# Sidebar | Fast Notes vs CognitiveAnchor

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sidebar | Fast Notes at none against CognitiveAnchor's 1. CognitiveAnchor's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Sidebar | Fast Notes ships an update every 2 months, CognitiveAnchor every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sidebar | Fast Notes | CognitiveAnchor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 2 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Chris Woods](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693297958) | [Gal Itach](https://appshunter.io/developer/1867158254) |

## 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


### CognitiveAnchor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cognitiveanchor-focus-and-tasks/id6774281102)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Everywhere PRO | Free | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sidebar | Fast Notes free?

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

### Is CognitiveAnchor free?

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

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

Neither Sidebar | Fast Notes nor CognitiveAnchor shows ads.

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

Sidebar | Fast Notes ships an update every 2 months, and CognitiveAnchor every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sidebar | Fast Notes was updated on October 30, 2026 and CognitiveAnchor on October 25, 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.*