Comparison

Note vs shimmer

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

Head to head
About

Note

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Capture a note in seconds. Act on it. Archive or delete it. Move on. NoteToSelf is a fast and superclean way to get a thought out of your head and into text. No folders to choose, no tags to assign, no decisions to make. Just open the app and write. HOW IT WORKS Open the app. Write your note. When you're done, swipe right to archive or swipe left to delete. Your next note gets the full screen. That's the entire workflow. YOUR NOTE ON YOUR HOME SCREEN Add the NoteToSelf widget and your active note is always visible — no need to open the app. Medium and Large widgets for the home screen, plus a Lock Screen widget for the thought you can't afford to lose. When the note changes, the widget changes. One thought at a time, everywhere you look. GESTURES THAT MAKE SENSE Swipe right - archive (the safe action) Swipe left - delete (the decisive action) Tap - edit your note Hold - share it Shake - undo a delete (20-second window) Every gesture has its own haptic feedback — light for routine actions, heavier for destructive ones. You'll feel the difference. Or turn haptics off in Settings if you prefer silence. YOUR ARCHIVE Up to 10 archived notes by default. Want more room? Toggle expanded archive in Settings for up to 20. The limit is intentional — it keeps your archive meaningful instead of becoming another junk drawer. WRITING INSIGHTS Track your writing streak, total days written, and average note length. See lifetime statistics and your archive at a glance. Patterns without pressure. DESIGNED FOR iOS 26 Rebuilt for Apple's latest design language — clean glass controls, one accent color. The interface stays out of the way; your words get the screen. PRIVACY Everything stays on your device. No account, no cloud sync, no tracking, no data collection. Export your archive as Markdown anytime. THE PHILOSOPHY Most note apps want you to save everything forever. NoteToSelf takes the opposite approach: capture what matters now, process it, let it go. One active note at a time means no tab-switching between half-finished thoughts. A capped archive means you decide what's worth keeping. These constraints aren't limitations — they're what make the app fast, focused, and calm. Is this for everyone? No. This is for people who think better with fewer open loops. Writers who need a scratch pad, not a filing cabinet. Anyone who's tired of note apps that create more clutter than they solve. One-time purchase. No subscriptions. No ads. No premium tiers. One note at a time. On purpose.

About

shimmer

This app provides personalized affirmations tailored to your current life circumstances, addressing challenges like debt, heartbreak, or negative cycles. It offers realistic and empathetic statements designed to resonate with users, even when they feel cynical or emotionally numb.

Highlights
  • Personalized affirmations
  • Addresses real-life struggles
  • Works with cynicism
  • No confusing techniques
  • No daily pressure
  • Handles past trauma
Features
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Affirmations that actually fit YOUR life. Tired of generic affirmations that feel fake when you're drowning in debt, heartbroken, or stuck in negative cycles? We get it. That's why we built something different. Whatever you're going through right now: "I'm behind on rent and terrified" "Everyone abandons me and I don't know why" "I want to manifest money but feel guilty wanting more" "I'm doing okay but ready for my next level" Get affirmations that meet you where you are: Instead of robotic "I am wealthy" when you're counting change for gas, you get: "I'm breaking the cycle, even if no one sees it yet" "Last month's version of me would be proud of this" "I trust myself to figure this out, one step at a time" Why this works when other apps don't: • No confusing techniques or daily requirements • Made for your ACTUAL situation, not perfect lives • Works even when you're emotionally numb or cynical • Made for real struggles – Handles past trauma, abandonment wounds, and "not enough" stories blocking your manifestations • Built for the stuck moments – When negative thoughts spiral and you don't know how to break free • No daily pressure – Use it when you need it, not because you "should" 
SUBSCRIPTION & PRIVACY Shimmer offers the following auto-renewing subscription options: Full Access Subscription - Weekly Plan: Auto-renewing weekly subscription - Annual Plan: Auto-renewing yearly subscription Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period To manage or cancel your subscription: in iPhone Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions PRIVACY & TERMS Privacy Policy: notion.so/forestpool/Privacy-Policy-25e097c0499b80618aadfd20d154176a?source=copy_link Terms of Use: notion.so/forestpool/Terms-of-Service-25e097c0499b80d9bcb4d3dab408550e?source=copy_link FREE TRIAL TERMS • New subscribers may be eligible for a free trial • After the trial period, your subscription will automatically renew • You can cancel anytime during the trial period through your iTunes Account Settings For additional support, contact us at: anvarbakirov@me.com

Screenshots

Note4 screens
shimmer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: shimmer at Free against Note's $4.99. shimmer also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). Note's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5). On update cadence, ads and device support 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

shimmer is free to download; Note costs $4.99 up front. shimmer sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Note asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Note ships an update every 3 weeks, shimmer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Note versus shimmer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNoteshimmer
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating—4.8 (512 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—512 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Subscription
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS26.018.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndre Berg-StølenAnvar Bakirov

In-app purchases

None

Note

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

shimmer

Subscriptions5
  • Premium3 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Premium3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Premium$9.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • Premium3 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Premium$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Note free?
Note costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is shimmer free?
shimmer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Note or shimmer have ads?
Neither Note nor shimmer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Note or shimmer?
Note ships an update every 3 weeks, and shimmer fortnightly. Most recently, Note was updated on October 16, 2026 and shimmer on October 28, 2026.

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