Better Stickies vs Simple Sticky Notes: Which Free Notes App Fits You? (2026)
Simple Sticky Notes lives up to its name: a free, lightweight Windows app you can learn in one sitting. BetterStickies aims higher on visuals and flexibility, and adds Linux support. Which one you should pick depends on how much you want your notes to do. Here's the honest breakdown.
Overview
BetterStickies is a modern sticky notes app for Windows and Linux (macOS is in development). Notes can hold pasted screenshots, files, and code blocks, carry up to three pages behind tabs, sit on GIF or gradient backgrounds, nest inside each other, and snap to a grid. The free version covers casual use; a one-time unlock (currently $6.99) removes the note limit.
Simple Sticky Notes by Simnet is free Windows software built around doing less, well. It offers clean text notes with checklists, alarms, notebooks for organization, and a theme engine with dark mode. It's actively maintained, with version 6.9 released in February 2026.
Pricing
Simple Sticky Notes is free for both personal and commercial use, with no note limits. The app itself is ad-free.
BetterStickies' free version includes 4 notes, with no signup and no time limit, and notes are the only thing it limits. Premium is a one-time payment (currently $6.99) that removes the note limit. No subscription.
Winner: Simple Sticky Notes on pure price, since its free version has no limits. BetterStickies' counter is that its unlock is one-time and currently just $6.99.
Platform Support
BetterStickies runs natively on Windows and Linux, with macOS in development. Simple Sticky Notes is Windows-only, though it does support Windows on ARM devices.
Winner: BetterStickies, and it's the deciding factor for Linux users.
Features Comparison
| Feature | BetterStickies | Simple Sticky Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (Premium: $6.99 one-time) | Free |
| Windows | ✅ | ✅ (including ARM64) |
| Linux | ✅ | ❌ |
| macOS | 🚧 In development | ❌ |
| Offline / local storage | ✅ | ✅ |
| Free note limit | 4 notes | Unlimited |
| Reminders / alarms | ✅ | ✅ |
| Images in notes | ✅ (paste screenshots, files) | ❌ (emojis only) |
| GIF / gradient backgrounds | ✅ | ❌ (color themes) |
| Code blocks | ✅ | ❌ |
| Checklists | ✅ (nested, Tab/Shift+Tab) | ✅ (nested checkboxes) |
| Organization | Nested notes | Notebooks (Note Explorer) |
| Dark mode / themes | ✅ (custom backgrounds) | ✅ (theme engine) |
| Always on top | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cloud sync | ❌ | ❌ |
Where Simple Sticky Notes wins
- Simplicity. There is almost nothing to learn. If you want yellow squares with text and an alarm, it delivers exactly that with zero friction.
- Truly unlimited free. No note cap, free for commercial use too.
- Lightweight and broad. Under 3 MB, runs on everything from old machines to Windows ARM laptops, translated into 13 languages.
The trade-offs: notes are text and emojis only (no images), customization stops at themes and opacity, and there's no path beyond Windows.
Where BetterStickies wins
- Notes that hold more than text. Paste a screenshot of an error, drop in a file, keep a code snippet in a proper code block. For anyone who works visually, this is the core difference.
- Desktop personality. GIF and gradient backgrounds, hover previews, collapsible and nested notes, snap to grid, custom shortcuts, multi-monitor support.
- Linux support. Native builds including the Snap Store, in a category where Linux options are scarce.
When to Choose Simple Sticky Notes
- You want the simplest possible free notes app on Windows
- You need unlimited notes without paying anything
- You're on older hardware or a Windows ARM device
- Text notes with alarms are all you need
When to Choose BetterStickies
- You use Linux, or Windows and Linux together
- Your notes include screenshots, files, or code, not just text
- You want your desktop notes to look the way you like
- You want an app with an active roadmap you can vote on
The Verdict
Simple Sticky Notes is the best answer to "I just want basic sticky notes, free, on Windows." It's honest software that does what it says. BetterStickies is the step up for people whose notes are more than text: developers pasting snippets, anyone dropping screenshots into reminders, Linux users, and people who care what their desktop looks like. The free version is enough to feel the difference before deciding whether the one-time unlock is worth it.
FAQ
Is Simple Sticky Notes really free?
Yes. It's free for personal and commercial use with no note limits, and the app contains no ads. It's developed by Simnet Limited and actively updated.
Can Simple Sticky Notes hold images?
No. Notes support text, formatting, and emojis, but not pasted images or screenshots. BetterStickies supports pasting screenshots and files directly into notes.
Which app works on Linux?
BetterStickies, with native Linux builds including the Snap Store. Simple Sticky Notes is Windows-only.
Does either app sync between devices?
No. Both are offline, local-storage apps. Neither offers cloud sync today.
Which app is simpler to use?
Simple Sticky Notes, genuinely. It's designed to be learned in one use. BetterStickies has more capability and correspondingly more to explore, though its defaults keep everyday use straightforward.