Comparison

Side Notes vs SmartNotes

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

See both sides of every decision at once. Side Notes shows several notes on one screen, so your pros and cons, two options or a SWOT analysis sit side by side instead of hiding in separate lists. Pick a template, start typing, and compare at a glance. Free, with no ads and no account. START FAST WITH TEMPLATES • Pros & Cons: two columns, one clearer answer • Option A vs Option B: compare two choices side by side • SWOT analysis: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in one grid • Eisenhower matrix: sort tasks by urgent and important • Retrospective: went well, to improve, ideas, actions • Blank board: any layout, your own structure THREE LAYOUTS FOR THE WAY YOU THINK • Dual: two notes side by side • Four: a 2x2 grid for matrices and frameworks • Single: one full note when you need room to write Tap any note to edit it full screen, then swipe to move to the next one. MADE FOR REAL DECISIONS Should you take the job offer? Which apartment, which laptop, which city? Put every argument where you can see it. Run a SWOT on a business idea or a career move, plan your week with the Eisenhower matrix, and close a project or a sprint with a retrospective. ON ALL YOUR DEVICES, NO SIGN UP Your boards sync with iCloud across iPhone, iPad and Mac. There is no account to create and nothing to log in to. WRITE, THEN FIND IT AGAIN • Rich text formatting such as bold and italic (iOS 26 and later) • Word count on every note • Search board titles and note content, filter by Today or This week • Swipe to duplicate or delete a board, or long press for more options SHARE YOUR THINKING Export any board as a PDF or share it as text, ready for a meeting, a teammate or your future self. MAKE IT YOURS Light or dark mode and the Ink accent color, with Brick, Forest and Ocean in Side Notes Plus. A calm, paper-like design with serif titles. GREAT ON IPAD AND MAC More room to see every note at once, plus keyboard shortcuts on iPad and Mac (Apple silicon). Fully translated into 34 languages and redesigned for the latest iOS with Liquid Glass. GO FURTHER WITH SIDE NOTES PLUS Everything above stays free. Side Notes Plus is an optional upgrade for when you want more: • Advanced templates: weighted decision matrix, OKR, weekly review, 5 whys • Your own templates: save any board as a template • Lock a board with Face ID or Touch ID • All accent colors: Brick, Forest and Ocean • Markdown export to Notion, Obsidian or any editor Choose a yearly plan with a 1-week free trial, a monthly plan, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Side Notes is free, with no ads and no account. Just a clear space to think things through. Side Notes Plus is an optional auto-renewable subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account; it renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://side-notes.app/en/privacy

About

SmartNotes

Features
Read full description

SmartNotes is a beautifully designed note-taking app that helps you organize your thoughts with simplicity and elegance. KEY FEATURES: • Create and organize notes with custom categories • Choose from beautiful color themes for each note • Pin important notes to keep them at the top • Search through all your notes instantly • View detailed statistics about your notes • Dark and light mode support • Complete privacy - no internet required DESIGNED FOR iOS: SmartNotes features a clean, minimal interface that feels native to iOS. Every interaction is smooth and intuitive, making note-taking a pleasure rather than a chore. PRIVACY FOCUSED: Your notes stay completely private on your device. No account required, no data collection, no internet connection needed. Just pure, simple note-taking. ORGANIZE YOUR WAY: Create custom categories with personalized colors to organize notes exactly how you want. Pin your most important notes and use powerful search to find anything instantly. Perfect for students, professionals, writers, and anyone who values clean, distraction-free note-taking.

Screenshots

Side Notes4 screens
SmartNotes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SmartNotes at 13.0 against Side Notes's 17.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Side Notes versus SmartNotes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSide NotesSmartNotes
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (22 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings22 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStraw TechnologiesHUGHES BRIAN

In-app purchases

None

Side Notes

No in-app purchases

None

SmartNotes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Side Notes free?
Side Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SmartNotes free?
SmartNotes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Side Notes or SmartNotes have ads?
Neither Side Notes nor SmartNotes shows ads.

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