Google Keep has been around for quite some time and is considered a classic in the world of note-taking. It’s available online and works on various devices like Android, iOS, Windows, and Chrome Web Store. However, while it has its pros, it also has its cons. Here on Naijaknowhow, I’ll be writing about some of the best Google Keep alternatives.
With Google Keep, you can access them from any device as long as you have a Google account. Plus, if you’re in a rush, you can record voice memos or use labels and colors to organize your notes. It even plays nicely with other Google apps like Calendar and Drive, which makes it super handy for your daily tasks.
However, one concern that some folks have is about privacy. Google is known for collecting user data. Also, compared to some other note-taking apps, Google Keep might feel a bit limited. If you’re looking for more features, you might decide to look for better Google Keep alternatives.
List of the Best Google Keep Alternatives for Android and iOS
1. Fast Note
Fast Note is a straightforward notepad app for Android that helps you jot down notes and manage your tasks efficiently. It comes with various features: you can easily see your notes organized by dates, add tasks to stay organized in work and life, safeguard your notes by backing them up, either to Google Drive or locally.
You can also record audio notes quickly, secure your data with a password to keep it private, set reminder dates within your notes to stay on top of important things, choose a dark mode for a consistent interface with your system, add widgets to your home screen for convenient note viewing, personalize Fast Note with color, date format, and more.
Fast Note is completely free to use. The only flaw is that you can’t sync data across multiple devices. You can purchase the premium version that provides more options. Overall, the app is one of the best Google Keep alternatives that provide a simple and user-friendly notepad experience.
Pros:
- Simple and user-friendly notepad app.
- Secure notes with password protection.
- Backup options to Google Drive.
- Quick audio note recording.
- Dark mode for consistent interface.
- Personalization options with color and date format.
- Completely free to use.
Cons:
- Lack of data synchronization across multiple devices in the free version.
- Premium version required for additional features.
2. Simplenote
Developed by the same company that made WordPress, Simplenote is a handy tool for jotting down notes, lists, and ideas. It keeps your notes safe in the cloud, so you can access them from different devices. Best of all, both the software you use and the servers it runs on are open-source and free.
To get started, you just need to sign up for a free account and agree to their terms. One great thing about Simplenote is that it works with Markdown, a simple way to format your documents. It also offers a dark mode for easy reading in the dark. You can search your notes thoroughly, finding specific words or phrases inside them.
Importantly, Simplenote respects your privacy – it doesn’t track you or use your personal info, and there are no annoying ads. The app is designed to be light and distraction-free. It syncs effortlessly across devices, uses tags for easy organization, and has a clean and simple text editor. If you want extra security, you can even protect your notes with a password.
Pros:
- Open-source and free
- Cloud-based for cross-device accessibility
- Markdown support for easy formatting
- Dark mode for comfortable low-light reading
- Robust search functionality
- Privacy-respecting, no tracking or ads
- Distraction-free design with a clean text editor
- Password protection for added security
Cons:
- Too limited customization
- Lack of organization features
3. Evernote
Evernote is the most popular web-based alternative among Google Keep alternatives. The app works on different devices and helps you take notes, organize stuff, and save things for later. You can make notes with text, web pages, photos, voice recordings, or even handwritten notes.
You can also attach files to your notes and put them in notebooks, tag them, edit them, and search for them. Evernote has some cool features. It can sync your notes across your devices and save them in the cloud. You can use it even when you’re not connected to the internet.
It also lets you write by hand, and it can turn your handwriting into regular text. Evernote can even take text from screenshots or files and let you use it in other documents. Plus, it has a dark mode for using it in low light conditions. There’s also a premium version of Evernote that you can buy if you want more features.
Pros:
- Has versatile note-taking options.
- File attachment capability and organized note management (notebooks, tags).
- Cloud sync for accessibility across devices.
- Handwriting recognition and conversion to text.
- Extracts text from screenshots or files.
- Dark mode for low-light usage.
Cons:
- Limited free plan.
- Too basic task management features.
- Cluttered interface due to extensive features.
4. Obsidian
Among free Google Keep alternatives, Obsidian is the most popular. The app lets you connect your notes like a web, making it simple to move between them and see how they’re related. One great thing is that it stores all your notes on your device. That way, your data is private and safe. You don’t need to worry about others accessing it.
Obsidian also lets you add extra features through plugins. For example, you can view PDFs or play audio inside the app. You can even put images and audio directly into your notes. It supports Markdown for text formatting. The app works offline, and no need to register for most features. It has a dark mode for comfortable use in low light.
There are no ads, it’s lightweight, and doesn’t track you. You can customize its look with different themes. The app also helps you visualize your notes with a graph view. Overall, Obsidian is a useful app for students, researchers, or anyone who needs to manage lots of information.
Pros:
- Connect notes like a web
- Extensible with plugins
- Supports Markdown for text formatting
- Dark mode for low-light use
- No ads, lightweight, and doesn’t track users
- Customizable look with themes
- Graph view for visualizing notes
Cons:
- Some users might find the app complex to use.
- Has minimal collaboration features.
- Paid add-ons are required for basic features.
- No web-based version of the app.
5. Standard Notes
This is a simple and secure note-taking app that works on various devices like phones, computers, and web browsers. It keeps your notes private by using strong encryption, so only you can see what you write. This app focuses on doing one thing really well: helping you write and sync your notes easily and securely across all your gadgets.
You get many useful features for free, including syncing your notes across devices, even when you’re offline. There are no restrictions on how many devices or notes you can have. You can add an extra layer of security with passcodes, Touch ID, or Face ID.
Plus, you can organize your notes using tags and manage them by pinning, locking, or moving to the trash. Standard Notes offer optional paid subscriptions with cool extras like special note types, beautiful themes, a web clipper, and support for encrypted files and hardware security keys.
Pros:
- Encryption to ensure privacy and security of notes.
- Seamless syncing across various devices.
- Additional security options like passcodes etc.
- Efficient note organization with tags and other features.
Cons:
- Advanced features require a paid subscription.
- Limited to only note-taking functionality.
6. Todoist
Todoist is a free, helpful and easy-to-use task manager with a nice design. You can use the app to manage your tasks from anywhere, whether you’re at home, school, work, online, or offline. It works on a lot of platforms and devices. You can also work together with others on shared tasks and access your tasks everywhere.
You can create and manage tasks within other tasks. You can also set tasks to happen regularly, like daily or weekly. The app uses game-like elements like scoring points, competing, and earning achievements. You can connect Todoist to other services to make things happen automatically.
Todoist has a built-in calendar to show your tasks over time, integrating with Google Calendar. Other features include reminders, no ads, assigning tasks to others, integrating with Zapier, Alexa, Dropbox, and using a Kanban Board.
Pros:
- Cross-platform compatibility for managing tasks.
- Collaboration features for working together.
- Task nesting for managing tasks within other tasks.
- Integration with other services for automation.
- Reminder functionality and ad-free experience.
Cons:
- You can’t assign tasks to multiple people.
- The free plan is very limited.
- Gamification elements may be distracting.
- Advanced features requires time to learn.
7. Notebook
Notebook is a handy app similar to Google Keep, and you can use it on iOS, Mac, and the web. Unlike Keep, Notebook lets you organize your notes into folders and add covers to them, like a notebook. You can color-code your notes and attach different types of files,
You can also use features like lock, version history, reminders, export as PDF, recover deleted notes, and scan notes. While Notebook allows you to record audio notes, it doesn’t convert them to text; it keeps the audio version only.
On the other hand, Google Keep has a strong speech-to-text feature that transforms your audio notes into text, while still preserving the audio recording. For those who need collaboration features, Keep allows real-time editing of notes, but Zoho Notebook doesn’t offer this capability.
Pros:
- Organize notes into folders with covers.
- Color-code notes and attach various file types.
- Has features like lock, version history, and reminders.
- Recover deleted notes and scan notes.
Cons:
- No speech-to-text for audio notes.
- Lacks real-time collaboration features.
8. Clipto
Clipto is a fast note-taking app with a unique clipboard sync feature that lets you access your notes across different devices. The app allows users to customize their experience by adjusting text size, choosing fonts, and selecting sort modes.
Organization is made easy through the use of tags, helping users keep their notes in order. Although Clipto does not support attachments, it compensates with practical features like composing notes as emails, SMS, or tweets.
Additionally, the app facilitates quick searches, streamlining the process of finding specific information. As of now, Clipto is compatible with Windows and accessible through web browsers, ensuring users can conveniently manage their notes on various platforms.
Pros:
- Fast note-taking with unique clipboard sync.
- Efficient organization using tags
- Quick search functionality for finding information.
Cons:
- Lack of support for attachments.
- Limited to Android, Windows and web browsers.
Conclusion
Google Keep is a great tool for keeping your notes organized and accessible, but it’s essential to be aware of potential privacy concerns and the fact that it might not have all the advanced features you might need in a note-taking app. To help yourself, you can take advantage of the Google Keep alternatives mentioned above.
