The Fossify Notes Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Fossify Notes in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Fossify Notes
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source Android notes and checklists with no account
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Fossify Notes’s own pages.
Made by Fossify · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Fossify Notes’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Fossify Notes’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
Fossify Notes is an open-source Android app for plain text notes and checklists, part of the Fossify family of everyday phone apps. Notes stay on the device: the app does not request Android's Internet permission, has no account and no cloud service, and shows no ads. Home-screen widgets keep a note or list in view, and notes can be locked, exported, imported and backed up automatically to a file.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Fossify Notes, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for Android notes that never go online
Fossify Notes is a free, open-source Android notepad that doesn't request internet permission: no account, no ads, no cloud, just text notes and checklists on your phone.
- 2
It is free
Fossify Notes has no paid plan at all. The whole app is free to install from Google Play or F-Droid, with no ads and no in-app purchases listed. Fossify is funded by voluntary donations.
- 3
It runs on Android
Android.
- 4
Text notes and checklists
Write plain notes, shopping lists and checklists as separate, independent notes. Edits are saved automatically, and checked items can be moved to the bottom of a list.
- 5
Home-screen widgets
A customizable widget keeps a note or a to-do list visible on the Android home screen and opens it with a tap.
- 6
App and note locking
The app as a whole or individual notes can be protected, with fingerprint access used when biometric protection is selected.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 72 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Fossify Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Fossify Notes at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Android
- Made by
- Fossify
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for Android notes that never go online
Fossify Notes is a free, open-source Android notepad that doesn't request internet permission: no account, no ads, no cloud, just text notes and checklists on your phone. Nothing syncs between devices, it's Android only, it's labeled Beta, and the Google Play and F-Droid versions can differ because each store releases on its own schedule.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free from Google Play or F-Droid, with no ads and no in-app purchases listed, in a category where the middle plan is $6 a month. Fossify runs on voluntary donations, so the only way to pay is to decide to. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright: no paid tier, no account, nothing locked away behind anything. What you install is the whole app. |
| Features | C | The basics and no more: plain text notes, checklists, a home-screen widget, a lock for the app or a single note, export and automatic backups to a file. The gaps the listing names are big ones, mind. No sync between devices at all, and Fossify still labels the app Beta. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record for us to use, so we go by the listing: no account, nothing to set up, open it and type, and your edits save themselves. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | One operating system. Fossify builds for Android and offers no iOS, desktop or web version, and with no cloud service a note only leaves the phone when you share it, export it or back up the device. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Fossify Notes is for
- Fits if you want a notes app on Android that can't send anything online
- Works for shopping lists that should sit on the home screen as a widget
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want the same notes on a tablet or laptop, as nothing syncs between devices
- Not for you if you use an iPhone, a computer or a browser, because it's Android only
- Too light for anyone after more than plain text and checklists
- Watch out: Fossify labels the app Beta, still in active testing and development
- Watch out: Google Play and F-Droid release on their own schedules, so the version on offer can differ
Good to know
Good for
- Android users who want a notes app that never goes online
- Quick notes, shopping lists and checklists on the home screen
- People replacing stock phone apps with open-source ones
Worth knowing
- Android only: Fossify builds its apps for Android and offers no iOS, desktop or web version.
- Fossify labels the app Beta, meaning it is published while active testing and development are still under way.
- There is no account or cloud service, so notes do not sync between devices; moving them means exporting or a device backup.
- Google Play and F-Droid publish releases on their own schedules, so the version on offer can differ between the two.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Fossify Notes is free to use.
Fossify runs on voluntary donations, so the only way to pay is to decide to.
Fossify Notes
$0
The full app from Google Play or F-Droid, under the GNU GPL v3.0. Both stores use the same package name and signing key.
The free plan
The whole app is free to install from Google Play or F-Droid, with no ads and no in-app purchases listed. Fossify is funded by voluntary donations.
Read from play.google.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Android
Open-source Android notes and checklists with no account. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, works offline, local-first, notes, tasks.
The gaps the listing names are big ones, mind.
- Text notes and checklists
- Write plain notes, shopping lists and checklists as separate, independent notes. Edits are saved automatically, and checked items can be moved to the bottom of a list.
- Home-screen widgets
- A customizable widget keeps a note or a to-do list visible on the Android home screen and opens it with a tap.
- App and note locking
- The app as a whole or individual notes can be protected, with fingerprint access used when biometric protection is selected.
- Import, export and automatic backups
- Notes can be imported from and exported to files, and optional automatic backups create backup files on the device without manual steps.
- No Internet permission
- The app does not request Android's Internet permission. Notes leave the device only when shared, exported or included in an Android device backup.
- Color and font customization
- Colors and display settings can be changed to taste, and version 1.7.0 added support for custom fonts.
Where it runs
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Fossify Notes is made by Fossify.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
72/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Fossify Notes's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 100 of 147) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Fossify Notes has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Fossify Notes’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 of 147
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 147
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Fossify Notes is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Fossify Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could make
- Notes and tasks: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A real app for Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Hooks into the device itself: widgets.
What this rests on. Fossify Notes’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
NotallyX, Quillpad, Google Keep, ColorNote and Markor
The 5 tools Fossify Notes is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
NotallyX
Free
Minimal open-source Android app for notes and task lists.
- 2.8GPA
Quillpad
Free
Open-source Android notes app with Markdown and task lists.
- Quillpad also covers Markdown.
- 3.2GPA
Google Keep
Free plan · from $7/mo
Google's app for quick notes, lists and reminders.
- Only Google Keep lists a web app.
- Only Google Keep lists an iOS app.
- Only Google Keep lists a browser extension.
- 2.4GPA
ColorNote
Free plan · from $1.99
Android notepad for color-coded notes and checklists.
- Fossify Notes is open source, according to its own site.
- ColorNote also covers linked notes and calendar.
- 2.8GPA
Markor
Free
Offline Android text editor for Markdown notes and todo.txt.
- Markor also covers Markdown.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Fossify Notes free?
Yes. Fossify Notes is free to use.
How much does Fossify Notes cost?
Fossify Notes lists one plan. Fossify Notes: $0.
What platforms does Fossify Notes work on?
Fossify Notes is available on Android.
Does Fossify Notes have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Fossify Notes is listed for Android.
Does Fossify Notes have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Fossify Notes is listed for Android.
Is Fossify Notes open source?
Yes. Fossify Notes is open source, according to its own site.
Does Fossify Notes work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Who makes Fossify Notes?
Fossify Notes is made by Fossify.
What are the alternatives to Fossify Notes?
The closest alternatives to Fossify Notes in our directory are NotallyX, Quillpad, Google Keep, ColorNote and Markor.
How does Fossify Notes compare with other note-taking apps?
Fossify Notes's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.
Is Fossify Notes good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Fossify Notes A for value for money. Fossify Notes has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Fossify Notes?
Fossify Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: A real app for Android.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Fossify Notes’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Fossify's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-13.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Fossify. Prices change, so check fossify.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Fossify Notes, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/fossify-notes
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Fossify Notes: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/fossify-notes
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/fossify-notes/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Fossify Notes, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 148 note-taking apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft OneNote Insider's GuideMicrosoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes3.8 GPA
- Goodnotes Insider's GuideHandwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant3.6 GPA
- Joplin Insider's GuideOpen source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose3.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Fossify Notes’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Fossify Notes is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Fossify. Prices and plans change: check fossify.org before you buy.