The 5 best sticky notes apps for Mac (2026)
A sticky note is a reminder you can see. Some people want just that; others want the note to tell them when time's up, or to get out of the way until it's needed. Here are five Mac apps that each do it differently, and what macOS does for free.
The best sticky notes apps for Mac in 2026 are StickyNotch (best for notes with a timer or a deadline that ring when time's up), Antinote (best as a quick scratchpad with typed timers), Noticky (best for floating notes connected to Calendar and Reminders, with iCloud sync), Notchkin (best for a simple notes panel in the notch) and NotchNest (best if you want a whole notch toolkit with notes and a Pomodoro timer). If you only need a few notes on screen, Apple's Stickies is free and already on your Mac.
Disclosure: We make StickyNotch, one of the apps on this list. We’ve described every app using only what its developer says on its own website or App Store listing. Prices and features checked 2 November 2026.
“Sticky notes app” covers a lot of ground. Some apps put coloured notes on your desktop, like paper on a monitor. Some are a single scratchpad you summon with a shortcut. Some live in the MacBook notch. And a few add time: a countdown, a deadline, a notification. Each pick below is labelled by the job it does best.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Price model | Timer or deadline on a note? | Uses the notch? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StickyNotch | Notes that ring on time | One-time purchase | Both, on any note | Optional tray (a strip without a notch) |
| Antinote | A quick scratchpad | $5 once, free trial | Typed timers; deadlines not described | Not described (Dock or menu bar) |
| Noticky | Floating notes with Calendar and Reminders | $9.99 on the Mac App Store | Via Apple Calendar and Reminders; no timers mentioned | Not mentioned |
| Notchkin | A notes panel in the notch | $4.99 once on the Mac App Store | Not mentioned | Yes |
| NotchNest | A notch toolkit | Free; Lifetime $14.99 or $2.99/month | A Pomodoro timer (not per note) | Yes, and on Macs without one |
Checked 2 November 2026 on antinote.io and on the Mac App Store listings for Noticky, Notchkin and NotchNest. Check the official page before you buy.
1. StickyNotch: best for notes that ring on time
StickyNotch is our app. It puts sticky notes on your desktop and lets any of them carry a countdown timer, a deadline, or both. The strip of tape holding each note up is its clock: it shortens as time runs out, turns amber when it's close and red when it's late. When time's up the note comes to the front and shakes, with +5 min, Done and OK, and a macOS notification if you've allowed them.
Standout features
- Timers from 1 minute to 99 hours, with pause, +5 min and reset; deadlines with one-click picks like “Tomorrow, 9 AM” and an optional heads-up before.
- Tuck notes into the MacBook notch. Two small ears beside the camera show how many are tucked and the next countdown; point at the notch and they drop down. Macs without a notch get a slim strip in the menu bar.
- Quick Note from any app with ⌃⌥N: “tea 4m” starts a 4-minute timer, “send invoice by 5pm” sets a deadline.
- All Notes, sorted by time left, with Due today, Overdue, Timers, Done and Recently deleted, and search.
- The next countdown in the menu bar, and keyboard shortcuts for everything.
What it doesn’t do
- Notes are plain text: no formatting, checklists or pictures.
- No sync and no iPhone app. Notes stay on the Mac they're written on.
- Notifications need your permission; without it, notes ring on screen only while the app is open.
Price: one-time purchase, no subscription: ₹799 for 1 Mac, ₹1,299 for 3, ₹1,799 for 5. Free updates.
2. Antinote: best as a quick scratchpad
Antinote calls itself a “productivity scratchpad”: one window of quick, temporary notes that you reach from the Dock or the menu bar and swipe between. Its standout trick is typed commands: start a note with “timer” and you get an “instant stopwatch, countdown, and pomodoro”.
Standout features
- Timers from a typed word: a stopwatch, a countdown or a pomodoro.
- Pin to top when needed, and show over full-screen apps.
- Notes stored on your Mac; optional iCloud sync in version 2.0, encrypted on the device before upload.
- Export to text, Markdown, PDF, Apple Notes, Obsidian and Bear.
Limits
- Its site doesn't describe deadlines or dated reminders on notes.
- It's one scratchpad window, not many notes spread across the desktop.
3. Noticky: best for floating notes tied to Calendar and Reminders
Noticky puts coloured sticky notes on your desktop that can stay above other windows, for every note or just one. It's the most organised pick here, with folders, tags, templates and Markdown, and it leans on Apple's own apps for time: notes can connect to Calendar and Reminders, and checklists can become reminders with their completion kept in sync.
Standout features
- Notes can be hidden from screenshots and screen sharing.
- Quick Add from any app with a global shortcut or a hot corner.
- Floating images and screenshots, checklists and layout modes.
- iCloud sync between your Macs.
Limits
- Its listing doesn't mention countdown timers or the notch.
- It needs macOS 15 or later.
4. Notchkin: best for a simple notes panel in the notch
Notchkin keeps your notes in the notch: “hover over the notch and a panel slides down”, and you type. It's a small, focused app with tag filters, instant search, pinned notes, keyboard navigation and sorting by date.
Limits
- Its listing doesn't mention timers, deadlines or notifications.
- Notes live in the notch panel; it doesn't describe notes on the desktop or a fallback for Macs without a notch.
- No sync: “all notes are stored locally on your Mac”.
5. NotchNest: best if you want a whole notch toolkit
NotchNest turns the notch into a hub: a clipboard manager, music controls, a file tray with AirDrop, a calendar with AI briefings, quick notes with AI that sync across Apple devices, a Pomodoro timer, a camera mirror, bookmarks and a small game. Its listing says it works on every Mac, notch or not.
Limits
- Its timer is a Pomodoro for focus sessions, not a countdown on each note.
- Notes are one feature among many, and several features use AI.
The built-in option: Stickies and Clock
Stickies
Stickies comes with macOS. Open it from Applications, then choose a colour from the Color menu, keep a note in front with Window › Float on Top, or make it see-through with Window › Translucent. Double-click a note's title bar to collapse it to one line. Edit › Find searches every note, and File › Export All to Notes moves them all into the Notes app. It has no timers, reminders or notifications.
Clock and Reminders
For the time part, the Clock app on recent versions of macOS has timers, and Reminders handles dates and notifications. They work well, but they're separate from your notes: a reminder doesn't sit on your desktop, and a sticky note doesn't ring.
A quick timer without an app
Ask Siri on your Mac to “set a timer for ten minutes”, or use the Clock app's Timers tab.
How we picked
- Sold and maintained in 2026, with a native Mac app.
- A distinct job. Desktop notes, a scratchpad, the notch, or notes with time attached.
- Facts from the developer. Everything here comes from each developer's own site or App Store listing, checked 2 November 2026.
- No scores or ratings. We describe what each app does and doesn't do.
We make StickyNotch. We ranked it first because it's the only pick here that puts a countdown or a deadline on each note and rings when it's up. If you want sync, rich formatting or a notch full of tools, the others are a better fit.
FAQ
Can I put a timer on a sticky note on a Mac?
Not with Apple's Stickies, which has no timers or reminders. StickyNotch gives any note a countdown timer or a deadline and rings when it's up; Antinote lets you type “timer” in a note for a stopwatch, countdown or pomodoro.
How do I keep a sticky note on top of other windows on a Mac?
In Stickies, choose Window › Float on Top for that note. Most sticky notes apps, including StickyNotch and Noticky, have a pin or an option to keep a note above other windows.
Can I use the MacBook notch for notes?
Yes, with an app. Notchkin opens a notes panel when you point at the notch, NotchNest has quick notes among its notch tools, and StickyNotch lets you tuck sticky notes into the notch with their countdowns showing beside it.
Where are Stickies saved on a Mac?
Stickies keeps notes on your Mac. To move them out, use File › Export Text for one note, or File › Export All to Notes to send every note to the Notes app.
Is there a free sticky notes app for Mac?
Yes: Stickies comes with macOS. It has colours, Float on Top, translucent notes and search, but no timers, deadlines or notifications.
Key takeaways
- Pick by job: notes that ring on time (StickyNotch), a quick scratchpad (Antinote), organised floating notes with sync (Noticky), notes in the notch (Notchkin), a notch toolkit (NotchNest).
- Stickies is free and does Float on Top, but has no timers or deadlines.
- Clock and Reminders handle time well, but separately from your notes.