Tot Pocket 4+

I almost never write reviews. I read about this app several months ago, when it first came out. I thought it sounded interesting but not worth $20, although I did download and use the free version on my MacBook Pro. I now have purchased the iOS/iPadOS version, and I must say I amazed. I expected this to be simply a place to keep scraps of writing. Well, it is, but it is so much more. It’s a simple app by design, but it’s true — that simplicity masks some amazing power. The level of attention to detail of these simple functions (one example: keyboard shortcuts on Magic Keyboard), the nearly instantaneous iCloud syncing across devices, the meticulous design, and more make Tot a joy to use. I do use it for those occasional times when I have to jot down some information, such as when I’m on a phone call and need to write down sometime. I also use it as a minimal bookmark keeper. I use it to quickly, without friction, write down an idea. Just a lovely app. I was wrong — it absolutely is worth $20.

If you want to just hang out with some text for a while, this is the app for it.

I was a user of Drafts for years. Drafts is an extraordinary app, one of the most impressive apps on iOS. Despite adding a seemingly endless list of hidden powers in recent years, it’s probably still the quickest way to launch an app and immediately get a text field.

However all that power has come at just one cost: Drafts isn’t the chillest place to just hang out with some text for a while.

Tot is like your friend’s fun, recently renovated basement. Just chill out and hang with some text, buddy.

I’ve been using Tot for weeks and haven’t once had the suspicion that I’m using it wrong or that I’m missing something or that some important information got lost somewhere. We’re just hanging out, dude. Me and the text.

If there’s text in Tot that I want to keep permanently, I hit the share sheet and it goes off to its forever home: a text file, an email, Ulysses, OmniFocus, who knows.

The rest sits in Tot for a while then goes off to do its own thing, wherever it is that text goes after you’ve had a nice time hanging out.

Very cool note system

I like Tot very much. The cost of the iOS app doesn’t concern me because I feel like I bought a Mac and iOS system for $20, not just an iOS app. The text I write syncs nicely across all my devices so it is always available. I keep the Tot icon in my dock so that I can tap it and start writing immediately. The seven page limitation works fine for me because it focuses my thoughts better than opening Apple Notes and seeing my long list.

There is a share arrow right above the keyboard that lets me export out my text to wherever I need it, so that works well. There is also a sharing extension so that I can easily bring in text and links from a website or from Mail. There are options to let you append or prepend text exactly where you want it in your note and you can choose various ways to display links.

Iconfactory apps have always had beautiful design and Tot looks and works great for me. Cool app that I find myself using many times a day for all my ideas and thoughts.
I’m completely happy with Tot and it has already become a really helpful app that I am using a lot. Thanks.