Comparison

Notable vs Pond

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Notable

Organize your thoughts with a unique pile-based system that adapts to your workflow. Supports text, images, voice memos, and advanced Markdown with code highlighting. Syncs seamlessly via iCloud and prioritizes user privacy with on-device processing.

Highlights
  • Pile-based organization
  • Multiple content types (text, image, voice)
  • Advanced Markdown with live preview
  • Code highlighting for 40+ languages
  • On-device voice memo transcription
  • iCloud sync
  • Open source
Features
Read full description

Notable: Your Thoughts, Beautifully Organized Notable reimagines note-taking with a unique pile-based organization system that mirrors how your mind actually works. Instead of rigid folders, create flexible piles that adapt to your thinking. Powerful Yet Simple • Pile-Based Organization - Group notes naturally, like stacking papers on your desk • Multiple Content Types - Text, images, links, and voice memos in one place • Advanced Markdown - Full CommonMark support with live preview • Code Highlighting - 40+ languages with syntax highlighting • Smart Search - Find anything with natural language semantic search Voice to Text, Instantly • Record Voice Memos - Capture thoughts on the go with waveform visualization • Automatic Transcription - On-device AI transcribes your recordings with WhisperKit • Privacy First - All processing happens on your device Sync Everywhere • iCloud Integration - Seamless sync across all your devices • CloudKit Powered - Secure, private, and automatic • Conflict Resolution - Your changes always take priority Beautiful Design • Native SwiftUI - Smooth, responsive interface designed for iOS • Dark Mode - Gorgeous in light or dark • Link Previews - Rich previews for web links • Customizable Themes - Choose from multiple code editor themes Your Data, Your Control • No Account Required - Just sign in with iCloud • No Tracking - We don't collect or sell your data • Fully Open Source - Transparent development you can trust Whether you're capturing fleeting thoughts, organizing research, or managing projects, Notable adapts to your workflow. Requires iOS 17.0 or later.

About

Pond

Capture thoughts and ideas instantly with a simple, intuitive interface. Organize notes, set reminders, and merge ideas seamlessly. Access your thoughts everywhere with cloud sync.

Highlights
  • Quick note capture
  • Voice input for thoughts
  • Merge multiple notes
  • Highlighting and reminders
  • Organize with multiple ponds
  • iCloud seamless sync
  • One-hand mode
Features
Read full description

Capture thoughts instantly, grow them into ideas. Pond focuses on the pure essence of note-taking without complexity. The moment inspiration strikes, capture it with a single tap. Key Features: • Quick Capture - Start typing with one tap • Voice Input - Long press to speak your thoughts • Merge Ideas - Combine multiple notes into one • Highlight & Remind - Never forget important thoughts • Multiple Ponds - Organize by topic or project • Seamless Sync - Access everywhere with iCloud Special Features: - One-hand mode for comfortable use - Shake to change sort order - Double tap to edit quickly - Full dark mode support Drop your thoughts into Pond and watch them grow. Simple yet powerful thought management starts here. #notes #quicknotes #ideas #productivity #todo #voicenotes #minimal

Screenshots

Notable4 screens
Pond4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pond at 100% against Notable's 0%. Pond also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.0) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). Notable's advantage is price (Free vs $1.99). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Notable is free to download; Pond costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pond holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Notable's written reviews are positive against 100% of Pond's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notable ships an update every 3 weeks, Pond every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Notable versus Pond: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotablePond
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings25 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRunkai ZhangEUIHYUNG JUNG

Customer experience

Notable

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Pond

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Notable

No in-app purchases

None

Pond

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Notable free?
Notable is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pond free?
Pond costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Notable or Pond?
Pond is rated higher. Notable averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Pond averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do Notable or Pond have ads?
Neither Notable nor Pond shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notable or Pond?
Notable ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pond every 2 days. Most recently, Notable was updated on November 3, 2026 and Pond on October 30, 2026.

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