Notable vs Pond
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
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.
- Quick note capture
- Voice input for thoughts
- Merge multiple notes
- Highlighting and reminders
- Organize with multiple ponds
- iCloud seamless sync
- One-hand mode
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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
Verdict
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
Notable is free to download; Pond costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Notable | Pond |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $1.99 |
| Rating | 3.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 5 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Runkai Zhang | EUIHYUNG JUNG |
Customer experience
Notable
Pond
In-app purchases
Notable
No in-app purchases
Pond
No in-app purchases






