# Sidebar | Fast Notes vs PrivatePad

The clearest difference is price: Sidebar | Fast Notes at Free against PrivatePad's $1.99. PrivatePad's advantage is iOS requirement (16.5 vs 18.6). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Sidebar | Fast Notes is free to download; PrivatePad costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sidebar | Fast Notes | PrivatePad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidebar-fast-notes/id6450434079/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 2 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **16.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chris Woods](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693297958) | [Hangzhou Lake Snow Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439688130) |

## What reviewers say

### Sidebar | Fast Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidebar-fast-notes/id6450434079)

Quickly capture thoughts and ideas without the need for organization. Entries are timestamped logs that can be tagged as to-dos or personal wins/losses. Syncs across devices with custom themes and a stealth mode.

**Highlights:** Instant note capture, Timestamped entries, To-do list integration, Personal scoreboard, Cross-device sync, Custom themes, Stealth mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### PrivatePad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/privatepad/id6740133617)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sidebar | Fast Notes free?

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

### Is PrivatePad free?

PrivatePad costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Sidebar | Fast Notes or PrivatePad have ads?

Neither Sidebar | Fast Notes nor PrivatePad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sidebar | Fast Notes or PrivatePad?

Sidebar | Fast Notes ships an update every 2 months, and PrivatePad every 2 months. Most recently, Sidebar | Fast Notes was updated on October 27, 2026 and PrivatePad on October 18, 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.*