Discover the Best SideNotes Alternatives for Enhanced Productivity
SideNotes offers a clean and handy way to keep notes right on your monitor side, boasting a beautiful UI, Markdown support, image embedding, task management, and folder organization. However, if you're looking for different features, pricing models, or cross-platform compatibility, exploring a SideNotes alternative might be exactly what you need. This guide dives into the top contenders that offer similar functionality and unique benefits to supercharge your note-taking.
Top SideNotes Alternatives
Whether you prioritize cloud sync, robust organization, or specific integrations, there's a perfect note-taking app out there for you. Let's explore some of the best alternatives to SideNotes that can elevate your digital workspace.

Google Keep
Google Keep is an excellent SideNotes alternative for those embedded in the Google ecosystem. It offers a free, cross-platform solution available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, iPhone, and more. Key features include color-coding notes, inserting images, creating lists, geo-fencing, shareable notes, and search by color, making it a highly visual and collaborative note-taking tool.

Evernote
Evernote is a powerful SideNotes alternative designed for comprehensive note-taking, organizing, and archiving across multiple platforms (Mac, Windows, Web, Android, iPhone, and more). As a freemium app, it offers robust features like cloud sync, text formatting, Markdown support, OCR for images, and web clipping, making it ideal for capturing and organizing vast amounts of information.

Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft OneNote serves as a digital notebook, perfect for those seeking a feature-rich SideNotes alternative, especially users within the Microsoft ecosystem. Available as a freemium app on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, and more, it excels with hierarchical structures, handwritten notes support, web clipping, cloud sync, and OCR, offering a versatile space for gathering all types of information.

Simplenote
Simplenote, from the creators of WordPress, is a free and open-source SideNotes alternative focused on ease of use. It's available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, iPhone, and more. It ensures your notes, lists, and ideas stay updated across all devices, featuring cloud sync, Markdown support, password protection, and a clean, minimalistic design for distraction-free note-taking.

Joplin
Joplin is a robust, free, and open-source SideNotes alternative offering extensive synchronisation capabilities. It's available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, and more. Highlights include Markdown support, end-to-end encryption, cloud sync (Dropbox, Nextcloud, OneDrive, WebDAV), a web clipper, and a hierarchical structure, making it ideal for privacy-conscious users needing a powerful, cross-platform solution.

Notion
Notion is an all-in-one workspace that serves as a highly versatile SideNotes alternative, unifying note-taking, project management, and wikis. Available as a freemium service on Mac, Windows, Web, Android, iPhone, and more, it offers Markdown support, custom templates, databases, real-time collaboration, and a highly customizable interface, making it perfect for individuals and teams.

Zim
Zim brings the wiki concept to your desktop, making it a unique free and open-source SideNotes alternative for users on Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD. It allows users to store information, link pages, and edit with WYSIWYG markup, offering features like export to HTML and LaTeX, file versioning, and Git integration for structured and portable note management.

Standard Notes
Standard Notes is a simple, private, and open-source SideNotes alternative focusing on security. Available as a freemium app on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, iPhone, and more, it features end-to-end encryption, Markdown support, cloud sync, and an extensible architecture via plugins, ensuring your notes are safe and accessible across all your devices.

CherryTree
CherryTree is a free and open-source SideNotes alternative that offers a hierarchical note-taking experience with rich text and syntax highlighting, storing data in a single XML or SQLite file. Available on Windows, Linux, and PortableApps.com, it features infinite hierarchical depth, encryption, Markdown support, and a customizable interface, making it ideal for organizing complex information.

Turtl
Turtl is a secure, open-source SideNotes alternative for organizing bookmarks, passwords, files, and notes with a strong emphasis on privacy. Available as a freemium app on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and more, it offers end-to-end encryption, Markdown support, cloud sync, and real-time collaboration, making it a solid choice for sensitive information management.
The best SideNotes alternative ultimately depends on your individual needs and preferences. Whether you prioritize deep integration with existing ecosystems, robust privacy features, extensive customization, or a simple, clutter-free interface, there's a powerful note-taking solution waiting for you. Explore these options and find the perfect fit to streamline your productivity.