Comparison

Hi Sticky vs FirstSeed Notes

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Hi Sticky

A free, simple note-taking application for all Apple devices. It offers iCloud synchronization, widget support, and integration with the Shortcuts app for enhanced productivity. An optional one-time purchase unlocks additional customization options and features.

Highlights
  • Simple intuitive interface
  • iCloud sync
  • Manage Links
  • Widgets
  • Shortcuts app integration
  • Supports all Apple devices
Features
Read full description

Hi Sticky is a fast, visual sticky notes app for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Capture an idea instantly, create a checklist, and keep every note synced with iCloud. Open Hi Sticky and start writing. Give each note its own font and background, recognize it at a glance in the visual note list, and keep Favorites above every sort order. Search across all notes or find matching text inside the note you are reading. On Mac, open notes in separate windows and keep important notes above other apps. On iPhone and iPad, use the controls above the keyboard to format text, manage lists, move the cursor, and copy or paste faster. Key Features - Fast, distraction-free note editor - Bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough formatting - Bulleted and numbered lists - Interactive checklists - Visual note previews with each note's font and background - Search across notes and Find in Note - Favorites that stay at the top - iCloud sync across Apple devices - Single-note and note-list widgets - Actions for Shortcuts and Siri - Link management - Multiple note windows with an always-on-top option on Mac - Support for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro Hi Sticky+ Unlock more ways to personalize Hi Sticky across your devices with a single one-time purchase. - Additional fonts and background colors - Adjustable font sizes - Custom app accent colors - More app icons - Customizable buttons above the iPhone and iPad keyboard - Advanced widget settings - Family Sharing support Hi Sticky was previously known as Notes SE.

About

FirstSeed Notes

Capture, organize, and refine your thoughts with a beautifully designed note-taking app. Supports Markdown, task management, and transcription to create summaries and meeting minutes. Syncs across devices and offers customization options.

Highlights
  • Markdown-supported note creation and editing
  • Task management with ToDo lists
  • Highlighting important sentences
  • Recording and transcription capabilities
  • Note categorization with tags
  • Cross-device syncing via iCloud
  • Customizable font size and line spacing
Read full description

FirstSeed Notes is a beautifully designed notes app that helps you capture your thoughts and turn them into ideas you can build on. Write down what's on your mind, organize it with notebooks and tags, and come back to it anytime. From quick notes and to-do lists to meeting recordings and study notes, FirstSeed Notes keeps your thinking and your plans in one place. Write Comfortably - A clean, simple editor that's easy to use every day - Markdown support and smart formatting - Add tables, equations, images, and links - Adjust font size and line spacing to suit your style - See character, word, and line counts at a glance - Export notes as Markdown or PDF Stay Organized - Organize notes with notebooks, sections, and tags - Keep important notes close with Favorites - Jump back to recent notes instantly - Manage tasks with to-do lists - Highlight key sentences and review them all in one place Record and Summarize - Record audio and get a transcript automatically - Turn transcripts into summaries, meeting minutes, action items, study notes, and more with AI AI Agent - Just ask the AI Agent to find, organize, tag, and move your notes Sync and Share - Sync your notes across your devices with iCloud - Share a single note or an entire notebook and edit together in real time - Invited members can join for free Your notes are synced and shared through iCloud. Some features require a subscription or a lifetime purchase. About Subscription: Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. Terms of Use: https://firstseed.io/terms.html

Screenshots

Hi Sticky4 screens
FirstSeed Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: FirstSeed Notes at 5.0 against Hi Sticky's 4.6. Hi Sticky's advantage is ratings volume (44 vs 1) and device support (5 vs 3). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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. Hi Sticky sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and FirstSeed Notes sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FirstSeed Notes holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hi Sticky has 44 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Hi Sticky's written reviews are positive against 86% of FirstSeed Notes's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hi Sticky ships an update every 9 days, FirstSeed Notes fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Hi Sticky versus FirstSeed Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHi StickyFirstSeed Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (44 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews85.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings44 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB114 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerhaha InteractiveFirstSeed Inc

Customer experience

Hi Sticky

All ratings44 ratings
Positive88.6%
Neutral2.3%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews65 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral7.7%
Negative12.3%

FirstSeed Notes

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral7.1%
Negative7.1%

Bugs and requests

Hi Sticky

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Widgets are blank on iOS 26
  • Viewing notes on watch is unreliable
  • iCloud sync is buggy and often fails
  • App crashes when deleting notes
  • Mac shows 'No account' for iCloud, iPhone shows 'undefined'
Show 3 more
  • No search functionality (Cmd+F does nothing)
  • Keyboard layout covers the bottom of the note on iPhone
  • iCloud account not connected on macOS

Requested features

8 requests
  • Support for Monospace font
  • Ability to choose own colors for notes
  • Ability to change background color
  • Mac widget for quicker access
  • Ability to have multiple notes open on Mac at the same time
Show 3 more
  • Improve overview of saved notes
  • Increase font size of notes
  • Add a menu app

FirstSeed Notes

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Hi Sticky

One-time1
  • Hi Sticky+$9.99
5 purchases

FirstSeed Notes

Subscriptions4
  • Personal Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Team Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Personal Yearly1 Month trial$26.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Team Yearly1 Month trial$95.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Hi Sticky free?
Hi Sticky is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FirstSeed Notes free?
FirstSeed Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hi Sticky or FirstSeed Notes?
FirstSeed Notes is rated higher. Hi Sticky averages 4.6 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while FirstSeed Notes averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Hi Sticky or FirstSeed Notes have ads?
Neither Hi Sticky nor FirstSeed Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hi Sticky or FirstSeed Notes?
Hi Sticky ships an update every 9 days, and FirstSeed Notes fortnightly. Most recently, Hi Sticky was updated on October 14, 2026 and FirstSeed Notes on October 16, 2026.

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