Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

nvPY VS Setapp

Compare nvPY VS Setapp and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

nvPY logo nvPY

nvPY is a note-taking tool inspired by Notational Velocity, nvALT and ResophNotes.

Setapp logo Setapp

The one place for trusted apps. Hundreds of high-quality apps for your Mac and iPhone, including AI tools.
  • nvPY Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-19
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25
  • Setapp
    Image date //
    2026-06-25

A unified marketplace for Mac and iPhone users to get hand-picked, trusted apps. Get over 260 apps for a flat fee with Setapp Membership, or purchase individual apps on flexible terms through Setapp Marketplace.

nvPY

Website
github.com
Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Release Date
-

Setapp

Website
setapp.com
$ Details
paid Free Trial $14.99 / Monthly (1 Mac)
Release Date
2017 January

nvPY features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    nvPY is designed to work on various operating systems, including Windows, MacOS, and Linux, providing flexibility and ease of use regardless of the user's platform.
  • Simplistic and Efficient Interface
    nvPY offers a minimalist user interface that focuses on simplicity and functionality, which can help users create and manage notes quickly and efficiently without unnecessary distractions.
  • Synchronization
    It provides synchronization capabilities with Simplenote, allowing users to keep their notes up-to-date across all devices seamlessly.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source project, nvPY allows users to contribute to its development, customize the application to fit their needs, and ensure transparency in its functionality and security.
  • Lightweight
    nvPY is a lightweight application, which means it has low system resource requirements, making it ideal for users with older hardware or those who prefer applications with minimal overhead.

Possible disadvantages of nvPY

  • Limited Features
    Compared to more comprehensive note-taking applications, nvPY may lack advanced features such as rich text formatting, multimedia embedding, or complex organizational tools which some users might require.
  • Dependence on Simplenote
    While synchronization is a pro, the reliance on Simplenote could be considered a downside for users who prefer to store their data independently or use alternative cloud services.
  • User Interface
    The simplistic nature of the user interface might be too basic for users who prefer a more modern or visually appealing design in their software tools.
  • Potential Maintenance Issues
    As an open-source project, the continued maintenance and development depend on community contributions, which can lead to periods of slow updates or unresolved issues if the user base or contributor interest declines.
  • Learning Curve for Non-Technical Users
    Although nvPY is fairly straightforward, non-technical users might find the initial setup and some functionalities challenging, especially if they are not familiar with using Python-based applications.

Setapp features and specs

  • Diverse Application Library
    Setapp provides access to a wide range of high-quality Mac applications across different categories, all from a single subscription service.
  • Cost-Effective
    For a monthly fee, users gain access to multiple paid applications, which can be more cost-effective than purchasing individual app licenses.
  • Updates and Upgrades Included
    All apps within Setapp come with automatic updates and upgrades included in the subscription, ensuring users always have the latest features and security patches.
  • Easy Installation and Management
    The Setapp platform provides a user-friendly interface for browsing, installing, and managing applications, simplifying the overall user experience.
  • Free Trial Available
    Setapp offers a 7-day free trial, allowing potential users to explore and evaluate the service before committing to a subscription.

Analysis of Setapp

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Setapp is considered good for users who frequently use multiple Mac apps and value convenience and flexibility. It provides excellent value for money by offering a diverse selection of reliable and well-crafted applications. However, it might not be the best choice for those who only need a few specific applications or prefer to own their software outright.

Why this product is good

  • Setapp is a subscription-based service that provides access to a wide range of Mac applications for a single monthly fee. Users often find it beneficial because it offers a curated selection of high-quality apps without the need to purchase each one individually. It saves time and money for those who require multiple tools, ensuring they always have the latest versions without additional costs. Furthermore, it simplifies software management by centralizing the process of discovering, updating, and accessing various applications.

Recommended for

    Setapp is recommended for professionals, creatives, and productivity enthusiasts who use a variety of Mac applications regularly and appreciate the ease of access to a comprehensive software library without the hassle of individual purchases. It's also suitable for users who enjoy exploring new tools and apps to enhance their workflow.

nvPY videos

nvpy inter-note linking

More videos:

Setapp videos

What's Setapp?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to nvPY and Setapp)
Note Taking
100 100%
0% 0
Project Management
0 0%
100% 100
Personal Notes
100 100%
0% 0
Productivity
12 12%
88% 88

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing nvPY and Setapp.

What's the story behind your product?

Setapp's answer:

Setapp was created in 2016 by MacPaw, the company behind apps such as CleanMyMac, ClearVPN, and more. The key idea behind Setapp was to give users a simple way to discover high-quality apps for Mac. Over the years, the catalog has grown to over 260 apps and now includes tools for Mac, iOS, and web. Setapp is localized in eight languages and has users all over the world. Here are the key dates:

November 2016: Setapp closed beta is launched for the press, opinion leaders, and influencers. December 6, 2016: Setapp Beta release. January 25, 2017: Setapp public release. August 6, 2020: Setapp let users install iOS apps. August 11, 2021: Setapp arrives on iPhone and iPad. March, 2026: Single app purchase via Setapp Marketplace is introduced. Now, Setapp includes 260+ apps, 50+ iOS apps, and about 10 web apps with more to come.

What makes your product unique?

Setapp's answer:

Setapp's key differentiators:

-Curation. Setapp is a curated platform with trusted, hand-picked apps — not a place filled with self-submitted apps.

-Professional focus. Setapp includes apps aimed at improving productivity and workflows for professionals who rely on their Macs. Setapp users range from developers and marketers to educators, healthcare experts, logistics and retail professionals, and more.

-Flexible access. Users have two ways to get apps: a single-fee subscription to 260+ fully unlocked Mac, iOS, and web apps; or individual app purchases via Setapp Marketplace, for those who need just a few apps rather than the full catalog.

-Security. Setapp holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2, and GDPR certifications. Apps are not permitted to display ads or include hidden in-app purchases.

-AI access. AI+ plans give access to all popular LLM models — GPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok — through a single gateway.

Setapp gives users apps they can count on. It’s not an endless store but a curated collection of apps worth users’ time and money.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Setapp's answer:

-Quality over volume. The catalog includes only hand-picked, trusted apps. When downloading an app from Setapp, users can be sure it is high quality and safe to use.

-Trusted apps, no fillers. Every app is Apple-notarized, ad-free, fully unlocked, and has no features locked behind additional paywalls. Getting apps through Setapp means avoiding malware and unpleasant surprises.

-Save costs. Setapp Membership offers access to over 260 apps for a flat fee — no need to subscribe to multiple individual apps and juggle subscriptions. In Setapp Marketplace, users can purchase hand-picked, trusted apps individually, with no need to double-check quality or security.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Setapp's answer:

Setapp is actively used by professionals who rely heavily on their Macs and want to improve their workflows — including developers, IT specialists, content creators, designers, marketers, writers, educators, students, and specialists in agriculture, logistics, retail, healthcare, and other fields.

User comments

Share your experience with using nvPY and Setapp. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Setapp should be more popular than nvPY. It has been mentiond 15 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

nvPY mentions (3)

  • Siyuan: Privacy-first, self-hosted personal knowledge management software
    I use folders for my data. a-z. This is the basic directory structure. b->books->management for example. Does not solve the fundamental problem of a file system that you also could file this under m->management->books I use recoll to index and find things. https://www.recoll.org/ And yes, I have a 20 TB HDD. Quite a bit of data and media. If someone knows how to make an encrypte mirror of my drive with... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • nvALT 2
    One notable mention should also be nvPY: https://github.com/cpbotha/nvpy. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
  • Note-taking software with synonym search?
    EDIT: Closest I've found (something like notational velocity) is https://github.com/cpbotha/nvpy. Source: over 4 years ago

Setapp mentions (15)

  • Ask HN: How to Sell as a Software Engineer?
    > I've reached the conclusion that software quality and even price matters much less than distribution, especially now. I highly doubt that is true. We don't yet know how end-users will make purchasing decisions now that almost anyone can build something that "works". Taking AI out of the picture: you still need to define the target market segment before you build anything. You still need to find a way to... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Show HN: BoringBar – a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS
    There could be 4x buyers at $10. I’d be one of the now, the dock is a constant annoyance. The app looks great, downloading the trial now. To the app’s author I’d say get as many licensees as you can fast before you’re Sherlocked or somebody vibecodes a clone out of “why not”. I use many free and paid apps, little QoL types, like BetterDisplay, Coctail, etc and for me the included support is of little value. These... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Coders Coded Their Job Away. Why Are So Many of Them Happy About It?
    I used a bunch of tools from https://setapp.com/ and no longer subscribe. I used to pay for Linear for all my personal projects, built one with CC that perfectly fits my needs… I also built a myriad of small tools that help me automate bunch of busy work I used to do manually, both for professional and personal projects. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • Italian Competition Authority Fines Apple $115M for Abusing Dominant Position
    > are there any real 3rd-party AppStores for iOS now "Always has been": Setapp. Very interesting model. Readily recommend devs subscribing to this collection, but non-devs as well if you're into "there's an app for that" and fatigued with IAP. https://setapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • The One Productivity Tool You Didn't Know You Can't Live Without
    I use Paste, a very feature rich clipboard manager for Mac with gorgeous UI. It's not free, but it comes along with a Setapp license that I got from work, so if you already have a license you can use it to install Paste. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing nvPY and Setapp, you can also consider the following products

Notational Velocity - Notational Velocity: modeless, mouseless Mac OS X note-taking application

Konfigure - APARTMENTS | VILLA | WORKSPACE | RETAIL

Hyperdraft - Turn your notes into a website

Metavine Platform - Metavine Platform is a comprehensive Platform-as-a-Service that help businesses build agility and compete effectively in the digital world by enabling them to iterate and create apps quickly.

Quiver - Quiver is a notebook built for programmers.

QuickBase - Quickbase provides a no-code operational agility platform that enables organizations to improve operations through real time insights and automation across complex processes and disparate systems. ​​