I always have to take notes for one thing or another. Whether it’s notes for a book I’m writing, an idea for a book to write, an item to add to my shopping list, or anything else that comes to mind, I turn to my Android phone to jot things down.
Without a good note-taking app, I would spend a lot of time remembering those overly important ideas or thoughts that I need to keep track of.
There are tons of note-taking apps in the Google Play Store, but the four below stand out above the rest for me, and there’s one that I turn to the most.
1. Google Keep
This is my choice. There are many reasons for this. For example, there’s the fact that it’s part of the Google ecosystem, so it can work in conjunction with other apps (like Google Docs). Also, I can easily collaborate on a note with others.
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Google Keep also allows me to record voice memos, draw, add reminders, use minimal formatting, take photos for notes, archive notes, tag notes, keep lists, and more. But what I love most about Google Keep is its simplicity. With some note-taking apps, the features can be annoying. Google Keep has found the sweet spot between included features and ease of use. You can open Google Keep for the first time and immediately understand how it works. No need for an initial step or even a little help… it’s that simple.
At the same time, he doesn’t feel like he’s missing much. While it may not have the features of, say, Apple Notes, Google Keep does a perfectly good job of keeping all my thoughts, ideas, and lists under control.
Google Keep is free and can be installed from the Google Play Store.
2. MS OneNote
I’ve never been a big fan of Microsoft software, but I have to admit that MS OneNote is a great note-taking app. OneNote lets you take traditional notes, voice notes, photos, and drawings. There’s a neat feature in OneNote that I wish Google would consider for Keep, and that’s Notebooks.
With Notebooks, you can create a notebook and collect related notes in it. This is a great way to organize your notes, without having to scroll through tags or search for headings. I can create notebooks for Book Ideas, Script Ideas, ZDNET, Homework, Shopping, Videos, and more.
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And, like Keep, I can also log into the web version of OneNote, so I can work on my notes whether I have my Android phone or not. The only gripe with OneNote is that creating a simple note takes a few more taps than it should. Unlike Keep, I can’t open the app and immediately start writing a note. With OneNote, you may need an extra touch to get started. Even so, the Notebooks feature makes OneNote a candidate to overtake Keep at some point.
MS OneNote is available for free in the Google Play Store.
3. ColorNote Notepad Notes
ColorNote is friendly. With ColorNote you can easily take notes. And while you’re a bit more limited than you would be in other apps (you can only create notes and checklists), this app includes a feature that makes it so easy you’ll wish all other apps would consider the option.
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With ColorNote you can apply colors to notes to make them easier to find. For example, you can make all your shopping lists green, all your book ideas black, all your random thoughts orange, all your school notes blue, etc. After you color code your notes, tap a color and only those notes will appear. If you choose to sign in (which you can do with your Google account), you’ll also get note locking and online syncing, as well as a home screen widget. ColorNote also includes the ability to share notes, either via link or QuickShare (formerly Nearby Share).
ColorNote is free and can be installed from the Google Play Store.
4. Evernote
Although Evernote has fallen from its peak, it’s still a great note-taking app. With Evernote, you can add standard notes, photos, sketches, and audio notes. You can add notes or tasks. You can also share notes via a link, invitation (for collaboration), or email.
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Evernote also includes a tagging system (so you can categorize your notes), reminders, the ability to pin a note to your home page (in the Evernote app, not your Android home screen), and a widget you can add to your home screen. There are other widgets (think of them as plugins) that you can add to Evernote, such as a calendar, filtered notes, notebooks, and more. When you add new widgets, they appear on the Evernote home page. I, for one, consider the Notebooks widget a must-have.
Evernote can be installed for free on Android from the Google Play Store. The free plan limits you to 50 notes and 1 notebook. If you need more than that, the personal plan gives you 100,000 notes and 1,000 notebooks and costs $10.83 per month.
If you’re like me, a note-taking app is essential and, without a practical solution, those brilliant ideas and thoughts could be swept away by the lazy spring breeze without warning. Fortunately, any of these note-taking apps can do the job of keeping your ideas and lists always ready.