Looking for an app for note-taking with the following features:
- No ads ever
- No nudges to upgrade, subscribe, unlock premium features, or any bullshit like that.
- No recurring fee (ok paying up-front for the app)
- Clean, simple interface
That’s it. I don’t need multimedia, multi-device syncing, cloud storage. I just need a place to write down ideas and grocery lists.
Recommendations?
You must log in or register to comment.
There is Google Keep.
But if you want to degoogle, well I’m reading the thread. I’ve heard of Joplin (spelling?).
Not an app, and I haven’t really used it, but tinylist feels quite Google Keepy. You can add it to your home screen, but it doesn’t seem to work offline.
Obsidian, Hands down.
Not open-source though sadly 😔
Not open source but the data portability is on a level nothing else matches!
But all your notes are just md files. It’s straightforward that way
Markor.
Then I also add my notes / docs folder to syncthing, and have it on every device.
I used to use Keep Notes by Google. Did the job pretty well but obviously there should be better FOSS & privacy-respecting apps: NoNonesense Notes!
I use signal mesagaing app. They have a note to self feature thats awesome.
.txt file + syncthing
For true rebels: pen and paper
Notepad++ if you just need to type something up.
Trilium Notes, Logseq, or Obsidian.md if you’re looking for something more advanced.
Self-host something like bookstack, docuwiki, mediawiki, or wikijs for something more… permanent? I wouldn’t really use these to jot something down real quick but I do put a lot of finalized? notes in a wikijs docker image I host.
https://www.f-droid.org/en/packages/com.simplemobiletools.notes.pro/
This and others by simple are exactly that.
Notes. Gallery.Dialer. keyboard. Clock.
No ads. Absolutely zero unnecessary permissions. No telemetry or sneaky internet connections.
I’ve been using Notally for a while and I think it checks all your boxes.
Very much agreed.
I’ve always used ColorNote. It does have several advanced features but they’re all optional. It’s been updated for 5 years now and basically hasn’t changed. Still free, no ads, easy to use. A rare exception on the Play Store. Whole app only 4Mb.
Obsidian is kewl cloud sync aint free though.
If you don’t mind self hosting, there is a community plugin for live sync backed to CouchDB.
One option is Notally on F-droid and on the Google Play Store. It’s FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) and it has all of the features you mentioned. I use it as my everyday note taking app and I have zero complaints so far.
There’s Safe Notes on F-Droid as well, which is pretty much identical to Notally feature-wise, but your notes are encrypted (locally).
I found Obsidian good, and Markor the best, on Android.
ColorNote
It meets every item on your list.
Apps:
- Zettel notes https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes
- Markor https://www.f-droid.org/packages/net.gsantner.markor/
Self-hosted:
Kvaesitso launcher also has built in note widget that can be linked to same local file as in an app. https://github.com/MM2-0/Kvaesitso
