# Side Notes vs MindMap AI

The clearest difference is update cadence: MindMap AI at every 2 weeks against Side Notes's every 2 months. MindMap AI also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Side Notes's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and ratings volume (22 vs 4). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.9 for Side Notes against 4.0 for MindMap AI. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Side Notes has 22 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of Side Notes's written reviews are positive against 60% of MindMap AI's.

Side Notes ships an update every 2 months, MindMap AI every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Side Notes | MindMap AI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-notes-pros-and-cons-list/id1555821224/reviews) | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindmap-ai-ai-mind-map-maker/id6742736112/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 57.1% of reviews | **60.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 12 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Straw Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1120982866) | [3axislabs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1799651757) |

## 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


### MindMap AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindmap-ai-ai-mind-map-maker/id6742736112)

This AI-powered tool transforms your notes, files, and even videos into organized, interactive mind maps. It offers both AI assistance and manual editing, with customizable themes and practical widgets to enhance your visual thinking and planning.

**Highlights:** AI-powered mind map generation, Manual edit and customization, Custom themes and node styling, Widgets, dates, and visual markers, Multi-format file upload, AI summarization and expansion, Export to SVG, PNG, PDF, Markdown

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Side Notes free?

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

### Is MindMap AI free?

MindMap AI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Side Notes or MindMap AI?

MindMap AI is rated higher. Side Notes averages 3.9 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while MindMap AI averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Side Notes or MindMap AI have ads?

Neither Side Notes nor MindMap AI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Side Notes or MindMap AI?

Side Notes ships an update every 2 months, and MindMap AI every 2 weeks. Most recently, Side Notes was updated on October 11, 2026 and MindMap AI on October 16, 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.*