Comparison

StickyDing vs Caliu

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

Head to head
About

StickyDing

Features
Read full description

DDNotes — Sticky Notes That Live on Your Home Screen. Write a note, pin it to your Home Screen, and see it every time you pick up your phone. Synced in real time with your desktop notes via iCloud. NOTES AT A GLANCE Widget-First Design — Read notes without opening the app Three Widget Sizes — Small, Medium, Large (plus an Extra Large size on iPad) 8 Hand-Picked Paper Colors — Carefully curated, not arbitrary Ruled Paper Background — Feels like writing on real sticky notes EFFICIENT NOTE-TAKING Due-Date Reminders — Never forget what matters Strike Through — Mark tasks complete with a single tap Long-Press Drag to Reorder — Keep important notes at the top Long-Press Menu — Quick access to strike through and delete PRIVACY All your notes are stored in your own iCloud Private Database. Nothing is uploaded to any third-party server. Nothing is accessible by anyone (including us). You can also use it fully offline without iCloud — local storage works just fine. No analytics. No tracking. No ads. No third-party SDKs. No account required.

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. 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. 50 notes free, forever, no account needed. Caliu Pro makes them unlimited and adds: • 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 Subscribe monthly or yearly, or buy Pro lifetime once. Try it free before you decide. The monthly or yearly plan 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

StickyDing3 screens
Caliu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Caliu at Free against StickyDing's $0.99. StickyDing's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). On 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

Caliu is free to download; StickyDing costs $0.99 up front. Caliu sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. StickyDing asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
StickyDing versus Caliu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStickyDingCaliu
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating—5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—5 — better
Update frequency—Every 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB210 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerliuzhu yangMarc Torrelles

In-app purchases

None

StickyDing

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 StickyDing free?
StickyDing costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Caliu free?
Caliu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do StickyDing or Caliu have ads?
Neither StickyDing nor Caliu shows ads.

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