5 Android apps to use instead of Google Keep, Android Authority says

The site says Google Keep remains a common choice for quick note-taking because it is free, lightweight and easy to use, and notes sync automatically across devices without extra configuration. Android Authority adds that a lack of rich-text editing, limited note-organization options and missing end-to-end encryption are common reasons users move away.

For users who put a premium on privacy, Android Authority highlights Standard Notes and Notesnook. Both provide zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption, meaning only the user can access the notes. Standard Notes syncs notes automatically and supports tags, but its free plan offers a bare-bones editor; a paid plan adds Markdown support, attachments, an advanced editor, automated cloud backups and extended version history. Notesnook, meanwhile, offers a rich-text editor with strong customization, along with media attachments, embedded items, tables, tags and notebooks. Users can also adjust the app's appearance and behavior.

Simplenote is described as a good choice for users with devices across multiple ecosystems. It is free and syncs notes across all major platforms, natively supports Markdown and shows notes in a list. Users can organize notes with tags, view a note's version history, collaborate with other Simplenote users, and publish notes to the web for anyone with a link. The article notes that Simplenote lacks rich media support and does not encrypt notes end to end.

NotallyX is an Android-only app that closely mimics the Google Keep experience, displaying notes as cards and allowing color-coding, checklists and attachments. It is local-first by default, so notes stay on the device unless a user sets up cloud syncing through Syncthing-Fork to other Android devices. NotallyX also supports rich-text formatting, automatic trash deletion and configurable backup frequency.

The article also names Joplin as another alternative, describing it as a popular note-taking app for creating structured notes and suitable for long-form writing, research or building a personal knowledge base.