# Sidebar | Fast Notes vs FocusList

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sidebar | Fast Notes at none against FocusList's 1. Sidebar | Fast Notes also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 80%) and ratings volume (7 vs 1). FocusList's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FocusList sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sidebar | Fast Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Sidebar | Fast Notes against 5.0 for FocusList. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sidebar | Fast Notes has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Sidebar | Fast Notes's written reviews are positive against 80% of FocusList's.

Sidebar | Fast Notes ships an update every 3 months, FocusList every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sidebar | Fast Notes | FocusList |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidebar-fast-notes/id6450434079/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focuslist-habit-tracker/id6760835368/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 2 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chris Woods](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693297958) | [献慧 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896370005) |

## 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


### FocusList

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focuslist-habit-tracker/id6760835368)

This app combines task management, habit tracking, and a Pomodoro timer to help you stay organized and build routines. It offers progress insights and sync capabilities to support your daily workflow for studying, work, or personal development.

**Highlights:** Task planner and to-do list, Habit tracker with streaks, Pomodoro focus timer, Daily and weekly statistics, Reminders and progress review, Sync across devices

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock the permanent edition | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sidebar | Fast Notes free?

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

### Is FocusList free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sidebar | Fast Notes or FocusList?

Sidebar | Fast Notes and FocusList are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 7 and 1 ratings respectively.

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

Neither Sidebar | Fast Notes nor FocusList shows ads.

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

Sidebar | Fast Notes ships an update every 3 months, and FocusList every 6 days. Most recently, Sidebar | Fast Notes was updated on October 7, 2026 and FocusList on October 12, 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.*