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Tot

Tot is Iconfactory's seven-pad text scratchpad for Apple devices. Review its Markdown handling, iCloud sync, backup limits, Shortcuts, and current Mac pricing.

https://tot.rocks/ ↗
notes-appsmac-native

Key takeaways

  • Seven fixed text pads make Tot a place for current working text rather than an expanding document library.
  • Mac, iPhone, and iPad downloads are free with paid premium features; the Mac upgrade is listed at $19.99.
  • iCloud synchronization and readable JSON backups support recovery, but backups are unencrypted and unsuitable for secrets.
  • Shortcuts can move text into and out of pads; importing text is different from editing a file in place.

FAQ

Is Tot free on Mac?

The download and core app are free. Tot 2 adds paid premium features, with a $19.99 Mac in-app purchase listed in the US store.

Can Tot have more than seven notes?

It has seven fixed pads, called dots. Each can contain multiple text fragments, but the developer explicitly does not allow adding more dots.

Does Tot sync with Dropbox?

No. The documented sync service is iCloud. Sharing and JSON backups move text elsewhere but are not alternate live-sync providers.

Is Tot appropriate for passwords or API keys?

No. The developer advises against secrets because automatic backups are unencrypted JSON and can be read by applications with Full Disk Access.

Executive Summary

Tot is Iconfactory's small text scratchpad for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Its defining constraint is seven pads, called dots. The developer treats that fixed number as a way to keep the app focused; there is no option to add more.[1][2]

In the minimalist Markdown Mac notes comparison, Tot belongs in the quick-capture group. It is useful for text currently being assembled, copied, or moved somewhere else. A growing archive of documents calls for a different evaluation.

AttributeCurrent position
DeveloperThe Iconfactory[3]
Mac requirementmacOS 14 or later[3]
OrganizationSeven fixed dots[2]
SynchronizationiCloud; no alternative sync service[4]
Mac pricingFree download; $19.99 premium purchase in the US store[3]

Product and Workflow

Tot offers rich and plain text, Markdown conversion, counts, and Shortcuts actions that store or retrieve text. The single-window design and small set of pads favor keeping a few active pieces of text close at hand.[1]

One possible workflow is to reserve a pad for a reply being drafted, one for today's working checklist, and another for snippets awaiting a permanent destination. That is an organizational suggestion, not a built-in project system. Move finished material into its durable home before reusing the pad.

Tot 2 added customizable Smart Bullets, text dividers, and additional indentation controls. These help structure text within a dot without adding another layer of documents.[5] Some of these additions are premium features, so the current free download should not be described as an entitlement to every feature.[6]

Formatting deserves a small test

On Mac, smart quotes, substitutions, and smart copy/paste settings can differ between dots. The documented controls are under Edit → Substitutions.[7] This matters if one pad holds prose and another holds code or configuration. Test straight quotes, indentation, and copied Markdown in the destination application before using Tot as part of a technical workflow.

Shortcuts supplies a practical route into and out of the scratchpad.[1] Test a disposable dot before automating replacement of its contents. This review examined documentation and published experience; it did not install or benchmark the app.

Storage, Portability, and Recovery

A pad is not an open file

The developer's instructions for bringing a text file into Tot are to copy it in Finder and paste its contents into a selected dot.[8] That copies text; it does not establish an editing relationship with the original file. Tot should not be selected on the assumption that it is a folder-based Markdown editor.

The supported synchronization service is iCloud. Sharing can send text elsewhere, and JSON backups expose the stored data, but neither is a replacement live-sync backend.[4]

Backups and their limits

The recovery guide says Tot makes hourly backups while running. On Mac, File → Show Automatic Backups reveals JSON snapshots; File → Restore Backup restores a selected snapshot. The guide recommends leaving the Mac app running so it can also back up changes made on other devices.[9]

A sensible first-use test is to create disposable text, inspect a backup, and confirm the restore procedure before relying on the app for something important. Synchronization and recovery solve different problems: a deletion can synchronize successfully and still require an older snapshot.

The security guide states that automatic backups are unencrypted JSON inside the app container. Applications with Full Disk Access can read them, and the developer explicitly advises against storing secrets.[10] A small interface and sandboxed app do not make the content a password vault.

Strengths and Cautions

  • A deliberate limit on active material. Seven dots encourage a working set rather than an ever-growing sidebar.[2] Whether that helps depends on the user's habit of moving completed text elsewhere.
  • Simple automation access. Shortcuts can retrieve and store text without requiring a general plugin system.[1]
  • Recoverable, inspectable snapshots. JSON backups provide a documented route back from accidental loss.[9] They still depend on the app running and a useful snapshot existing.
  • A real size ceiling. The March 2026 support article specifies 100,000 characters per dot and recommends a file editor for very large text collections.[11]
  • Platform and storage constraints. The Apple-device focus and iCloud-only synchronization should match the actual workflow.[1][4]

What Users Say

John Gruber's February 2020 first-hand review described using Tot for temporary text that would otherwise live in untitled editor windows. He also described modifying a companion shell script to target an empty dot. That is useful evidence of the intended scratchpad workflow, but the review predates Tot 2 and should not establish current pricing or present-day reliability.[12]

Gruber disclosed that developer Craig Hockenberry was his friend and discussed contributing feedback during development. This is an informed early-user account with that relationship, not an independent benchmark. Its durable point is the value of a deliberately limited working surface; evaluate current behavior using today's application and documentation.[12]

Pricing & Licensing

Tot is a commercial application. The current website offers free Mac, iPhone, and iPad downloads with paid premium features.[1] The US Mac listing shows a $19.99 in-app purchase, checked September 15, 2026.[3]

The upgrade guide names custom Smart Bullets and dividers among the Mac premium features. It also says existing paid iOS 1.0 customers can restore their purchase for the iOS 2.0 upgrade. Do not assume a historical paid iOS entitlement automatically includes the separate Mac purchase.[6]

Competitive Positioning and Viability

Compare Tot with Drafts when the problem is capturing text quickly; compare FSNotes or iA Writer when the problem is managing a collection of files. The decisive question is whether seven reusable pads are enough, not which app has the longest feature list.

The published release history lists Tot 2.1.1 in October 2025, including a floating-window control and a partial workaround for a hidden-menu-bar issue on macOS Tahoe. The note acknowledges a remaining visual artifact.[5] An older release date alone does not establish abandonment; test the relevant window behavior on the intended Mac.

Recommended for: A handful of current snippets, checklists, or drafts that benefit from a small persistent scratchpad.

Poor fit: An expanding research library, direct editing of a Markdown vault, large documents, or secrets.

Research by Ry Walker Research • methodology

Sources

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