# SideNotes Mobile vs Genius Vault

The clearest difference is price: Genius Vault at Free against SideNotes Mobile's $9.99. Genius Vault also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2). SideNotes Mobile's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (29 vs 1). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Genius Vault is free to download; SideNotes Mobile costs $9.99 up front. Genius Vault sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. SideNotes Mobile asks for nothing beyond the download.

Genius Vault holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SideNotes Mobile has 29 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

SideNotes Mobile ships an update monthly, Genius Vault every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SideNotes Mobile | Genius Vault |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.2 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidenotes-mobile/id1607089308/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/genius-vault/id6446293764/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **29** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 88.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#154** | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Apptorium](https://appshunter.io/developer/551772156) | [Oliver Rider](https://appshunter.io/developer/1645853919) |

## What reviewers say

### SideNotes Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidenotes-mobile/id1607089308)

**Currently charting:** #154 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture thoughts and to-dos on the go with this mobile note-taking app. It offers iCloud sync, Markdown formatting, and customizable themes for a personalized experience. Easily access notes from other applications.

**Highlights:** iCloud Synchronization, Markdown Formatting, Task Management, Customizable Themes, Note and Folder URLs, Note Colors

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Genius Vault

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/genius-vault/id6446293764)

Organize research notes, ideas, URLs, and code snippets in a centralized digital vault. Easily save, categorize, and retrieve information across your Apple devices. Perfect for students and researchers seeking focused organization.

**Highlights:** Store research notes and ideas, Save URLs, instructions, and code snippets, Detect and paste from clipboard, Highlight, favorite, and pin records, URL validation and direct linking, Cloud sync across Apple devices, 7-day record restore

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy me a coffee | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pro Access | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SideNotes Mobile free?

SideNotes Mobile costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Genius Vault free?

Genius Vault is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SideNotes Mobile or Genius Vault?

Genius Vault is rated higher. SideNotes Mobile averages 4.2 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while Genius Vault averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do SideNotes Mobile or Genius Vault have ads?

Neither SideNotes Mobile nor Genius Vault shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SideNotes Mobile or Genius Vault?

SideNotes Mobile ships an update monthly, and Genius Vault every 6 weeks. Most recently, SideNotes Mobile was updated on October 25, 2026 and Genius Vault on October 7, 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.*