Best Sticky Notes Apps for Windows and Linux (2026)

The best sticky notes app for most desktop users in 2026 is BetterStickies: modern visuals, notes that hold screenshots and code blocks, native Windows, macOS, and Linux apps, and a one-time premium unlock (currently $7.99). Microsoft Sticky Notes, Stickies by Zhorn Software, Notezilla, and Simple Sticky Notes each win for specific users, covered below.

Five apps are worth considering on a Windows or Linux desktop today. Two are free with no limits, one is paid, one ships with Windows, and one is freemium. This guide covers what each does well and who should pick it. On Linux, the field is wider than the apps compared here: Best Sticky Notes Apps for Linux covers picks for GNOME, KDE Plasma and Cinnamon.

What to Look for in a Sticky Notes App

Each app below is judged on the same six points:

Platform support: Does it run on your desktop OS, and will it still be there if you switch?
Offline access: Can you use it without an internet connection or an account?
Customization: Colors, backgrounds, and sizing options.
Organization: Nested notes, search, and pinning.
Privacy: Where is your data stored?
Price: Free, freemium, or paid, and whether it is a subscription.

Top Sticky Notes Apps for 2026

1. BetterStickies

BetterStickies is a modern, offline-first sticky notes app for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Notes can hold pasted screenshots, files, and code blocks, sit on image or animated GIF backgrounds, nest inside each other, and snap to a grid. No account is required and notes never leave your device.

Key highlights:

Native Windows, macOS, and Linux apps
Paste anything: text, links, screenshots, files
Code blocks, rich text, and pasted Markdown or rich text (from web pages, emails, documents) that keeps its formatting
Per-note opacity, font size, and line spacing
Nested notes and nested checklists
Offline-first, local storage, no tracking

The free version includes 4 notes with no signup and no time limit, and notes are the only thing it limits. A one-time unlock (currently $7.99) removes the note limit. No subscription.

2. Microsoft Sticky Notes

Microsoft Sticky Notes ships with Windows and syncs through your Microsoft account. It's simple and tightly integrated with the Windows ecosystem, but it has no macOS or Linux app and little customization.

For a detailed comparison, see BetterStickies vs Microsoft Sticky Notes.

3. Notezilla

Notezilla is a Windows-focused sticky notes app with features like sticky note boards, checklists, and optional cloud sync. It's a paid app: around $30 for a one-time license, or a yearly plan that includes sync.

For a detailed comparison, see BetterStickies vs Notezilla.

4. Stickies (Zhorn Software)

Stickies is lightweight Windows freeware that has been actively maintained for over two decades. It's completely free, tiny, and deeper than it looks: notes can attach to windows and documents, sleep until a date, and transfer between PCs. The trade-off is a dated interface and Windows-only support.

For a detailed comparison, see BetterStickies vs Stickies by Zhorn Software.

5. Simple Sticky Notes

Simple Sticky Notes by Simnet is free Windows software built around doing less, well: clean text notes with checklists, alarms, notebooks, and a theme engine with dark mode. It's actively maintained but Windows-only, and notes can't hold images.

For a detailed comparison, see BetterStickies vs Simple Sticky Notes.

Comparison Table

Feature	BetterStickies	Microsoft Sticky Notes	Notezilla	Stickies (Zhorn)	Simple Sticky Notes
Windows	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Linux	Yes	No	No	No	No
macOS	Yes	No	No	No	No
Price	Freemium ($7.99 one-time unlock)	Free	~$30	Free (donations)	Free
Offline	Yes	Yes (sync needs an account)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Images in notes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Rich text	Yes	Basic	Yes	Basic	Basic
Customization	High	Low	Medium	Medium	Medium

Recommendation

For desktop users who want notes that hold more than text (screenshots, files, code blocks) and a modern interface on Windows, macOS, or Linux, BetterStickies is the pick. Its free version is enough to try it, and the one-time unlock is currently $7.99 with no subscription.

Windows users already deep in the Microsoft ecosystem get a decent built-in option with Microsoft Sticky Notes. Power users who value density over looks should look at Stickies by Zhorn Software. Anyone who just wants unlimited basic text notes for free is well served by Simple Sticky Notes.

For deeper dives, see the detailed head-to-head comparisons: