SideNotes Mobile vs Writer for Markdown
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SideNotes Mobile
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.
- iCloud Synchronization
- Markdown Formatting
- Task Management
- Customizable Themes
- Note and Folder URLs
- Note Colors
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SideNotes Mobile is a fast notes app for iPhone and iPad. Capture notes, tasks, links, and snippets in seconds, then access them across devices with iCloud sync. Version 1.2 brings a major upgrade: - A new editor with hidden Markdown markup - the same as in SideNotes for macOS - Refreshed iOS 26-style interface (Liquid Glass look) - Note folding - Note & Folder pinning - Simple drag-and-drop reordering - New contextual menu - New formatting options - Add Note action for the iPhone Action Button - New translations: Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, and Spanish - UI polish, bug fixes, and quality improvements Core features: - iCloud sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Themes and note colors for personalization - Tasks and checklists for daily work - Folder organization and quick search - Note and folder URLs for fast access from other apps - Text settings for comfortable writing and reading - One-time purchase (paid per major version). No subscription. Note: SideNotes Mobile is a companion app to SideNotes for macOS. SideNotes for macOS is sold separately.
Writer for Markdown
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Writer is a lightweight yet powerful Markdown editor for multiple platforms (macOS, iOS and more). It combines distraction-free writing, real-time preview, flexible themes, document outline navigation, Markdown-to-PNG export on both platforms, and Finder Quick Look support on macOS for a smoother reading and sharing workflow. ## Features 1. **Markdown Editing**: Full support for standard Markdown syntax with syntax-aware text editing. 2. **Real-time Preview**: Review rendered Markdown while writing with a smooth editing and preview workflow. 3. **Theme System**: Choose from built-in light and dark themes, or import custom CSS themes. 4. **Code Highlighting**: 83 built-in code highlighting themes powered by Highlight.js. 5. **Outline View**: Automatically parse Markdown headings to generate a document outline for quick navigation. 6. **Markdown PNG Export**: Export Markdown content as PNG for sharing, archiving, or quick publishing. ### iOS 1. **Image Support**: Insert images from the photo library or Files picker while editing on the go. 2. **Document Browser Integration**: Works with iCloud Drive and other file providers through the system document browser. http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/appstore/dev/stdeula
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Writer for Markdown at Free against SideNotes Mobile's $9.99. SideNotes Mobile's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On update cadence, 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
Writer for Markdown is free to download; SideNotes Mobile costs $9.99 up front. Writer for Markdown sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. SideNotes Mobile asks for nothing beyond the download.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SideNotes Mobile | Writer for Markdown |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.2 (29 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 88.4% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 29 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 17 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Apptorium | 鑫 肇 |
In-app purchases
SideNotes Mobile
No in-app purchases
Writer for Markdown
- Writer Pro Weekly$0.997 Days
- Writer Pro one-time Purchase macOS$9.99
- Writer Pro one-time Purchase iOS$9.99
Questions
Is SideNotes Mobile free?
Is Writer for Markdown free?
Do SideNotes Mobile or Writer for Markdown have ads?
Which is updated more often, SideNotes Mobile or Writer for Markdown?
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