Comparison

Beside vs TabNotes

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

Head to head
About

Beside

This app simulates the presence of someone working nearby to enhance focus, using ambient sounds and visual cues. It offers various scenes and a focus timer to aid productivity without requiring cameras or personal accounts. Track your progress and build focus streaks with this completely free tool.

Highlights
  • Simulated ambient presence
  • Multiple handcrafted focus scenes
  • Customizable focus timer
  • Progress tracking and streaks
  • Offline functionality
  • No camera or account required
Features
Read full description

Someone's here. Let's focus. Beside creates the feeling of someone working next to you -- without cameras, strangers, or interruptions. Body doubling is a proven ADHD and productivity technique, and now it's free on your iPhone. No account. No subscription. No paywall. Ever. HOW IT WORKS Open the app. Pick a scene. Start focusing. That's it. Each scene surrounds you with ambient sounds and subtle visual cues -- a coffee cup steaming nearby, pages turning, someone typing at the next desk. You never see another person, but you feel their presence. That's body doubling. 6 HANDCRAFTED SCENES Cozy Room -- Rain on the window, warm lighting, a desk lamp glowing nearby Coffee Shop -- Espresso machine hum, gentle chatter, someone typing beside you Library -- Whisper-quiet, pages turning, the calm focus of a study hall Lo-fi Room -- Chill beats, a companion at their desk, late-night creative energy Night Owl -- City lights, cricket sounds, your late-night study partner Garden Morning -- Birds, a gentle breeze, someone reading next to you FOCUS TIMER Set a session for 15, 25, or 45 minutes -- or go infinite. Lock your phone or switch apps and your scene keeps playing, with controls on the Lock Screen. A gentle notification lets you know when time's up. No pressure. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS See your focus history on a calendar. Build streaks. Watch your focus time grow over days and weeks. WHY BESIDE? - 100% free -- No ads, no subscriptions, no in-app purchases - No camera -- Your camera is never used. Period. - No account required -- Open the app and start focusing immediately - No strangers -- Ambient presence, not video calls with random people - No scheduling -- Focus whenever you want, not when a session is available - Works offline -- No internet needed once downloaded - Dark mode -- Easy on the eyes, day or night - Private -- No data collection, no analytics, no trackers BUILT FOR - ADHD adults who use body doubling to get things done - Students studying alone in their room - Remote workers missing the presence of coworkers - Anyone who focuses better when someone else is around Body doubling shouldn't cost $7-40/month. It shouldn't require a camera. And it shouldn't mean scheduling sessions with strangers. Beside is focus, simplified.

About

TabNotes

Read full description

TabNotes is a powerful note-taking app designed for long, structured writing. Organize everything inside one note using color tabs, smart checklists, and built-in formatting tools. If you’ve ever wished Apple Notes had tabs — TabNotes is for you. Features - Create sections inside notes using custom color tabs - Switch between sections instantly - Smart checklists for structured task tracking - Bold, italic, underline, and strikethrough formatting - Insert photos directly into notes - Clean, distraction-free writing experience TabNotes was built out of a real need: Managing hundreds of notes without losing structure. If you write songs, track projects, plan ideas, or run side hustles — TabNotes helps you stay organized without complexity. Simple. Structured. Focused.

Screenshots

Beside4 screens
TabNotes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Beside at Free against TabNotes's $2.99. On ads, in-app purchases, 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

Beside is free to download; TabNotes costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Beside versus TabNotes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBesideTabNotes
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 7 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSoftroni LLCBSX Holding AS

In-app purchases

None

Beside

No in-app purchases

None

TabNotes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Beside free?
Beside is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TabNotes free?
TabNotes costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Beside or TabNotes have ads?
Neither Beside nor TabNotes shows ads.

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