Dotly vs Barely Notes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Dotly
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Dotly โ capture to Workflowy in seconds. A fleeting thought. A sudden idea. A task you can't afford to forget. Dotly helps you capture it instantly and send it straight to Workflowy. Whether you're offline or on the move, Dotly keeps your thoughts safe until you're ready to sync. Designed for speed and calm, it brings the art of writing and the beauty of structure together โ in one elegant flow. Features: - Instant Capture: Add notes, ideas, or reminders to Workflowy in seconds. No friction, no fuss. - Offline Outbox: Write anytime, anywhere. Dotly queues your notes and syncs automatically when you're back online. - Minimal Design: A clean, fluid interface that keeps you focused on what matters: your thoughts. - Smart Shortcuts: Capture with a single tap from widgets or keyboard shortcuts. Send instantly, stay in the flow. - History: Review everything you've sent. Your capture timeline, always accessible. - Custom Settings: Choose how and where your dots land inside Workflowy. - Cross-Platform: Available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. One purchase unlocks all platforms. Dotly is for thinkers, creators, and builders โ for anyone who believes that every great project begins with a single thought. Download Dotly and start capturing.
Barely Notes
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Barely is a minimalist note app. One note at a time. No folders. No tags. No noise. Write what matters right now. Archive when done. Start fresh. Time-aware The app shifts with you. Warm mornings. Clean middays. Deep evenings. The tone changes automatically, or set it manually. Weekly surface Your archived notes surface back to you for seven days. Review, restore, or let them fade away. After a week, they're gone. Camera Capture a photo or record a video directly into your note. Share it however you want. Widgets See your active note at a glance. Small, medium, and large home screen widgets. Lock screen widgets. Live Activity on your lock screen and Dynamic Island. Bokashi themes Five curated color gradients inspired by the traditional color vocabulary of Japan. Sakura, Matcha, Sumi, Kumo, and Akatsuki. Each theme changes your app icon to match. One-time purchase. No subscription. Barely enough. Exactly right.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Barely Notes at every 11 days against Dotly's every 5 weeks. Dotly's advantage is device support (4 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Dotly sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Barely Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Dotly ships an update every 5 weeks, Barely Notes every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dotly | Barely Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 11 days โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch โ better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Andriy Bezemchuk | Ashley Cornette |
In-app purchases
Dotly
- Dotly Pro (Lifetime)$2.99
Barely Notes
- Bokashi Themes$2.99









