Have you been on the lookout for some efficient ways to jot down your thoughts while on the go? Read on to discover some of the best Samsung Notes alternatives that you can download and use for free in 2020!
Samsung is the biggest smartphone OEM in the entire world and makes some of the largest quantity of phones as well. It is no surprise that they have developed an ecosystem of their own. With apps like Samsung Photos, Bixby and even their own app store with custom themes and wallpapers, Samsung has indeed expanded their relevance to more than just pieces of hardware. One such app that many people actually love using from their previous Samsung phones is the Notes app.
Not only is it tailor-made to best suit the large displays that Samsung flagships usually have, but the app itself has many nifty little features that compliment the entire note-taking experience well. If you have used the Samsung Notes app on a Galaxy Note device with the S-Pen, then you’d know just how good the experience really is. However, if you do not own a Samsung device or have found the app to not be compatible with your specific model, don’t fret.
There are always options out there and luckily in the niche of note-taking and to-do list apps, there are plenty of good choices. In this guide, we will be going over some of the best Samsung Notes alternatives that will provide you with a similar experience. We have taken into account the various features that the Notes app in Samsung devices has to offer and have curated the list accordingly. So with that being said, sit back, relax and enjoy the read!
Best Samsung Notes Alternatives in 2020
Google Keep
Kicking the list off, we have one of the safest options out there when it comes to note-taking and to-do list apps. Google Keep is an excellent choice when it comes to jotting down some quick notes. The app comes directly by the software giant Google and is hence truly bug-free sporting a very minimal user interface.
You can create several notes and have them laid in a beautiful card view for a much pleasant visual cue. You can also create checkboxes for specific notes which is quite useful for when you’re going out for grocery shopping or have a lot of assignment that you want to check off before the deadline. Google Keep can also help you scan documents for ease of access.
Other features within Google Keep include the user being able to change the colour of the notes which gives off a much cleaner look. You can use this feature to your advantage since it usually helps to have specific colour codes for different categories of tasks. You can add a collaborator as well which is a feature that people involved in group assignments will appreciate the most.
You can also set reminders for the notes, making Google Keep a desirable option as a to-do list app as well. As a compelling alternative to Samsung Notes, Google Keeps checks many boxes and is also backed by Google which should be a driving factor for many as well. You can download the latest version of Google Keep for your Android device by following the link to the Google Play Store page given below:
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.keep”]
Microsoft OneNote
Shifting a bit from the ultra-minimal and essential-only user interface and feature set that Google Keep has to offer, we have Microsoft’s answer to the concept of a note-taking app. Microsoft OneNote has been directly ported from its much popular Windows counterpart that also gives you the advantage when it comes to the sheer amount of customizability and features that it has when compared to the other note-taking and to-do list apps.
Talking about the features that OneNote offers, you get a full canvas that you can type, write using a stylus or draw on. You can even scan documents using the built-in scanning functionality as well. You can embed videos and links from the web within your notes for better use of space and time. OneNote uses OCR to make everything you write using your stylus or your hand easily searchable using text. You can also create labels, tags and even categorize your tasks based on their types.
Microsoft OneNote is clearly one of the biggest contenders to Samsung Notes, offering a very similar experience and features that might even outshine it. In our opinion, the best advantage of using Microsoft OneNote is the fact that everything you make a note of instantly gets synced between all of your devices and if you are a Windows user at home or at work, the experience is truly seamless. You can download the latest version of Microsoft OneNote for your Android device by following the link to the Google Play Store page given below:
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.office.onenote”]
Evernote
Speaking of feature-heavy note-taking apps, Evernote kills the competition with its capabilities when it comes to writing down your thoughts and customizing them to suit your needs the best. Evernote is an entire ecosystem of its own and does require a bit of getting used to since the learning curve is quite steep when it comes to making the most of all the features that it has to offer.
You can either create simple notes that may be a to-do list or a quick reminded, or you could go full in making use of the plethora of pre-built templates for different kinds of notes. Be it an assignment tracker or a fully-fledged finance chart, Evernote has got you well covered. One of the biggest attractions with Evernote is how interactive and versatile the media addition is within your notes. You can embed videos from various websites, add links, photos and videos from your gallery as well.
Evernote is also one of the best apps when it comes to collaborating with your colleagues or group members to get tasks done efficiently. You can add notes and comments under the same project, create different roles for different people, assign tasks and check their progress. This all helps to get work done before a deadline by a huge measure.
The only real drawback with Evernote is the fact that you’ll end up having to pay for a monthly or yearly subscription to make the most out of it. However, in case you only need it for personal use and don’t care about the limited storage and features, Evernote is as good as a note-taking app can get. You can download the latest version of Evernote for your Android device by following the link to the Google Play Store page given below:
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.evernote”]
BlackNote Notepad Notes
Changing things up a bit, we have a very aesthetically pleasing note-taking app by BlackNote. This app, as the name suggests, brings a full black theme to your note-taking experience. Not only does this help in reducing eye-strain by ten folds but also gives off a very clean and minimal look to your notes and to-do lists.
The font selection is also something that compliments the whole black theme really well. The notes are laid out in a card layout making it easier for you to view the contents within without having to ever open individual notes. You can create checkboxes and lists to get things such as grocery shopping or homework to be done efficiently.
There is also an option that allows you to lock your notes to keep the most personal of your thoughts away from prying eyes. You can set reminders for some of the notes in case you need to use this as a reminders app as well. Overall, with such a modern and pleasing design, BlackNote is one of the best looking note-taking apps we’ve used. You can download the latest version of BlackNote Notepad Notes for your Android device by following the link to the Google Play Store page given below:
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=notepad.note.notas.notes.notizen”]
Squid
Ending our list of some of the best Samsung Notes alternatives to try, Squid stands out the most. This is all thanks to the kind of audience that this note-taking app is geared towards. If you are a Galaxy Note user or have any phone with a stylus, then Squid is possible the best alternative to Samsung Notes. It features a much better and responsive design that the app its replacing and also has some features that the original lacks too.
Squid is designed to be used with a stylus (or your finger at the very least) to draw or write down notes manually. The app does do a good job with smoothening any sharp edges in your handwriting or drawings. Squid also has a fully-fledged vector engine working which makes it quite desirable to draw things with incredible detail and not having to fear about losing them to zooms.
There are various features that further complement your note-taking while using Squid. You can select different kinds of paper to start writing or drawing on, be it a blank page or a graphed sheet. Squid also allows you to quickly scan any documents and convert them into a PDF. The OCR makes all the handwritten or printed text in the documents that you end up scanning directly searchable and editable. This is best suited to people who find it infuriating to change certain details in large documents every single time.
You can obviously still use Squid without all of its S-Pen or stylus-based features, but what would be the fun in that? There is indeed a premium version of the app that further unlocks more features such as additional brushes or eraser tips, making your writing even more immersive. However in case, you don’t want to spend any money on a note-taking app, the free version does more than what you could ever ask for. You can download the latest version of Squid for your Android device by following the link to the Google Play Store page given below:
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.steadfastinnovation.android.projectpapyrus”]
That’s all, folks! We hope you enjoyed our roundup of some of the best Samsung Notes alternatives to try out in 2020! Which one among the list is your favourite, and how many of these Samsung Notes alternatives have you already known or have been using? Know other good note-taking or to-do list apps that you feel people might find interesting and helpful? Do let us know in the comments section below; we’d be delighted to hear from you guys!
