7 Android apps for taking notes: Evernote, Notepad & Papyrus

Taking notes on your phone should be easy and uncomplicated, but for something so simple, it often isn’t. Slow-loading, clunky apps can be the digital equivalent of spilling a cup of tea over your Moleskine, but there are some great solutions out there – and being Android, they’re all free.

Technology shouldn’t be getting in the way of saving a great idea or some important information, so we’ve rounded up some of the best Android apps to help support your creativity. Let us know your favourites in the comments.

1. Evernote

A one-stop solution for text notes, To Do lists, photos and voice memos, note sharing and tweet saving, Evernote’s visual, intuitive layout means all the bells and whistles add to the experience rather than muddling it. Rather than spreading information across multiple apps, you can organise your entire life within its calming green environs, all the while safe in the knowledge it’s safely backed up on their server.

How? Your data is saved in to “notebooks” in your Evernote account, which is accessible across platforms so you can quickly sync everything to your phone, tablet, laptop and PC. So if you like making notes on the move but prefer to expand upon them on a bigger screen in a bit more comfort, this is a cinch. Offline use is no problem as long as you sync your files first and stay logged in, and the Premium upgrade features include the ability to invite others to edit your notes.

Available free from the Play Store with in-app upgrades to Premium features from £3.99.

2. Notepad

Sometimes you just want an app to do exactly what it says it’s going to do. In the case of Notepad, it’s a notepad…and nothing more.

Step 1 – write a note.
Step 2 – get on with your life.

Simple! It doesn’t look very swishy, but notes are saved automatically (even if you don’t press “Save Note”) and if that’s all you’re looking for this could be the app for you.

Available free from the Play Store.

3. Papyrus

Taking things all the way back to the roots of the written word, in name at least, Papyrus aims to go “beyond paper” by encourages the taking of handwritten notes in a digital world. Probably best suited to stylus on tablet rather than big meaty finger on small phone screen (though there are excellent zoom and edit functions to keep things tidy), this app also allows you to import documents and annotate them on the go.

The layout is clean and clear, the app is functional and it all looks so much nicer than boring old black text on white screen, so if you’ve been looking for a reason to neaten up your sloppy computer-impaired handwriting, this could be just the thing for you.

Available free from the Play Store.

4. Idea Growr

Are you the sort of person who is always noting down ideas but never working on them? Is your notebook full of cryptic scribbles that you will never get round to reading again? Idea Growr wants to help you flesh out your dreams, plans and schemes and make them a reality, all by introducing a bit of structure.

Quickly type out your idea then go back to sleep or work while your subconscious sets to work on the details. Later, use the app to answer a series questions to ascertain the viability of your concept. Broken down in to 4 categories: Personal, Business, Society and Realisation, they certainly provide food for thought. Will it be fun to work on? Who benefits from the idea? How does it relate to competition? What can be the first step?

Available free from the Play Store.

Want to read about three more great Android apps for note taking? Click here for the rest of the article.

Image by Ceressa Bateman.