Anchored vs WindowTop: when to use which
They get mentioned in the same breath, but they're different tools. WindowTop keeps any window on top. Anchored makes notes follow a specific window. Pick the wrong one and you'll be frustrated — here's the honest split.
The 30-second version
WindowTop is a general-purpose window utility. Its job is to keep any window — a browser, terminal, chat, calculator, a notes app — on top of everything else. You bring your own notes app.
Anchored is a notes app where the notes themselves are window-aware. A note attaches to a specific window and follows it as it moves, resizes, hides, and changes monitors. Plus a private AI that reads the window.
Use WindowTop if you want to pin things on top. Use Anchored if you want notes that follow a window.
Side by side
| WindowTop | Anchored | |
|---|---|---|
| What it handles | Any window | Notes |
| Core behavior | Keeps a window on top (z-order) | Note follows a specific window |
| Moves with the window as you drag/resize | On-top only | Yes |
| Hides when the target window hides | No (stays on top) | Yes |
| Re-anchors after a restart | — | Yes |
| Six notes per window | No | Yes |
| AI that reads the window | No | Yes (Atlas) |
| Private, on-device AI | No | Yes |
| Price | Free / $10 lifetime | Free (early access) |
When to use WindowTop
You want to keep any window on top, not just notes:
- A reference browser tab visible while you work in another app.
- A log tailing in a terminal, kept visible while you code.
- A video-call window on top while you take notes elsewhere.
- A tool window pinned during a long test run.
WindowTop does this well — lightweight, has a free tier, and works on any window. If you already have a notes app you like and just want it on top, it's the right tool.
When to use Anchored
You want notes tied to a specific window, and the notes are the point:
- Reviewing a contract with a note stuck to the document that follows it as you move or resize the window.
- A note per file while you're in your editor.
- A note per ticket, attached to the ticket window, that hides when you close it and returns when you reopen it.
- An AI that can read the window and answer questions about what's on it.
Anchored does this because the notes are the product — the window-following is the whole point, not a layer on top of another app.
Can you use both?
Yes, and some people do: WindowTop for general window-pinning, Anchored for the notes-that-follow workflow. They don't conflict.
WindowTop: free tier at windowtop.info; Pro is a one-time $10.
For how every sticky-notes app in this category stacks up, see the full comparison.