# Sticky Notes vs Notes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Notes at none against Sticky Notes's 12. Notes also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (641K vs 6K). Sticky Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 9 months) and review sentiment (72% vs 51%). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sticky Notes sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notes has 641K ratings behind it against 6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Sticky Notes's written reviews are positive against 51% of Notes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Sticky Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, Notes every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sticky Notes | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sticky-notes-free-note-taking/id608937293/reviews) | **[4.8 (641K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes/id1110145109/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6K | **641K** |
| Positive reviews | **71.8% of reviews** | 51.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 166 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Epiphany Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/577389343) | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) |

## What reviewers say

### Sticky Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sticky-notes-free-note-taking/id608937293)

Capture ideas, create to-do lists, and set reminders with this versatile note-taking app. Supports handwritten notes, audio recordings, photos, and text. Organize notes with folders and share them easily.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes, Audio recordings, Photo attachments, Text notes, Widgets for home/lock screen, Customizable folders, Reminders with alarms

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One month subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Monthly Pack with 7 Day Trial | $1.99 | per month |
| Weekly Pack with 7 Day Trial | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Three months subscription | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Half-Yearly Subscription | $10.99 | per 6 months |
| One year subscription | $15.99 | per year |
| Annual Pack with 7 Day Trial | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Plan | Free | one-time |
| Unlimited Notes | $0.99 | one-time |
| Task Paper Notes | $0.99 | one-time |
| Folder Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bonanza Pack | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful reminders
- 👍 Useful for organization
- 👍 Customizable notes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Requires subscription
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔒 Privacy concerns
- 💰 Expensive
- 🤔 Limited free version

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing
- Freezing and crashing
- Formatting issues
- Sync problems

**Requested features**

- More customization options
- Improved sync and backup
- Better widget functionality
- Ability to rearrange notes
- Longer note length


### Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes/id1110145109)

Capture your thoughts, ideas, and important information with a versatile note-taking app. Attach various file types, scan documents, create checklists, and even sketch directly within your notes. Organize with folders, tags, and smart searches, and collaborate with others on shared notes.

**Highlights:** Add attachments (PDFs, images, links), Scan paper documents, Create checklists, Sketch with finger or stylus, Search text in notes and handwriting, Collaborate on shared notes, Quick Note feature

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📝 Versatile note-taking app
- 🔒 Secure with password/biometric lock
- 🌐 Seamless sync across devices
- 🚀 Quick and responsive
- 📂 Organized with folders and tags

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Difficulty finding/retrieving notes
- 🔋 High battery drain when using Apple Pencil
- 📝 Limited formatting options (font, color, etc.)
- 🔒 Password reset issues with locked notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly disappearing or not syncing
- Cursor jumping around when editing text
- Typing lag and performance issues
- Inconsistent behavior when adding images
- Formatting problems when pasting content

**Requested features**

- Add undo/redo functionality
- Improve table formatting and calculations
- Allow custom folder colors and icons
- Implement a page view for longer notes
- Integrate with Reminders app for to-do lists


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sticky Notes free?

Sticky Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Notes free?

Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sticky Notes or Notes?

Notes is rated higher. Sticky Notes averages 4.4 out of 5 from 6K ratings, while Notes averages 4.8 from 641K ratings.

### Do Sticky Notes or Notes have ads?

Neither Sticky Notes nor Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sticky Notes or Notes?

Sticky Notes ships an update every 5 weeks, and Notes every 9 months. Most recently, Sticky Notes was updated on September 22, 2026 and Notes on September 24, 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.*