There's no denying that I love Google Keep. It has been my companion for a long time, helping me jot down new article ideas, create shopping lists, and make to-do lists. It's pretty minimalist, fast, and most importantly, synced across devices. But then I wanted something that doesn't feel like writing inside Google's walled garden. Every note or idea I create on Keep feels like creating just another data point sitting on Google's server.
In search of something better, smarter, and most importantly, that respects my privacy and doesn't lock me into a single ecosystem, I came across Notesnook.
What is Notesnook?
A secure, cross-platform note-taking app with a self-hosting option
Notesnook is a privacy-focused, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app. It supports various features, including Markdown, folders, note pinning, tags, cross-platform syncing, and more. But the most amazing thing about it is that it lets you self-host its instance. This enables you to run it locally or on your private server, thereby taking complete control of your notes.
Unlike Google Keep, which stores your every note on Google's cloud without any encryption, Notesnook encrypts your notes before they even leave your device. It works across Windows, Linux, and macOS, as well as Android and iOS. But despite that, I chose to self-host, not because I had to, but because I could.
How I self-hosted Notesnook
Taking ownership of my notes
Setting up a self-hosted Notesnook instance was a straightforward process. I faced a few hiccups, but was able to run it successfully at the end. I used Docker on my Ubuntu system. You can also do the same with WSL on Windows.
Here are the steps I followed:
- Launched the Terminal app on my Linux system.
- Installed Docker and Docker Compose.
- Cloned the Notesnook server from GitHub.
- Started the server using the Docker Compose commands
- Connected the Notesnook app to my local server by configuring the Notesnook app on Linux.
Within minutes, I had a private Notesnook instance running on my system. If hosting isn't your thing, don't worry — Notesnook also offers a free cloud sync service with the same encryption guarantees.
Why is Notesnook better than Google Keep for me
Well, apart from the ability to host and run locally, there are a few more benefits of using Notesnook, even if you aren't hosting it locally.
Privacy First
This is obviously a big advantage. Notesnook uses end-to-end encryption by default. Since I self-host my notes, they never leave my server unless I choose to sync them externally. In contrast, Google Keep doesn't offer client-side encryption. It also stores my notes on Google's server. In short, I truly own my notes with Notesnook rather than with Keep.
Better formatting and organization
After using it, I felt Notesnook offers better formatting and organization than Keep. I can create headings, lists, apply tags, code blocks, and more. The tags make it easy to search a category of notes among a lot of them. Notesnook also allows me to create different folders to categorize notes. Google Keep is still stuck with colored labels and no real formatting.
Customization and Flexibility
Since I am self-hosting Notesnook, it means I control everything, including backups, storage limits, retention policies, and more. I can further integrate it with other self-hosting services, such as Nextcloud, and also export my notes to Obsidian. Google Keep, on the other hand, offers almost no customization. It functions best only with the Google ecosystem. The flexibility I get with Notesnook is unmatched.
Offline-first approach
When hosted locally, all your notes will be saved offline and synced to your other devices connected to the same IP address (if you host it on an IP address, rather than localhost). Even a regular Notesnook app saves notes locally if the internet is unavailable and then syncs them with the cloud when a connection is available. With Keep, an offline option is available, but with limited functionality. There's a risk of losing notes during low or no internet connections.
Exporting notes
On Notesnook, it is straightforward to export notes in various formats, including Markdown, HTML, JSON, and PDF. However, on Google Keep, the process is tedious. To export notes, you need to visit the Google Takeout website, where you can only export them in formats such as ZIP or TGZ.
Who should consider using Notesnook?
It's not just for privacy geeks
Notesnook is, of course, a breath of fresh air if you are uncomfortable storing your personal notes on Google's server. The ability to host it locally adds a whole layer of control that most mainstream note-taking apps miss. However, it's not just about privacy.
You'll love how efficient it is when compared to other note-taking apps, especially Google Keep. It's pretty easy to organize and search through notes. The smooth interface and practical features are other bonus points. Even if you don't want to self-host, the official Notesnook app is still a massive upgrade from Google Keep.
So, if you are eyeing an escape from the Google ecosystem, Notesnook is a totally worth-trying app.