Simplenote
Shares rank 16 of 33 note-taking apps by recommenders
Recommended as a quick, minimal, free note app that syncs across platforms and respects privacy. Common caveats: it lacks encryption, and its sync has had trouble.
Recommended as a quick, minimal, free note app that syncs across platforms and respects privacy. Common caveats: it lacks encryption, and its sync has had trouble.
18 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 12
- criticize it
- 6
- approval share
- 67%
Recommended in 3 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 12 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 2 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 3 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, not met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Quick, minimal, no frills
“Simplenote is a really useful and quick note taking app that's minimal but not missing anything for this kind of app.”
Comment from 28 Feb 2026 in “Customer Update on Simplenote” “It's lightweight, fast, accessible anywhere, no frills and functional.”
Comment from 28 Feb 2026 in “Customer Update on Simplenote” Unobtrusive, privacy-respecting design
“It just did what it said on the sticker and has always been unobtrusive and respectful of the user”
Comment from 28 Feb 2026 in “Customer Update on Simplenote” “It was well designed and privacy respecting.”
Comment from 28 Feb 2026 in “Customer Update on Simplenote” Free and multiplatform with sync
“It's lightweight, fast, accessible anywhere, no frills and functional.”
Comment from 28 Feb 2026 in “Customer Update on Simplenote” “It is Multiplatform, it syncs, and it's free.”
Comment from 12 Sep 2026 in “My last six months at Evernote”
Other note-taking apps people recommend
The four most recommended other note-taking apps, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
See all 33 note-taking apps, rankedWhat people said
18 of the 19 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“this was the only one that stuck long term”
“the lack of encryption makes it a non-starter for me”
“It is Multiplatform, it syncs, and it's free.”
“happy to chalk this one up as a straightforward win for the machines”
“I think they always had a bit more trouble with its sync system than they would have wanted.”
“It's optional btw, it's bring your own key.”
“they only shipped about every two years”
“prices became exorbitant and aesthetics hideous”
“Lost me in the first sentence with the AI chat.”
“Simplenote is a really useful and quick note taking app that's minimal but not missing anything for this kind of app.”
“i swear i remember their site being perfectly normal in the past, what happened”
“It's lightweight, fast, accessible anywhere, no frills and functional.”
“it was yet another Electron wrapper on Windows, though mobile/Mac (where it's more important) was native”
“this landing page makes me immediately assume it’s slop”
“But dammmn it's bad! You weren't exaggerating at all!”
“It just did what it said on the sticker and has always been unobtrusive and respectful of the user”
“It was well designed and privacy respecting.”
“it tends to quit on its own on my Mac”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.