7 Note-Taking App Alternatives

By Francesco D’Alessio

You’ve probably seen this type of post 10,000 times everywhere across the web… claiming the top note-taking apps. This is a little different.

Evernote, OneNote, Apple Notes and Google Keep have always dominated the note-taking spaces and these articles for many years now, as the go-to options for most individuals looking for an effective productivity note taking solution. That stops here!

Combined together they have over 100+ million users (probably much much more). With “Productivity Apps” growing at 125% last year (Flurry, 2015), the space is slowly growing with smaller note-taking applications coming out of the ground and growing a list of users…

NOTE: the “common apps” are great…. but it’s nice to be open-minded!

1. Simplenote: The easiest ever!

Simplenote is a simple… (hence the title) but neat way to coordinate all of your notes. Very simple in design, but the app allows you to add notes, add tags, share notes and make lists + tasks + reminders.

“Simplenote is so simple you could on-board your nan to using it within 12 minutes”

Perfect for: Fans of Evernote, people who like a “distraction” free experience, people who love nice font, people who like to share notes.

Available on: Web, iOS, Android, their website.

Things to note:

• Nice smooth iOS app! I ❤it! They win here!
• Golden sync features make it smooth and snappy! (I like the word smooth)
• If you like 2013 style Android apps, you’ll love the Android app, if you are a modern fellow you won’t, it’s not great!
• Cross-platform is good! If you have a Kindle Fire and Linux you aren’t left out! ahah! (no offence to people with that combo, but if you do have that combo email me at [email protected] think it’ll be super rare!)
• There’s not too much functionality around everything… but more of a blank slate approach.

2. 1Writer: For Markdown fans + writers!

1Writer is another well branded take on becoming your tool for writing anything, it’s perfect for the hard core writing (Google Docs) audience more than being a direct note-taking application. However can be used for exactly that. 1 Writer allows you to upload notes, write document style pieces, add context to notes (tags + folders) and much more.

“1Writer is the haven for passionate mark-down fans, and writer across the world”

Perfect for: People who love iOS, people who love mark-down editors, people who love using iPads with keyboards, writers who want a professional note-taking and long-form writing experience.

Available on: iPhone, iPad — sorry Androiders! ($4.99)

Things to note:

• It’s beautiful for iOS lovers ❤
• Learn Markdown short-cuts & lingo before buying this to get maximum value
• Prepared to get serious about your writing when using this, there are advanced features everywhere.

3. Notability: Sketch + Type note-taker!

Notability is feels like Penultimate’s (Evernote product) cousin. It’s big, bold and beautiful. Add sketches, notes, clippings, photos and more (even voice notes).

“Notability is designed to be a sketch first environment, note-takers beware (a little)”

Available on: iOS, iPad, Mac, their website: http://www.gingerlabs.com/

($3.99)

Perfect for: Artists, students who like making diagrams/demos, fans of Penultimate, people who are visual… (creatives).

Things to notes:

• Use it on iPad, naturally iOS squashes this. In a nice way, it’s tougher than viewing on iPad. (see below). Same case with “Paper by 53” the App.

• It’s lovely! ❤ Note-taking is good even if you do use it for this sole purpose, but it feels under used this way…
• Get this, if you want to add sketches to your projects/notes!

4. Matcha App 3: The friendly and simple owl!

I’ve discussed Matcha 3 before… here’s the video.

Matcha is very similar to Simplenote and Evernote, but adds more value in both it’s design and it’s functionality. You can bring in notes from both Evernote & Dropbox which is such a huge bonus. It’s easy to use too, and very fun to use across your day.

“Matcha is like a colourful, flexible, snappy and fun way to take notes — the owl is your friend”

Available on: iOS & iPad — more coming soon apparently!

Perfect for: Simple note-takers, people who are already using Evernote & Dropbox and bored of their native app design experience… people who ❤ owls.

Things to note:

• A few of the gestures take a while to get used to it, but worth it!
• It’s $9.99, so think before you invest in how much you use Evernote or Dropbox or want this writing experience..

• Take a week to get used to the experience.
• It’s really great though guys, especially the offline functionality! Trains will no longer be your killer.

5. Squid: The student’s note-taker!

Squiddd! This is the best name ever for a note-taker. Like they re-branded from “Papyrus” to “Squid”, wow! Solid work!

Anyway, Squid is a note-taking application, allowing you to take notes, create note-books, organise your work and make sketches (similar to Notability). It’s a little more advanced than Simplenote but easier to use than 1Writer. This tool is perfect for students with Windows devices + Android too!

Available on: Windows, Windows Phone, Android, their website!

Perfect for: STUDENTS! (16–25), younger individuals (13–16) and also I recommend to fans of Windows who reject OneNote…

Things to note:

• I’m always recommending Squid, Evernote & Simplenote to students! But Squid is awesome for students, got everything you need there!
• Of course, there is no iOS app (at the moment), but the reason I recommend is because about 70% of university students have a Windows laptop or have access to one.

6. Todoist comments

I 100% believe this could be the most underrated Note-taking tool out there (that isn’t a note-taking tool) at its heart.

“I understand this is a task manager but the task manager allows you to be very open in the way you structure your content. Where relevant I use Todoist as a note-taker. “

The example below indicates the way you can implement a note-style:

It’s also wonderful how well Todoist works offline, which is perfection for those writers who like to have tasks nearby. No seriously, it’s perfect, I’ve been able to spend 6 hours on a Chromebook inside a unconnected browser to make 6 hours of notes/comments/tasks/projects + lists with not a problem!

Power features: Simple and easy access, upload documents, images and more, upload from Google Drive, Dropbox and more.

Todoist: www.todoist.com

7. By Hand

Yes, the title does say “apps” and you probably wondered what the heck am I doing blending the physical world with the digital one… Look I’m sorry, but according to Microsoft’s latest keynote, 72% of people still use paper within their day as a tool alongside everything to keep productive! (Microsoft Build 2016).

I’m going to use this final segment to recommend a few notebooks:

• Baron Fig — the stylish & snazzy companion! (+ apps)

• MOD notebooks (+apps): A Twitter recommendation!

• Field Notes — a fashion item + cool tool across your day!

• Foyles Notebooks Puggy High Stationer — An adventure’s journal + note-taker!

Overall, I don’t hate the big apps, but sometimes finding a friend in a smaller app/service is nice. ❤

Thank you for reading :)