Home › Note-taking & PKM › Simplenote
Simplenote
Free · ranked #9 of 30
★ 3.5 / 5 · 18k user reviews
· Google Play + Capterra + G2, cross-referenced · display-only, not part of the SoftwareScore
65
SoftwareScore · ranked #9
A free, minimalist plain-text notes app by Automattic, instant and synced, with no frills by design.
Value (price vs features) 10
Ease of use 9
Feature depth 3
Cross-platform & sync 8
Data ownership / privacy 6
Collaboration 4
AI capability 1
Simplenote pros and cons
Pros
- Completely free core platform allows unlimited text notes and multi-device sync with zero feature paywalls
- Multi-platform synchronization operates instantly across Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and web
- Integrated Markdown support and note version history allow easy text formatting and document rollbacks
Cons
- Plain-text framework prohibits uploading media attachments, images, or files inside notes
- Organization is limited to basic tags with no support for nested folders or relational databases
- Feature-light workspace lacks tables, advanced search filters, and built-in AI utilities
Best for Minimalist writers who want a fast, free, text-only scratchpad that syncs seamlessly across every device.
Skip it if You need to embed image attachments, manage rich document tables, or structure notes inside hierarchical folders.
On the SoftwareScore, Simplenote is strongest on Value (price vs features) (10/10) and weakest on AI capability (1/10). That's what drives its 65/100.
Compare Simplenote head-to-head
Anytype 66
A local-first, encrypted, open-source 'everything app', strong ownership and structure without going full plaintext.
Google Keep 65
Google's free sticky-note app, dead simple and synced everywhere, but light on structure and depth.
FuseBase 64
A team-and-client collaboration workspace (formerly Nimbus) with notes, docs, and portals, strong on collaboration.
Logseq 64
An open-source, local-first outliner for networked notes, excellent data ownership, built for single-user thinking.
Samsung Notes 62
Samsung's free, S-Pen-optimized note app for Galaxy devices, with handwriting, PDF markup, and tight Galaxy and Windows integration.