Google Keep vs NotallyX
We give Google Keep a 3.6 GPA and NotallyX a 3.0, out of 4.0. Google Keep grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Google Keep
Google's app for quick notes, lists and reminders
How we grade them
| 3.6GPAGoogle KeepExcellent | 3.0GPANotallyXVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AKeep is free with a personal Google Account. The paid route is Google Workspace, from $7 a user a month on a 1-year commitment, and that buys a whole office suite with Keep as one small part of it. | AFree and open source under GPL 3.0. The FAQ says there are no in-app purchases, subscriptions or advertisements. Donations to the developer are optional. |
| Free plan and trial | ANotes, lists, labels, reminders, sharing and offline use are all free on the web, Android and iOS. The one thing held back is making lists with Gemini, which needs a Google AI plan or a Pixel device. | AThe whole app is free, from GitHub or the IzzyOnDroid repository. There's no paid tier and no account to create, so there's nothing to run out of. |
| Features | BA note can be text, a checklist, a photo, a drawing or audio, and voice memos get transcribed. Reminders fire at a time or a place, and shared lists update live. But it's built for short notes. You organise with colours, pins and up to 50 labels, and that's the lot. | BRich text notes, task lists with subtasks, repeating reminders, pictures, PDFs and audio notes, labels, colours, home-screen widgets and an app lock. Solid basics. But there's no sync, and the README says the developer pulled it from Google Play for a time after several users reported losing notes. |
| Ease of use | B4.59 from about 29,000 App Store ratings, a whisker under our line for an A. There's very little to learn: open it, type the thing, pick a colour if you like. | BNo App Store rating exists for an Android-only app, so a B is our ceiling. It looks about as simple as a notes app gets. The homework is backups: uninstalling deletes your notes unless you've made one. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Android, Wear OS, iPhone, iPad and a Chrome extension, with a side panel that drops your notes into Google Docs and Slides. No desktop app is listed, so on a computer it's a browser tab. | DAndroid only, on Android 5.0 and above. No iPhone, desktop or web version, and the listing shows no integrations. The nearest thing to sync is pointing the backup folder at cloud or WebDAV storage that another app mounts. |
| Best for | quick notes and shared shopping lists | simple notes and checklists on Android, no account |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Google Keep and NotallyX. How we grade
Where they differ
- Google Keep starts at $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter). NotallyX is free.
- Only Google Keep lists a web app.
- Only Google Keep lists an iOS app.
- Only Google Keep lists a browser extension.
- NotallyX is open source, according to its own site.
- Google Keep also covers transcription and web clipper.
At a glance
| Google Keep | NotallyX | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter) | Free |
| Free plan | Free with a personal Google Account on the web, Android and iOS: notes, lists, labels, reminders, sharing and offline use. Creating lists with Gemini needs a Google AI plan or a Pixel device. | The whole app is free and open source under GPL 3.0. The FAQ says there are no in-app purchases, subscriptions or advertisements. |
| Free trial | 14-day Google Workspace trial for new customers, limited to 10 users; billing details required | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Crustack | |
| Price read from | knowledge.workspace.google.com | crustack.github.io |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Google Keep
- Quick notes, shopping lists and reminders on a phone or smartwatch
- People who already work in Google Docs and other Google apps
- Households sharing lists that update in real time
NotallyX
- Android users who want a simple notes app with no ads or account
- Checklists with subtasks and reminders
- People moving notes over from Google Keep, Evernote or Quillpad
Worth knowing
Google Keep
- Keep allows up to 50 labels, and labels, colors and pins on a shared note are visible only to you.
- No desktop app is listed: Keep runs in a browser, as a Chrome extension and as Android, Wear OS, iPhone and iPad apps.
- Creating lists with Gemini in Keep requires a Google AI plan or a Pixel device.
- Workspace Business editions are capped at 300 users; larger organizations need Enterprise pricing from Google sales.
NotallyX
- Android only, for devices running Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and above.
- The README says the developer temporarily removed the app from Google Play after several users reported losing notes, and urges daily automatic backups.
- There is no built-in sync. The docs suggest pointing the backup folder at cloud or WebDAV storage mounted by a third-party app.
- Uninstalling the app deletes its notes unless a backup has been made first.
Key features
Google Keep
- Notes, lists, photos, drawings and audio
- A note can be text, a checklist, a photo, a drawing or an audio recording. Voice memos are transcribed automatically, and text inside images is picked up by search.
- Labels, colors and pins
- Notes are organized with up to 50 labels, color codes and pins. Search filters by color and by attributes such as lists, audio notes with reminders or shared notes.
- Time and location reminders
- A reminder brings a note back at a set time or on arrival at a place, such as a grocery list that appears at the store.
- Shared notes
- Several people can edit the same note or list at once, with checked-off items showing up in real time. Notes can also be shared with a Google family group.
- Keep inside Google Docs and Slides
- A side panel in Docs and Slides lists Keep notes, which can be dragged into the document. Highlighted text or images can be saved back to Keep.
- Chrome extension and offline use
- The Chrome extension saves URLs, text and images to Keep and lets you add labels. Notes can be updated offline, and changes sync once you reconnect.
NotallyX
- Rich text notes
- Text notes support bold, italic, monospace and strikethrough formatting, clickable links for web addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, and undo and redo.
- Task lists with subtasks
- List notes have checkboxes and subtasks. Checked items are sorted to the bottom automatically, which can be switched off in the settings.
- Reminders
- A note can carry a reminder for a chosen date and time, optionally repeating at a set interval, and raises a notification when it comes due.
- Attachments and audio notes
- Pictures, PDFs and other files can be added to a note, and quick audio recordings can be made inside the app.
- Labels, colors and pinning
- Notes can be labeled, colored and pinned to the top, sorted by title, creation date or last modified date, and shown as a list or a grid.
- App lock and automatic backups
- The app can be locked with the device's biometric or PIN. Backups go to a chosen folder on exit from a note or periodically, and can be password-protected.
Plans
Google Keep
Personal Google Account$0
Keep on the web, in the free Android and iOS apps and as a Chrome extension, with labels, reminders and shared notes.
Business Starter$7
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($8.40 flexible)
Google Workspace for up to 300 users with 30 GB pooled storage per user. Keep shared notes come with every Workspace plan.
Business Standard$14
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($16.80 flexible)
Google Workspace with 2 TB pooled storage per user.
Business Plus$22
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($26.40 flexible)
Google Workspace with 5 TB pooled storage per user.
EnterpriseCustom
For companies with more than 300 users; priced through Google sales and resellers.
NotallyX
NotallyX$0
The full app, downloadable from the GitHub releases page or the IzzyOnDroid repository. Donations to the developer are optional.
Ways to pay less
Google Keep
- Annual discount
Lower Workspace rate with a 1-year commitment
Business Starter costs $7 per user per month on the Annual/Fixed-Term Plan versus $8.40 on the Flexible Plan. Standard drops from $16.80 to $14 and Plus from $26.40 to $22.
- Nonprofit
Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0
Eligible nonprofits get Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0 per user, or Business Standard at $3.50 and Business Plus at $6.16 per user per month on a 1-year commitment.
- By country
Lower price shown to buyers in India
On October 9, 2026 the Workspace pricing page showed Starter at ₹270 per user a month on a 1-year commitment to a visitor in India, against $7 in the US list. Google says prices and discounts can vary by country.
NotallyX
No public discounts listed.
