Note-taking apps are a dime a dozen, and each one often tries to outdo the others, offering tons of features, 90% of which you’ll never use. I use Obsidian as my primary note-taking app, but when I need to quickly jot down notes on my phone, I use Simplenote.

Simplenote is a minimalist note-taking app that works on all your devices (Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, and the web), offers versioning, and is completely free to use. Above all, it supports Markdown out of the box, making your notes future-proof.

Cleaner interface

Makes it easy to create new notes and delete them

There are no surprises when it comes to Simplenote’s interface. It offers a clean note editor where you can start jotting your notes right away. The two-pane layout keeps things simple and keeps your notes list on the left and the writing area on the right.

The side pane shows your recent notes and has a search bar at the top to find anything instantly, and it works without any fuss. The app is lightweight and fast, so it loads quickly, switches between notes without lag, and works smoothly even on older devices. You can pin important notes to keep them at the top of the list, which is handy for things you reference often, like frequently used templates or running task lists.

The menu is equally boring. You get an All Notes tab, a Trash tab, and Settings. Tags appear in the sidebar as you create them, and there’s even an option to filter untagged notes if you want to organize stray entries. And that’s pretty much everything you see at first glance.

Markdown support

Keeps your notes future-proof

Markdown support is non-negotiable when I’m looking for a note-taking app. Not only does it make writing faster without switching back and forth between your mouse and keyboard, but it also keeps notes future-proof.

Even if your current note-taking system stops working or gets abandoned, with the Markdown format, your notes aren’t tied down to a proprietary format that makes it a nightmare to import to other platforms. A Markdown file will open with any text editor, including a web browser. It’s a consistent, text-based way to format and organize your content without relying on a specific app.

Simplenote supports most common Markdown elements, including headings, lists, links, bold, blockquotes, fenced code blocks, tables, and even task lists with checkboxes. To enable it, open a note, click the Info icon, and turn on Markdown. Once enabled, new notes will use Markdown automatically.

There’s no live preview while typing, so you’ll see raw Markdown syntax as you write. But you can click the eye-shaped Preview icon to see the rendered output if you need to check your formatting. It’s a minor inconvenience, but I’ve gotten used to writing Markdown without constantly previewing, so it’s not an issue for me.

One quirk worth mentioning is that underscores create underlined text instead of italics. If you want italics, use asterisks. It’s a small adjustment, but it threw me off the first time.

It’s not barebone

Less frills, but not barebones

While it’s a minimalist app, it’s not barebones. You can easily add a checklist, pin your notes, and view information like last synced time, modified date, and word count. But it also comes with some features you wouldn’t expect from a free app.

The collaborate feature lets you share notes with others via email. Add the email address of the person you want to collaborate with, and they can view and edit the shared note using their own Simplenote account. It’s useful for shared grocery lists, trip planning, or any situation where two people need access to the same note.

If you want to share a note with someone who doesn’t use Simplenote, you can publish it online. This generates a public link that anyone can access without signing in or creating an account. It’s a quick way to share meeting agendas, instructions, or any information that doesn’t need to stay private.

Revision history is another essential that Simplenote handles well. A slider lets you browse through previous versions of any note, so accidental deletions or edits are easy to undo.

Simplenote syncs flawlessly across devices, so your notes appear on every device almost instantly after you make changes. On your phone, you can dictate notes using voice input, which is useful if you need to take notes on the go and can’t or don’t want to type everything. For note organization, you can tag notes with multiple labels and filter by any combination. There are also plenty of keyboard shortcuts if you prefer staying hands-on-keyboard while writing.

A minimalist note-taking app that’s effective

Simplenote is not your conventional PM-grade tool, and that’s the point. It targets people who need reliable sync across devices, Markdown support, and a clean interface to take notes without unnecessary distractions. I tested several minimalist note apps, and Simplenote came out on top with its speed, simplicity, and dependable sync.

Image support would have made it an even better product, but I understand the trade-off. For a free app, supporting images means storage overhead that’s hard to sustain without charging for it. The lack of attachments keeps Simplenote lightweight and, more importantly, completely free without any premium tier pressure. For 90% of what I need from a secondary note app, Simplenote handles it all without getting in the way.