Comparison
Screen-edge notes for macOS, built for people who write code
Looking for a SideNotes alternative — or any Mac app that slides notes out from the edge of your screen? Flyout is a native macOS menu-bar app that flies a full rich-text editor out over your work, then slides it away when you step back. It is built for developers: real code blocks, task lists, reminders and Markdown, one gesture from any app.
Why people switch to Flyout
A real editor, not sticky notes
Slash commands, headings, syntax-highlighted code blocks, task lists, inline images, colour and highlight — your notes keep the structure your work has.
Reminders that live inside the note
Set a reminder on a whole note or on the exact line you selected. Native macOS notifications, repeat daily or weekly, snooze from the notification — no account.
Instant from the screen edge
Nudge the edge or press ⌥⌘N and the panel is over your work before you finish the thought. No window management, no app switch.
Your notes stay yours
Every note is plain Markdown on disk. iCloud sync runs through your own account, nothing passes through our servers, and it all works offline.
One-time price, not a subscription
Buy a lifetime licence and use it on two Macs. A year of updates is included; renewing afterwards is optional.
Flyout next to the alternatives
You almost certainly already have somewhere to put a note. Here is what each of the usual answers does well, and where it stops — with a full page for each. Every claim comes from that app’s own documentation, not from us.
| App | What it is | Where it stops | Full comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raycast Notes | A scratchpad inside the Raycast launcher | No images, no reminders, one note at a time | Full comparison → |
| Apple Quick Note | Free, built into macOS, opens from the bottom-right corner | No code blocks, not a Markdown editor, no reminders on a note | Full comparison → |
| Tot | Seven colour-coded dots, in the menu bar | A hard seven-note limit, no folders, no images | Full comparison → |
| Unclutter | A clipboard, a file shelf and notes, dropped down from the top edge | Notes are plain text; no sync engine of its own | Full comparison → |
| Antinote | A $5 keyboard-driven scratchpad, with a calculator built in | Deliberately temporary — no folders, notes auto-delete | Full comparison → |
| Drafts | Plain-text capture, with an automation engine behind it | Plain text only, no images, and Pro is a subscription | Full comparison → |
| SideNotes | The other screen-edge notes panel for macOS | Code blocks are not syntax-highlighted; no documented reminders |
Checked against each app’s own documentation in July 2026. These apps ship often — if you spot something out of date, tell us and we will fix it.
Is Flyout right for you?
If you live in the keyboard — writing code, tracking tasks, keeping notes next to your editor — Flyout keeps up. Try it free for 7 days; no account, everything stays on your Mac.