Comparison

Notestream vs Caliu

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

Head to head
About

Notestream

This app offers a private, chat-style notebook for quick note-taking. It focuses on speed and simplicity, allowing users to send thoughts like text messages without the pressure of traditional document formatting. Ideal for lists, memos, and everyday ideas.

Highlights
  • Chat-style note interface
  • Fast capture and search
  • Checkboxes and colored ribbons
  • Image support with captions
  • Channel archiving and restoration
  • Export to .txt and .csv
  • Full backup and import
Features
Read full description

Notestream is a beautifully simple chat-style notes app that makes quick-capture notes feel like texting yourself. Fast capture, easy search, and lightweight organization for everyday thoughts. Most notes apps push you toward documents and structure. Notestream keeps notes in a totally private chat-like thread, so you can type a thought, send it, and move on. It stays easy to skim and easy to find later with search. GREAT FOR • Quick notes during the day • To-do lists, grocery lists, and checklists • Meeting notes and action items • Light journaling and personal reflections • Brainstorms, idea dumps, and memos WHY IT’S DIFFERENT Notestream removes friction at the moment you need to capture something. Instead of opening a page, naming it, and organizing it, you just write like a text and send. • Feels like texting yourself — every note is a quick send in a chat-like thread • No document ritual — no blank page pressure or formatting rabbit hole • Built for small, frequent notes — memos, lists, ideas, and quick journaling • Fast review and retrieval — easy to skim, easy to search • Private by default — no account required WHO NOTESTREAM IS FOR • People who want speed over structure • People who already text themselves notes and want a better version of that workflow • People who hate “document mode” (pages, folders, formatting) • People who keep messy brain dumps — one-liners, half thoughts, links, quick lists • People who want a daily driver for small notes — memos, to-dos, groceries, ideas, journaling • People who value privacy and simplicity — a lightweight, no-fuss place to keep personal notes FEATURES • Multiple channels for separate topics • Checkboxes + colored ribbons • Add images (with optional captions) • Archive and restore channels • Export to plain-text open file formats like .txt or .csv • Full backup export/import • Highly customizable themes (dark + light included) PRIVACY • Offline-first: your notes are stored locally on your device • No account required Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://redflask-notestream.github.io/privacy/

About

Caliu

A minimalist markdown notes app designed for writers, offering a distraction-free writing experience with features like nested tags, reminders, and cross-device syncing. It allows for easy export and integration with external tools.

Highlights
  • Markdown writing with live formatting
  • Nested and colored tags for organization
  • Cross-device sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
  • Reminders for notes
  • Export to various formats (Markdown, ePub, RTF)
  • REST API and MCP server for integration
  • Customizable themes
Features
Read full description

Caliu is a quiet place to write. Open it and start typing: no account, no setup, no clutter. Markdown takes shape as you type, everything works offline, and your notes stay on your device. When you want them everywhere, create a free account and they follow you across iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web. Sync is free, and it stays free. Writing comes first Headings, lists, tasks, quotes, code and links format as you write. There is no preview pane and no mode to switch: what you see is your note. The interface steps aside and leaves you with the page. Organised the way you think Tags instead of folders, because one idea can belong in many places. Nest them, colour them, and find any note in seconds. Link notes to each other and follow a thought from one to the next. Pin what matters now, and archive what you are done with without losing a word. There when you need it Native on iPhone, iPad and Mac, with a web app for everything else. Put a reminder on any note and Caliu nudges you on whichever device you pick up. Save things to Caliu straight from the share sheet, or add a thought from your Apple Watch. Yours, and only yours No ads. No tracking. Nothing you write is used to train AI. Your notes live on your device first and sync encrypted, and Caliu is built in the EU under GDPR. Export any note as Markdown or plain text whenever you like, share one as a public link when someone needs to read it, and delete your account at any time. Deleted means deleted. For tinkerers A full REST API and a built-in MCP server, so Claude, Cursor or your own scripts can read and write your notes, on your terms. Your first API key is free. Caliu Pro Writing, tags, sync and working offline are free, with no limits on notes. Caliu Pro is for when you want more: • Voice dictation that turns speech into clean Markdown, filler words trimmed • Version history: scroll back through any note and restore it in a tap • Every theme, font and app icon: 22 colour themes, each in light and dark, and 30 fonts • Drawing, right inside your notes • Unlimited attachments • More export formats: HTML, ePub, PDF, RTF and TextPack • Unlimited API keys, and connecting AI apps like Claude to your notes Try it free before you decide. Caliu Pro is an auto-renewing subscription: it renews unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and you can manage or cancel it anytime in your App Store account settings. Made with care by a small, independent team of one. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://caliuapp.com/privacy

Screenshots

Notestream4 screens
Caliu4 screens

Verdict

The call

Notestream and Caliu both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Caliu's written reviews are positive against 0% of Notestream's. Caliu also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). Notestream's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, 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

Both are free to download. Caliu sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Notestream asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Notestream against 5.0 for Caliu. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 0% of Notestream's written reviews are positive against 100% of Caliu's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notestream ships an update every 3 weeks, Caliu weekly. The most recent releases landed on July 17, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Notestream versus Caliu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotestreamCaliu
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings24 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB210 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCalem ViluanMarc Torrelles

Customer experience

Notestream

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

Caliu

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Notestream

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Caliu

Subscriptions2
  • Caliu Pro - Monthly3 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Caliu Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year

Questions

Is Notestream free?
Notestream is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Caliu free?
Caliu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notestream or Caliu?
Notestream and Caliu are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do Notestream or Caliu have ads?
Neither Notestream nor Caliu shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notestream or Caliu?
Notestream ships an update every 3 weeks, and Caliu weekly. Most recently, Notestream was updated on July 17, 2026 and Caliu on September 30, 2026.

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