Of the many note-taking apps on Android, probably one of the most used is Google Keep because it’s specific to phones. However, similar looking open source alternatives It even improves functions that take longer for the Google app to implement.

This is Quillnote, the name of which you may not know but Worth to try. There’s no doubt that if you use Keep frequently and also use another app and want to try new options. It is simple and fully functional.

a project open source This leaves us with a free app that is ad-free and non-private

Quillnote is an application created by developer Michael Soutlanidis, whose code is available as we can see on Github. It can be downloaded here, but is also available for free on Google Play and F-Droid.

As with other applications open sourceNot only is Quillnote free, it’s also not supported by ads. Then You won’t find a single advertising banner In it. As they explain on their website, they are supported by community contributions through donations.

Another important part where it stands out positively is privacy. As explained in the relevant sections, Quillnote does not collect data sent without permission. Actually all notes are stored locally, but you can also enable cloud syncing with Nextcloud; In this case, privacy already depends on this service.

Probably as a result of this, we also find a significant drawback if you have already accumulated a lot of notes in Keep or elsewhere: Can’t import notes from other apps. This isn’t a function that all note apps support, but it never hurts and is something we’ve already warned Quillnote doesn’t have.

An interface inspired by Keep with the same simplicity

Whether you use Google Keep or not You’ll know how to use Quillnote from the first moment. If you have used it, then it will sound familiar to you too. Because yes, the reference to the Google app was no coincidence, as it is clear that it was inspired by it.

That’s the idea behind Quillnote, or at least what we feel when using it. digital notebook for notes. Although it is not the most complete application in terms of functions or note styles, it may be more than sufficient for daily use by the majority and can even be used as a quick notes manager as a complement to more robust applications.

At Quillnote we are allowed Create text-only entries, to-do lists, notes with photos and videos…In fact, we can sort them in a completely personalized way, by date and type, or by grouping them into different notebooks, as we wish.

For example, we considered making a notebook with personal text notes, a notebook with photo notes, and a notebook for work. Each of these three can have any type of notes but have the same common theme so it’s easier to reference them whenever we want.

Later, the notes themselves can be previewed in the list or grid, in the way that best suits us. This does not change in Google Keep, and although it is a detail, it is always interesting to have a much more organized view of different notes.

Another added function is Ability to hide notes from the main view. Yes, they can be seen later by clicking see hidden ones, but it may be useful if we lend the mobile phone at first and do not want private notes to be seen. While not currently available, being able to lock them with a fingerprint or passcode would be another great addition.

Different text formats with markup and little customization

Edit mode (left) and view mode (right) of notes

When it comes to text, which is the core of any notes app, it’s spot on. Support writing in Markdown format with the corresponding additions of the possibility of using different font styles: bold, italic, underlined text, strikethrough…

It also supports input headings and subheadings In addition to H1, H2 and H3 between each note, we can create lists as we mentioned before. Equal allows you to create tables that we can fill cells with text and even images.

Few customization options

Even though it’s a small thing for most people, the truth is Quillnote’s weakest point is its small number of customization options. It only allows you to change the background to green, pink, blue, red, orange or yellow (or leave it as default; white if your mobile is in light mode, black if you are in dark mode).

In any case, as we said in previous sections, Quillnote can be a great secondary app for notes or even a main app depending on usage and demand for such applications. If you’ve never tried it, it’s not a bad idea to try it now. Of course it will continue to grow and add more incentives in the future, but for now what it offers is already very good.

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