Comparison

Side Notes vs NoteOut

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

NoteOut

This app helps you complete small, daily writing goals with prompts. It focuses on building confidence and momentum for larger tasks by celebrating small accomplishments.

Highlights
  • Daily writing prompts
  • Focus on small goals
  • Builds confidence
  • Task training routine
  • Momentum for larger goals
Features
Read full description

NoteOut helps you finish one small thing a day. You get a tag and a few random words. Write a single sentence using them, or ignore them, then save it and move on. It should take a minute. Don't edit it, don't perfect it — that's the point. It's not a note taking app; there are plenty of those. It's a task training routine: act on the thought, accept the accomplishment no matter how small, and build momentum to see bigger goals through.

Screenshots

Side Notes4 screens
NoteOut4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NoteOut at 100% against Side Notes's 57%. NoteOut also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.9) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Side Notes's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (22 vs 2). On price, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NoteOut holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Side Notes has 22 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Side Notes's written reviews are positive against 100% of NoteOut's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Side Notes ships an update every 2 months, NoteOut every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 14, 2026 and August 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Side Notes versus NoteOut: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSide NotesNoteOut
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (22 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings22 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB71 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStraw TechnologiesEntier, LLC

Customer experience

Side Notes

All ratings22 ratings
Positive68.2%
Neutral9.1%
Negative22.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive57.1%
Neutral28.6%
Negative14.3%

NoteOut

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Side Notes

No in-app purchases

None

NoteOut

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Side Notes free?
Side Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NoteOut free?
NoteOut is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Side Notes or NoteOut?
NoteOut is rated higher. Side Notes averages 3.9 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while NoteOut averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Side Notes or NoteOut have ads?
NoteOut shows ads; Side Notes does not.
Which is updated more often, Side Notes or NoteOut?
Side Notes ships an update every 2 months, and NoteOut every 2 weeks. Most recently, Side Notes was updated on August 14, 2026 and NoteOut on August 31, 2026.

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