CrushPaper
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A free Stickies alternative for Mac
Updated October 6, 2026 · by Shiva Chandra, maker of CrushPaper
If Apple's Stickies has turned into a pile of yellow windows you never clear, CrushPaper keeps the paper feel and adds a reason to finish: crush a done note into the Trash, and anything left undone turns to ash at midnight. It's free, lives in the menu bar, and its notes float over fullscreen apps.
Stickies vs CrushPaper
| Stickies (built into macOS) | CrushPaper | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Floats over fullscreen apps | No | Yes |
| Notes tied to one app | No | Yes — docks to the app's window |
| Hide from screen sharing | No | Yes |
| Due dates & repeating notes | No | Yes |
| Clears itself | No | Crush when done; leftovers burn at midnight |
| Rich text & images | Yes | Plain text |
| Where notes live | On your Mac | On your Mac, no account |
Moving over
There's no importer. Copy the notes that still matter into CrushPaper — most people find that's three or four, which is the point.
When to stay with Stickies
If you keep long reference notes with formatting and images, Stickies (or Apple Notes) is the better home. CrushPaper is for short notes you intend to finish.
Questions
Will CrushPaper burn notes I still need?
Only one-off notes without a date. Dated and repeating notes are safe, burned notes wait in Ashes until you sweep them, and Daily Burn can be switched off.
Does it sync between Macs?
No. Notes stay on the Mac you write them on.
Which macOS does it need?
macOS 14 Sonoma or later.