Comparison

Desktop Note vs Shared Notes

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

Head to head
About

Desktop Note

This app allows you to create and display digital sticky notes directly on your desktop. Customize note colors, add checklists, and use widgets to keep your reminders visible. Notes sync across devices via iCloud for secure access.

Highlights
  • Desktop sticky notes
  • Customizable note colors
  • To-do checklists
  • Desktop widgets
  • Pin notes above windows (macOS)
  • iCloud sync
  • Privacy protection
Features
Read full description

Do you miss the days when your desk was covered with sticky notes? Create sticky notes with Desktop Note and display them on your Home Screen. Customize note colors, choose beautiful illustrated backgrounds, and create to-do checklists. You can also use widgets to display notes or photos on your Home Screen. Download the macOS version to display sticky notes on your Mac desktop and even pin them above any window. Desktop Note syncs your sticky notes across devices with iCloud while protecting your privacy. What users love about Desktop Note: #A wide range of note colors and illustrated backgrounds #To-do checklists #Photos in Home Screen widgets #Text formatting Supports bold, highlighting, italics, and more #iCloud backup and sync Automatically sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac with iCloud #Privacy Your notes are stored in your own iCloud, and only you can access them. If you have any questions or product suggestions, feel free to email me anytime: cswenshuo@gmail.com Terms of Use: https://www.notion.so/Terms-of-Use-e2fd82b183504ad1b5e82c684c25865a Privacy Policy: https://www.notion.so/Privacy-Policy-f692aafe77d540f1b191bd0e5aa5ee59

About

Shared Notes

This app helps couples and friends stay organized with shared lists and notes. It features AI tools to summarize, format, and correct text, along with private, password-protected notes and offline functionality.

Highlights
  • Shared grocery and to-do lists
  • AI summarization and grammar correction
  • Password-protected private notes
  • Offline note-taking and syncing
  • Real-time synchronization
  • Cross-platform compatibility
Features
Read full description

Shared Notes is the simple, secure way to keep your relationship and daily life in sync. Whether it’s a shared grocery list with your partner, a travel plan with friends, or private thoughts you want to lock away, everything is safe here. Now powered by Smart AI, you can tidy up messy notes, fix grammar, and summarize long texts in seconds. WHY COUPLES & FRIENDS LOVE SHARED NOTES: [+] Shared Grocery & To-Do Lists Stop asking "Did you buy the milk?" Create a shared list with your partner or flatmate. When you cross off an item, it syncs instantly to everyone’s phone. Perfect for groceries, household chores, and packing lists. [+] Smart AI Assistant (NEW) Turn messy thoughts into clear plans. • Summarize: Turn long notes into short, clear summaries. • Fix Grammar: Polish your spelling and sentences automatically. • Auto-Format: Convert a rough paragraph into a clean checklist with one tap. [+] Private & Password Protected Your thoughts belong to you. Lock sensitive notes or journals with a secure password so only you can access them. We prioritize privacy with offline-first storage and secure cloud syncing. [+] Works Offline Capture ideas on a plane or in the subway. Write offline, and the app will automatically sync your changes to the cloud the moment you are back online. KEY FEATURES: • Real-Time Sync: See changes as your partner types. • AI Tools: Summarize, spell-check, and format instantly. • Dark Mode: A beautiful interface that’s easy on the eyes. • Cross-Platform: Syncs seamlessly between iPhone, iPad, and Android. Simple. Secure. Shared. Download Shared Notes today and get in sync.

Screenshots

Desktop Note4 screens
Shared Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Desktop Note at 91% against Shared Notes's 50%. Desktop Note also leads on ads (none vs shown). Shared Notes's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.3) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases 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. Desktop Note sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 3 months and Shared 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

Shared Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 16 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 91% of Desktop Note's written reviews are positive against 50% of Shared Notes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Desktop Note ships an update every 3 weeks, Shared Notes every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Desktop Note versus Shared Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDesktop NoteShared Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (11 ratings)4.6 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews90.8% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1116 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB86 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer文烁 蔡Juanma Del Boca

Customer experience

Desktop Note

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral14.3%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews174 reviews
Positive90.8%
Neutral2.9%
Negative6.3%

Shared Notes

All ratings16 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral6.3%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Desktop Note

Subscriptions4
  • Desktop Note - 1 Quarter$0.993 Months
  • Desktop Note Premium$0.991 Month
  • Desktop Note Premium2 variants$1.993 Months
Show 1 more
  • Premium$2.993 Months
5 purchases

Shared Notes

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$2.991 Month
  • Half Year Subscription7 Days trial$4.996 Months
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime Pro + AI$29.99
  • Lifetime Pro + AI$59.99

Questions

Is Desktop Note free?
Desktop Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shared Notes free?
Shared Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Desktop Note or Shared Notes?
Shared Notes is rated higher. Desktop Note averages 4.3 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Shared Notes averages 4.6 from 16 ratings.
Do Desktop Note or Shared Notes have ads?
Shared Notes shows ads; Desktop Note does not.
Which is updated more often, Desktop Note or Shared Notes?
Desktop Note ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shared Notes every 2 weeks. Most recently, Desktop Note was updated on October 27, 2026 and Shared Notes on October 25, 2026.

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