Comparison

ghostmemo vs Sidenote

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

Head to head
About

ghostmemo

Securely store private notes, passwords, and logs with end-to-end encryption. This app offers local encryption, Face ID/PIN protection, and an intuitive interface for easy data safeguarding. Keep your personal information private and accessible only to you.

Highlights
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Local data handling
  • Face ID/PIN authentication
  • Password storage
  • Health log keeping
  • Text formatting
  • Beginner encryption guide
Features
Read full description

ghostmemo is a file management and note-taking app designed with security in mind. Encryption is an invaluable tool for preserving your digital privacy, and ghostmemo simplifies the process of safeguarding your personal thoughts. You can use ghostmemo to easily and safely jot down private notes, keep a health log, store your passwords, and more. With one tap, any memos can be encrypted. Users can opt-in to Face ID or make their own custom PIN, ensuring that the authentication and encryption process is quick and simple. As an added level of security, ghostmemo gives you the option of locking your memos so that they cannot be opened or altered. All encryption is handled locally on your device, using secure standards and algorithms supported by Apple's operating system. Data can be encrypted, decrypted, locked, or deleted without any network connection. You hold the keys to your own data, at all times. Learning to use the app is quick and intuitive — ghostmemo also includes a helpful guide to encryption for beginners to , as well as text formatting features you rely on to write comfortably. ghostmemo gathers no data, requires no account registration, and provides everyone the peace of mind that their most personal information is safe. ghostmemo utilizes Apple's standard Terms of Use (EULA) –– to read it in detail, follow the link below https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ ghostmemo's privacy policy can be found at the following link: https://cbd1221.github.io/ghostmemo/#privacy-policy feedback or feature requests can be sent here: ghostmemo.app@gmail.com

About

Sidenote

Features
Read full description

Some thoughts don't need a folder, a title, or a five-step workflow. They just need to be written down before they disappear. Sidenote is a quiet capture app for the in-between moments - the reminder you think of on a walk, the sentence that arrives in the shower, the idea you don't want to lose before you reach your desk. Open the app, start typing, tap Done. Your thought drops into a simple stream, timestamped and waiting whenever you scroll back. No accounts. No sync. No noise. Everything stays on your iPhone. CAPTURE WITHOUT FRICTION Sidenote opens ready to write. A single prompt, a clean canvas, and nothing else competing for your attention. When you're done, your thought settles into your stream with a subtle, satisfying motion - then the screen is clear again for whatever comes next. Drafts are saved automatically, so if you're interrupted mid-thought, nothing is lost. YOUR THOUGHT STREAM Scroll down to revisit earlier sidenotes, grouped by day with timestamps. Search when you need to find something specific. Edit a note, share it, or remove it with a long press. Export your entire stream as plain text whenever you want a copy outside the app. Removed sidenotes stay on your device for 30 days, so you can restore them if you change your mind. GO LIVE Pin any sidenote to your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island with Go Live. Keep a reminder, a phrase, or an idea in sight for up to eight hours - without opening the app again. Choose a default or clear appearance to match how you want it to look on your Lock Screen. HOME SCREEN WIDGET Add a Sidenote widget to see your latest thought at a glance. Tap it to jump straight back into your stream. MAKE IT YOURS • Light, Dark, or System appearance • Font choices: System, New York, Georgia, or Mono • Adjustable text size across the app, widget, and Live Activity • Thoughtful haptics and animations (respects Reduce Motion) Sidenote is designed to feel calm, fast, and personal - like jotting something in the margin of your day. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Sidenote keeps your thoughts on this iPhone. There is no account to create, no server to sync to, and no data leaving your device. Your sidenotes belong to you. Built for people who think in fragments, capture in bursts, and want a place that stays out of the way until they need it. Start typing.

Screenshots

ghostmemo4 screens
Sidenote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sidenote at none against ghostmemo's 2. Sidenote also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs monthly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. ghostmemo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Sidenote asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ghostmemo ships an update monthly, Sidenote every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
ghostmemo versus Sidenote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterghostmemoSidenote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (3 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.2 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCOLIN DIVELYAlexander James Walters

In-app purchases

2 purchases

ghostmemo

Subscriptions2
  • ghostmemo+$2.991 Month
  • ghostmemo+$24.991 Year
None

Sidenote

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ghostmemo free?
ghostmemo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sidenote free?
Sidenote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ghostmemo or Sidenote have ads?
Neither ghostmemo nor Sidenote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ghostmemo or Sidenote?
ghostmemo ships an update monthly, and Sidenote every 8 days. Most recently, ghostmemo was updated on November 4, 2026 and Sidenote on October 31, 2026.

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