If you need to take a phone number or an email ID or need to memorize some relevant information, taking notes is the best thing to do. And with dedicated mobile apps and web platforms available for the same, users can take notes in a few taps and in a much shorter time. Out of all the apps for taking notes, Google Keep and Evernote are the most widely used ones and are mostly at face-off with each other. There is a severe dilemma over Google Keep vs. Evernote competition, and it’s quite a confusing moment when users have to choose between the two.
So, here we are with the best comparison of both the platforms We’ll help you decide which one of these would be the best app for taking notes whether it’s on mobile or on the web.
Google Keep vs. Evernote: Comparing Two Platforms at Various Aspects
1. Interface
In terms of Interface, Evernote has a more extended or vast UI; however, when you take a look at it, it’s much easier to use. Evernote’s interface is more of a dashboard. In the left corner of the dashboard, you can access all the services offered by Evernote. Here you can select the type of note you wish to create and then get to work. However, the notes on Evernote appear in a list-based column. This one is a drawback as one has to scroll down the list to pick up old notes, making organizing it a bit tough. The other formats of arranging the notes can only be available either by taking a survey or upgrading to the Premium version.
In the case of mobile app of Evernote, there isn’t much to offer. You tap on the (+) symbol and create a new note. The notes are organized under one single folder or pile, which by default is saved under the name My Notebooks.
On the contrary, Google Keep has a much more graphic and color-oriented user interface. The notes on Google Keep appear in a thumbnail-cum-card format, unlike Evernote’s list-based format. Plus, the notes can be color-coded, thus making the interface much more attractive. Also, just like Evernote, the left corner is your dashboard manager from where you can access labels and your notes.
Same is the case with Keep’s mobile application. The interface is somewhat of the same as the web version, it is much handier and easily organized in comparison to Evernote’s app.
2. Types of Notes
One of the features on Google Keep, you can either create a check-list or a to-do list, or you can create a descriptive note. You can also convert a descriptive note into a list. When you open a note, you’d see a three-dot button at the bottom. Click on it and then select Show Check-boxes. The check-boxes would appear at every point where you’d have pressed enter.
On the other hand, Evernote allows users to create more than one type of notes. These include Meeting Notes, Project Plans, Weekly Planners, Meal Plans, and Lecture Notes. This allows you to keep a vaster categorization of all your notes.
With so many options in note-creation, Evernote wins in this Google Keep vs. Evernote comparison battle.
3. Ease-of Use
This aspect of this Google Keep vs. Evernote comparison has to go to Google Keep. Google Keep has the easiest method to create a new note. The new-note bar always hangs at the top of the Google Keep home screen. All you need to do is tap/click on it and start creating a new note. On that bar, there are two more buttons. One is of a Checkbox, which is for creating a to-do list; and the other one is for inserting an Image in the note.
For Evernote mobile app, creating a note is easier to that of its web version. The (+) icon is all you need to tap on and create a note. On the web version, however, you need to click on New Note button and then choose the type of note you want to proceed with.
4. Text-Editing
On Google Keep, you don’t have much editing options with the text. You’ve no options for changing font style or size. There is no further addition of links or change in format of your text. Keep is designed as a note-taker platform only. So, you take notes and don’t care what font or color your text is. You just write down the information, save it on the go, and then get over it.
However, Evernote has a robust text-editor with all the features you’ll expect of Google Docs. There is a complete line of editing options ranging from formatting options like Bold, Italic, Underline, and font editings such as font size, font style to Link Insertion and Text Alignment. All these editing features make it more flexible, but again, these features also make Evernote a document creation app rather than a note-taker.
But, given the variety of features, this arena of Evernote vs. Google Keep battle stays in favor of Evernote.
5. Reminders
Reminder is a common feature in both Keep and Evernote. You select a note, add a reminder, pick-up date, and time to remind, and you’re all set. But Keep’s note goes one-step-ahead. Keep can add the location to the reminder. You need to allow access to your device’s location, whether it’s a mobile or laptop and then set a place. Though the time and date are enough to remind you of any urgent note you need to check; however, location would allow you to differentiate your professional office-use notes with the rest.
Unfortunately, the people using Evernote do not have Location feature to use as of yet. Even the Reminders feature has been removed in the updated Evernote version on the web. However, you can always go to Settings and switch to previous version (see image) to get the Reminder feature on Evernote.
6. Labels vs. Tags & Stacks
In Google Keep, the user can differentiate notes by labeling them. For example, there is a note related to your recent office project you’ve jotted down in Keep. You can mark that particular note as Office or any other name you prefer. Now in case you take another note associated with a similar task, you can add the same label to that as well. This way, you’d be able to access all the notes labeled Office just by accessing that label via the dashboard.
Evernote has a similar feature which goes by the name Tags. The tags act absolutely similar to that of Labels in Keep. The option to add tags is at the bottom of the note (see image above).
There is one more differentiation Evernote offers. You can further categorize your notes into Notebook Stacks in Evernote. This means that you can keep all the notes associated with one single subject, for example, Poems into one stack of notebook. This allows Evernote users to keep extended flexibility in accessing the required notes.
So, with this additional feature, Evernote gets a bonus point in this aspect of Google Keep vs. Evernote comparison.
7. Price
Here’s where the Google Keep vs. Evernote comparison takes a turn in favor of Keep. Keep is free. It comes with the free applications of Google Suite, which includes Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc. On the other hand, Evernote is not free of charge.
Evernote has a premium plan, as well as a business plan, which you have to buy to get additional features. These include services and support, no restrictions on note size, no restrictions on image insertions, and other integrations.
What’s free is always better, well, mostly it is. So Google Keep vs. Evernote battle takes a massive edge towards Keep since it is free of charge.
8. Availability
For mobile, both Evernote and Keep has separate apps which you can download from respective app stores on both Android and iOS devices.
For desktop versions, you can visit their official sites and download an application for both. The app works offline, but to sync in the documents, you’ll be required an internet connection on that device.
However, the best way to use the platforms on a desktop/laptop is to access them directly via their websites.
Summary
To take notes at the go with the utmost ease of use and simplicity, Keep delivers the best performance. It does not have too many functionalities and is limited on features, which is perfect for a simple note-taking application. It focuses on the basics and is good at delivering on that.
On the other hand, Evernote is a bit complicated given all those “extended featurettes”, which lowers down its flexibility instead of improving it. For a basic note-taking app, Keep is the best to use. Evernote is more of a document creator and is not suitable for taking notes only. The features of a text-editor won’t come in handy when you’d have to take a quick note.
Thus, this Google Keep vs. Evernote comparison battle, no matter how common aspects of it are, goes to Google Keep. Despite similarities, Keep fulfills most of the requirements of a note-taker with utter simplicity and primary interface and features. However, as a user, you always have to make decisions based on personal preferences.
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