# Desktop Note vs Shared Notes

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Desktop Note | Shared Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-note-notes-and-photos/id1618786886/reviews) | **[4.6 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shared-notes-couples-and-ai/id6748648868/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **16** |
| Positive reviews | **90.8% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [文烁 蔡](https://appshunter.io/developer/1522194890) | [Juanma Del Boca](https://appshunter.io/developer/1826820062) |

## What reviewers say

### Desktop Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-note-notes-and-photos/id1618786886)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Desktop Note - 1 Quarter | $0.99 | per 3 months |
| Desktop Note Premium | $0.99 | per month |
| Desktop Note Premium | $1.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium | $2.99 | per 3 months |


### Shared Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shared-notes-couples-and-ai/id6748648868)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Half Year Subscription | $4.99 | per 6 months |
| Yearly Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Pro + AI | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro + AI | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*