Google Keep vs QOwnNotes
Google Keep
keep.google.com
QOwnNotes
qownnotes.orgSide by side
| Figure | Google Keep | QOwnNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $7/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · Note-taking apps | 9.1 (#11) | 8.5 (#53) |
| Spec score · Notes apps | 8.9 (#11) | 8.1 (#44) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Gmail,Google Calendar,Google Chat,Google Drive,Google Docs,Google Sheets,Google Slides | Nextcloud,ownCloud,Nextcloud Notes,QOwnNotesAPI,Nextcloud Deck,CalDAV,Dropbox,Syncthing,Seafile,BitTorrent Sync,Git |
| Note sharing | Yes | Yes |
| Offline access | Yes | Yes |
| Supported platforms | web,ios,android,chrome_extension | web,windows,macos,linux,android,chrome_extension |
| Purpose | Keep lets people create and share notes, lists, photos, drawings and audio. | QOwnNotes is a GPL-licensed plain-text Markdown note-taking application for GNU/Linux, macOS, and Windows. |
Plans
Google Keep
- Google KeepFree
- Google Workspace Business Starter$7 a month
- Google Workspace Business Starter$8.40 a month
In their own words
Google Keep
Google Keep has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
QOwnNotes
QOwnNotes is a free, GPL-licensed note-taking application built around plain-text Markdown files. Notes stay in a folder on your computer, and the app does not sync notes or media itself; you can choose a separate sync client such as Nextcloud or ownCloud. Those services can also provide note sharing, task lists, note history, and access to trashed notes. The editor offers Markdown highlighting and preview, hierarchical tags and subfolders, wiki-style links, Vim mode, and portable mode. Optional encryption includes built-in AES-256 and custom methods such as PGP. You can import from Evernote or Joplin, or work with existing text and Markdown files directly. QOwnNotes is available for GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and the web, with a browser extension for clipping selected text, screenshots, and bookmarks. A web companion sends phone photos to the current desktop note. Integrations include Nextcloud, ownCloud, Dropbox, Syncthing, Seafile, CalDAV, and Git. The software is open source, with no paid plans stated.