Comparison

Notable vs Slate

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

Slate

Organize your thoughts, tasks, and saved links with a simple, intuitive interface. Create boards for notes, to-dos, and links, with rich text formatting and file attachments. Syncs seamlessly across Apple devices.

Highlights
  • Organize notes, tasks, and links into boards
  • Rich text formatting and file attachments for notes
  • Set reminders and due dates for to-dos
  • Save links with previews
  • iCloud sync across Apple devices
  • Light and dark appearance options
Features
Read full description

Slate is a simple place for notes, to-dos, and saved links. Capture a thought, make a plan, or keep something for later. Give it a board, then get on with your day. NOTES THAT HAVE A PLACE Keep ideas, meeting notes, recipes, and reference material on Keep boards. Use rich text, paste Markdown, and add photos or files. Your notes stay useful without a checkbox to clear. A LITTLE ORDER FOR EVERY DAY Use To-do boards for the things you want to do. Arrange items under Today, Tomorrow, Anytime, or Someday. Choose a date, set a reminder, and mark things done at your own pace. GOOD FINDS, ALL TOGETHER Save links with previews. Share text, links, and files to Slate from other apps. Search your saved content when you need it. AT HOME ON YOUR APPLE DEVICES Use Slate on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. iCloud sync is included. No separate Slate account is needed. Choose a light or dark appearance. View a board and an item side by side in wide iPad and Mac windows. START FREE Use up to three active boards with unlimited items. iCloud sync is free. MORE WITH SLATE PRO Unlock unlimited boards, Smart Boards, reusable board templates, repeat to-dos, and more strikethrough styles and colors. Use Ramble with saved content to turn notes into action items. Review suggestions before you save them. Ramble requires iOS 26 or macOS 26 and a supported Apple Intelligence device. Feature availability also depends on your language, region, and system settings. Slate Pro is available as a monthly or annual subscription, or as Lifetime access with one payment. Buying Lifetime does not cancel an existing subscription. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled in your Apple account settings. Any introductory offer and its terms appear before purchase. Privacy: https://slatekeep.app/privacy/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Notable4 screens
Slate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Slate at Free against Notable's $0.99. Slate also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.0) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). Notable's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On ratings volume and ads 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

Slate is free to download; Notable costs $0.99 up front. Slate sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Notable asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Slate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notable ships an update every 3 weeks, Slate every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Notable versus Slate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotableSlate
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFreemium — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRunkai ZhangMSW Digital LLC

Customer experience

Notable

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

Slate

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Notable

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Slate

Subscriptions2
  • Slate Pro Monthly1 Month trial$2.991 Month
  • Slate Pro Annual$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Notable free?
Notable costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Slate free?
Slate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notable or Slate?
Slate is rated higher. Notable averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Slate averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Notable or Slate have ads?
Neither Notable nor Slate shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notable or Slate?
Notable ships an update every 3 weeks, and Slate every 3 days. Most recently, Notable was updated on October 2, 2026 and Slate on October 7, 2026.

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