It seems like you’re one of two types – you’re either a meticulous perfectionist that makes organisation look like a walk in the park, with a notebook that uses carefully numbered files, subheadings, and bullet points too.
Or, you’re like me. What is a notebook exactly? What day is it, and why have I got odd socks on again?
If you’re the latter type, then you’re fortunately in the perfect place – we’re going to look at some of the best note taking apps so you can improve the way you write notes.
Evernote
Evernote had been considered as one of the most popular note taking apps on the smartphone market for several years now.
It has many interesting features, including the ability to clip web pages from photographs, the ability to read text on the screen and synchronisation across devices, and some powerful search functions you can make use of too.
The advanced search functions are what stand out most with Evernote.
This means that you can easily find your old notes using things like quotation marks, which also works when you’re searching PDFs that can be attached to notes – very handy.
One thing to think about when considering Evernote is that you can try the app completely free, but it does have various pricing models.
Evernote Basic is limited to 60MB of storage per month, with the maximum note capacity being 25MB. This is fairly limiting, and it won’t allow you to store a great deal of notes.
Probably more restricting than the size limitations is that with the free plan, you”re limited to just 2 devices and you don’t get the collaboration features.
So, try the free version out and see how you get on with Evernote – it’s definitely one of the best options for taking notes quickly.
Then, if you like the app then it might be worth upgrading to the paid version of the note taking app, especially as it allows you to easily integrate with Google Docs and Google Calendar.
Full: Evernote Review
Google Keep
There are a number of Notepad applications for Android. Some use simple notes, whereas other features allow for detailed analysis.
One of the more simpler options is Google Keep, and if you’re a heavy Android and Google user, it makes sense to stick with it.
You can use Google Keep with other apps like Google Docs, and you can also use it with Google Calendar too – this makes it into more than just a note taking app, but it’s part of a full system.
You can also use it with other Google services like Google Assistant – this means you can create voice notes very easily.
Google Keep is a popular notetaking app for Android, and it’s still a great way of keeping track of what you’re taking – you just need to learn how to use it properly.
Dropbox Paper
Though probably not the first name you think of when it comes to making notes, recently Dropbox launched their Dropbox Paper app, and actually it’s a solid note-taking app for Android devices.
Dropbox Paper tries to strike that balance between usability, intuitiveness, collaboration, look and performance as well.
Dropbox Paper is an app for writing and storing notes on your Dropbox account – obviously, if you already use their Cloud Storage then this will suit you perfectly.
Dropbox Paper lets you store notes anywhere on any computer with a connection to the internet, meaning that you’ll have pretty much unlimited notes if you need them.
You can edit your notes when your computer is offline too, and they’ll then change syncs with it based upon your last update.
I should probably also note that you must create your own Dropbox account to use Dropbox paper – it’s a pretty decent note taking app.
However, better templates and more formatting options would improve it even more. But, you can’t really complain considering this is a free note taking app.
Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft OneNote is an easy-to-use notetaking software. This is Microsoft’s response to Evernote, but it’s not quite as good in our opinion.
However, OneNote does have very flexible features. It has a great user interface, and it allows you to collaborate on your notes with other people at the same time – this is perfect if you want to make to do lists simultaneously with others.
It’s also very easy to add different forms of media into OneNote too – this means dragging a picture, clicking on the image, or texting it onto a note if you need to as well.
The downside of OneNote is that it doesn’t have the same level of features as EverNote – one key aspect is lacking the same search function, where OneNote can’t really compare.
However, if you already use some Microsoft products and services, then using Microsoft OneNote may make sense.
TickTick
Although not strictly made for note taking, the TickTick app has an impressive list of to do list tasks, which allow the use of notes if you prefer.
The items listed on your to-do list are listed with a “Description” field which can be used to store notes about the item. Again, not a note taking app, but good if you like making bundled notes.
TickTick is one of the most versatile notes management softwares available today, but it does lack some advanced features, especially with the free version.
However, it does have some pretty cool features that include a calendar view, task reminders, voice inputs and white noise generation.
So, it could be worth checking it out if you want to try a simple note taking app.
Conclusion
Apps to take notes on your smartphone have more than one function. It’s hard to remember your thoughts throughout the day – this is the reason people write things down to reference later on in their lives.
It is also becoming less common carry a notepad and pencil to lectures. A regular person keeps their smartphone with them all day, making notes easier using the notes app.
In short, digital notetaking has become essential for many, using our phones and downloading a notepad app just makes sense.
Hopefully some of the note taking apps for Android we’ve mentioned can help you organise notes, share notes and just make your overall memory that little bit better.
