# Sidebar | Fast Notes vs SludgeAI

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sidebar | Fast Notes at none against SludgeAI's 4. SludgeAI's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SludgeAI sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $29.00 per month. Sidebar | Fast Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sidebar | Fast Notes ships an update every 3 months, SludgeAI every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sidebar | Fast Notes | SludgeAI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| 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** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 2 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chris Woods](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693297958) | [FANSPY LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1789260559) |

## 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


### SludgeAI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sludgeai/id6753836773)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sludge AI Basic Monthly | $29.00 | per month |
| Sludge AI Pro Monthly | $49.00 | per month |
| Sludge AI Basic Annual | $239.99 | per year |
| Sludge AI Pro Annual | $409.00 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sidebar | Fast Notes free?

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

### Is SludgeAI free?

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

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

Neither Sidebar | Fast Notes nor SludgeAI shows ads.

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

Sidebar | Fast Notes ships an update every 3 months, and SludgeAI every 9 days. Most recently, Sidebar | Fast Notes was updated on September 20, 2026 and SludgeAI on September 19, 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.*