Google Keep vs Notebook: Which is Better?

Google Keep and Notebook are both popular note-taking apps that provide users with tools for organizing thoughts, ideas, and to-do lists. While both apps share a similar goal of helping users capture and manage information, they have distinct features, user experiences, and platforms. Below is a detailed comparison of Google Keep and Notebook to help you decide which app is better suited to your needs.

1. Overview of Google Keep

Google Keep is a free note-taking service developed by Google, designed to be simple and fast for users to capture notes, lists, voice memos, and photos. Google Keep syncs across devices seamlessly, and its integration with Google’s ecosystem makes it an attractive option for users already using Google services.

Key Features of Google Keep:

Notes and Lists: Create simple text notes and to-do lists with checkboxes.
Voice Notes: Record voice memos, which are automatically transcribed into text.
Image Notes: Take photos and extract text from images using Optical Character Recognition (OCR).
Reminders: Set time-based or location-based reminders for your notes.
Collaboration: Share and collaborate on notes in real-time with others.
Color and Labels: Organize notes by using color-coding and labels for easy categorization.
Search Functionality: Quickly search through your notes using keywords, labels, or colors.
Cross-Platform Syncing: Syncs across Android, iOS, and web browsers.

Strengths of Google Keep:

Simplicity: Google Keep is easy to use and has a minimalist design, making it ideal for quick note-taking.
Seamless Google Integration: It integrates well with other Google services like Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Google Drive.
OCR: The ability to extract text from images is a unique feature that helps convert physical notes into digital content.
Cross-Device Syncing: Notes sync effortlessly across multiple devices, allowing users to access them anywhere.
Voice-to-Text: The voice memo feature is highly useful for quick recording of thoughts or ideas when typing is not possible.

Weaknesses of Google Keep:

Basic Organizational Tools: Google Keep lacks more advanced organizational features such as folders or notebooks.
Limited Formatting Options: Google Keep offers only basic text formatting and doesn’t support more advanced formatting options.
No Rich Multimedia Support: Google Keep focuses on text, images, and voice, so it doesn’t support embedding rich media like videos or PDFs.

2. Overview of Notebook

Notebook is a versatile note-taking app developed by Zoho. Unlike Google Keep, it provides a more extensive set of features that go beyond simple notes. Notebook allows users to create various types of notes (text, checklists, audio, and sketches) and offers more advanced organizational features. It is available on Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows, with synchronization across devices through Zoho’s cloud.

Key Features of Notebook:

Text Notes: Create text-based notes with support for rich formatting (bold, italics, headings, etc.).
Checklists: Add checkboxes to create to-do lists and task trackers.
Audio Notes: Record and store voice memos directly within the app.
Handwritten Notes: Use a stylus or your finger to create sketches or handwritten notes (available on touch devices).
Image Notes: Attach photos and images to notes for visual context.
Document Scanning: Scan documents using the mobile device’s camera, and save them directly to your notebook.
Tags and Folders: Organize your notes with tags and folders for better management.
Smart Cards: Convert different types of notes (text, checklist, image, etc.) into specific “Smart Cards” for easier access and management.
Sync Across Devices: Sync notes seamlessly across devices, including Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows.

Strengths of Notebook:

Rich Text Formatting: Notebook supports rich text formatting, which makes it great for creating detailed, styled notes and documents.
Variety of Note Types: The app allows for text, audio, sketches, checklists, and scanned images, providing more versatility than Google Keep.
Advanced Organizational Tools: You can organize notes with both tags and folders, providing more structure for larger note collections.
Sketching and Handwriting: Notebook supports creating sketches and handwritten notes, offering more flexibility for users who prefer non-text notes.
Document Scanning: The built-in document scanner makes it easy to store physical documents digitally.
Cross-Device Syncing: Like Google Keep, Notebook also offers syncing across multiple devices, making it easy to access your notes anywhere.

Weaknesses of Notebook:

More Complex Interface: Notebook’s interface is slightly more complex compared to Google Keep, and it might require more time to get used to.
Limited Collaboration Features: While it allows for organizing notes, it doesn’t have the same real-time collaboration and sharing features as Google Keep.
Smaller Ecosystem Integration: While it integrates well within Zoho’s ecosystem, it doesn’t have the same broad third-party integration support as Google Keep (especially with Google services).

3. Key Differences Between Google Keep and Notebook

User Interface and Ease of Use:

Google Keep has a minimalist, easy-to-navigate interface, making it ideal for quick, spontaneous note-taking. Its simplicity is its strength, as users can easily access their notes and checklists without being overwhelmed by too many features.
Notebook has a more comprehensive interface, which may feel overwhelming to some users. However, it offers more customization options and features, making it better for users who want more control over how their notes are organized and formatted.

Organizational Features:

Google Keep allows for basic organization using labels and color coding. While this is adequate for many users, it lacks the ability to create folders or subfolders for deeper organization.
Notebook offers more advanced organizational tools, including folders, tags, and Smart Cards, allowing for better categorization and management of notes. This makes it a stronger option for users with more complex organizational needs.

Handwritten Notes and Drawing:

Google Keep allows for basic drawing and sketching but doesn’t provide the same level of detail or control as Notebook.
Notebook stands out in this area with its stylus support, which allows for precise handwriting and sketching, making it perfect for users who prefer writing or drawing by hand.

Rich Text Formatting:

Google Keep offers only basic text formatting like bold and italic but lacks full rich text editing features.
Notebook, on the other hand, supports rich text formatting, allowing users to create detailed, well-structured notes. You can use headings, bullet points, and numbered lists, making it ideal for more professional or formal notes.

Collaboration and Sharing:

Google Keep excels in collaboration, allowing you to share notes and work on them in real-time with others, making it a good choice for teams or collaborative environments.
Notebook lacks the same level of real-time collaboration features as Google Keep. While you can share notes, it is not as seamless for team-based collaboration.

Platform Compatibility:

Google Keep is cross-platform and can be used on Android, iOS, and through the web. It is well-suited for users who work across different devices and ecosystems.
Notebook is available on Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows, but its main strength lies in its integration within the Zoho ecosystem. It might not be as seamless across non-Zoho services or platforms.

4. Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Google Keep if:

You need a simple, fast, and intuitive note-taking app for quick thoughts, reminders, and lists.
You value cross-platform syncing and use other Google services (Google Drive, Google Docs, etc.).
You require a note-taking app with voice-to-text and OCR features.
You don’t need advanced organizational tools or rich text formatting.
You need to collaborate on notes with others in real-time.

Choose Notebook if:

You prefer a feature-rich note-taking app with advanced organizational tools, including tags, folders, and Smart Cards.
You need the ability to create handwritten notes or sketches, especially if you use a stylus.
You want a note-taking app with rich text formatting to create detailed, structured notes.
You prefer an app that allows you to scan documents and organize them digitally.
You are already using Zoho and want better integration with its ecosystem.

Conclusion

Both Google Keep and Notebook offer solid note-taking features, but they cater to different types of users. If you need a simple, fast, and highly integrated note-taking app that works well within Google’s ecosystem, Google Keep is an excellent choice. However, if you’re looking for more advanced features, rich text formatting, and better organization capabilities, Notebook is the better option, especially if you value handwriting or sketching. Your choice ultimately depends on your note-taking style and your preferences for simplicity or more advanced features.

ApexDelight