Comparison
Flyout vs Apple Quick Note
Apple Quick Note is free, it is already on your Mac, and for a lot of people that settles it. It is a genuinely good place to jot a thought or clip a link from Safari. It is a poor place to keep a code snippet: Apple Notes has no code block, no syntax highlighting, and it is not a Markdown editor — typing backticks does nothing. Flyout is the version of that panel where a note can hold more than prose.
For macOS 14 Sonoma and later. iPhone and iPad app included. No account, no subscription.
| Feature | Apple Quick Note | Flyout |
|---|---|---|
| Code | A monospaced style (“Monostyled”) — no language, no syntax highlighting | Real code blocks with syntax highlighting |
| Tasks inside notes | Checkboxes | Checkboxes plus six built-in statuses; add your own |
| Themes and note colours | Light and dark appearance | Named themes; 38 note colours and custom colours |
| Markdown | Not a Markdown editor; macOS 26 added Markdown import and export | Every note is Markdown, all the way down |
| Reminders | None on a note — due dates live in the separate Reminders app | On a whole note, or on one selected line |
| Notes on screen | One at a time; to reach an older Quick Note you open the Notes app | Tabs and folders, right in the panel |
| Opening it | Bottom-right hot corner, then click the peel — or Fn-Q | Screen edge or hotkey — and it slides away on its own |
| Image size | Two sizes: small or large | Drag the edge to any width |
| Locked notes | A Quick Note cannot be locked, and a note with tags cannot be locked either | Lock any note — tags and attachments included |
| Price | Free with macOS | $24 once, on five devices across Mac + iPhone + iPad |
When Apple Quick Note is the better fit
It is free, it is already installed, and it does one thing no third-party app can: “Add to Quick Note” captures a link straight from Safari and leaves a highlight on the page that comes back when you return. It syncs to your iPhone and iPad, it has tags, nested folders, smart folders and tables, and any Apple Note can be floated on top of your work. If your notes are prose and links, Apple has you covered and you should keep the money. Flyout earns its place when the note has code in it, an image in it, or a deadline on it.
Flyout’s price, Mac/iPhone/iPad support and local agent access were checked on 5 October 2026. Other comparison details were reviewed against official documentation in July and August 2026, with task, appearance and Antinote updates on 6 September 2026. Linked sources explain those rows. Tell us if a detail is outdated.
Is Flyout right for you?
Keep instructions, code, images and tasks beside your work in a screen-edge panel. Try Flyout for seven days without an account. Notes are stored locally; iCloud sync and connections to external agents are optional.