Comparison

HotJot Notes vs Notingo

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

Head to head
About

HotJot Notes

Capture ideas, photos, and thoughts quickly using a familiar text thread interface. Organize your life into chronological "Stacks" for focused streams of consciousness. Export your data easily in universal Markdown format.

Highlights
  • Text-to-Save workflow
  • Organize into Stacks
  • Visual Timelines
  • Total Privacy
  • Export to Markdown
  • No ads
Features
Read full description

Stop overthinking your notes. HotJot is the fastest way to capture ideas, photos, and thoughts using an interface you already know: a text thread. Organize your life into Stacks. These are focused, chronological streams of consciousness that feel like texting yourself. Whether it’s a fleeting thought, a photo of a receipt, or a project log, HotJot keeps it organized by time and topic without the heavy feel of other note-taking apps. Why HotJot? • The "Text-to-Save" Workflow: No friction. Just pick a Stack and start typing. • Visual Timelines: Every entry is automatically timestamped. Scroll back to see exactly when an idea struck. • Total Privacy: Your data never leaves your device or your personal iCloud backup. It’s in your control. • Own Your Data: Don’t get locked in. Export any Stack (or your entire library) into a clean .zip file containing universal Markdown files and your original photos or videos. • No ads: We hate ads as much as you do. HotJot is completely free for an introductory period, and if you get it while it's free you'll get upgraded for free later. Perfect for: • Project Tracking: Document progress with photos and quick notes. • Quick Capture: Save links, quotes, book recommendations, and "to-dos" before they vanish. • Personal Journaling: A space for your daily thoughts. • Shopping & Lists: Text your family’s requests into a dedicated Stack.

About

Notingo

Organize complex information into simple, hierarchical lists. Break down any topic into nested sub-lists for detailed planning, note-taking, or task management. Works offline with no ads or tracking.

Highlights
  • Deeply nested lists
  • Three list types (plain, numbered, task)
  • Drag and drop reordering
  • Universal search
  • Offline functionality
  • No ads or tracking
Features
Read full description

Turn complexity into clarity. Notingo helps you break down anything complex into simple, organized lists. Every item can become its own list, so you can structure your notes in a deep hierarchy. Planning a trip? Create a Travel list, tap into it, add Destinations, Packing, and Budget. Tap into Packing and add specific items. It's that simple. Three list types for any situation: - Plain lists for notes and ideas - Numbered lists for ordered steps and recipes - Task lists with checkboxes for to-dos Powerful yet simple: - Turn any item into a nested list - Drag and drop to reorder - Search across everything - Move and duplicate items - Bulk operations with selection mode Privacy first: - Everything stored on your device - Works offline - No ads - No tracking Perfect for project planning, shopping lists, meeting notes, packing lists, study guides—anything that needs structure. Your notes, your way.

Screenshots

HotJot Notes4 screens
Notingo4 screens

Verdict

The call

HotJot Notes and Notingo are too close to call on the numbers: across 9 compared parameters — price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for HotJot Notes against 5.0 for Notingo. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
HotJot Notes versus Notingo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHotJot NotesNotingo
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSandstorm Innovations LLC (US)Wishpipe Studios LLC

Customer experience

HotJot Notes

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Notingo

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

In-app purchases

None

HotJot Notes

No in-app purchases

None

Notingo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HotJot Notes free?
HotJot Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Notingo free?
Notingo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HotJot Notes or Notingo?
HotJot Notes and Notingo are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do HotJot Notes or Notingo have ads?
Neither HotJot Notes nor Notingo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HotJot Notes or Notingo?
HotJot Notes ships an update every 2 months, and Notingo every 2 months. Most recently, HotJot Notes was updated on October 23, 2026 and Notingo on October 7, 2026.

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