Filter Messages Create custom rules to automatically sort incoming messages into Junk, Transactions, or Promotions. Use plain keywords or regular expressions for precise matching — your rules, your way. Privacy First Everything runs locally. No accounts, no cloud sync, no tracking. Your block list and filter rules stay on your device. Import & Export Back up your block list and filter rules, or move them to a new device in seconds.

Screenshots

Side Notes4 screens
Blocklist4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Side Notes at none against Blocklist's 1. Side Notes also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 15 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Blocklist sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Side Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Side Notes ships an update every 2 months, Blocklist every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on August 14, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Side Notes versus Blocklist: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSide NotesBlocklist
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (22 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings22 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 15 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStraw Technologies小康 刘

In-app purchases

None

Side Notes

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Blocklist

One-time1
  • Premium$1.99

Questions

Is Side Notes free?
Side Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Blocklist free?
Blocklist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Side Notes or Blocklist have ads?
Neither Side Notes nor Blocklist shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Side Notes or Blocklist?
Side Notes ships an update every 2 months, and Blocklist every 15 months. Most recently, Side Notes was updated on August 14, 2026 and Blocklist on June 1, 2026.

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