The Best SideWriter Alternatives for Seamless Note-Taking
SideWriter offers a unique approach to note-taking, allowing users to quickly jot down thoughts without interrupting their workflow. Its ability to hide on the side of the screen, instant access, rich text editing, automatic saving, and hierarchical note organization make it a convenient tool. However, if you're looking for different features, platform compatibility, or simply a fresh perspective on quick note-taking, exploring SideWriter alternatives is a great idea.
Top SideWriter Alternatives
Whether you prioritize cross-platform compatibility, advanced organization, enhanced security, or open-source flexibility, there's a SideWriter alternative out there to meet your specific needs. Here's a curated list of top contenders:
Evernote
Evernote is a highly popular cross-platform, freemium app designed for comprehensive note-taking, organizing, and archiving. It stands out as a strong SideWriter alternative due to its extensive feature set, including cloud sync, text formatting, sync between devices, offline work, hyperlinks, and a robust web clipper. Evernote supports Mac, Windows, Web, Android, iPhone, and many other platforms, offering wide accessibility for your notes.
Joplin
Joplin is an excellent open-source SideWriter alternative for those who prioritize privacy and flexibility. It's a free note-taking and to-do application with powerful synchronization capabilities, including end-to-end encryption. Available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, and more, Joplin offers Markdown support, cloud sync, encrypted notes, and a hierarchical structure, making it highly versatile for organizing your thoughts.
Standard Notes
Standard Notes focuses on simplicity and privacy, making it an ideal SideWriter alternative for users concerned with data security. This freemium, open-source app allows you to write and sync your notes securely across all your devices, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, and Android. Key features include end-to-end encryption, Markdown support, cloud sync, and an extensible plugin architecture.
CherryTree
CherryTree is a free and open-source hierarchical note-taking application that features rich text and syntax highlighting, storing data in a single XML or SQLite file. It's a strong SideWriter alternative for Windows and Linux users who prefer a tree-like organization for their notes. Features include infinite hierarchical depth, encryption, Markdown support, and the ability to export to HTML or PDF.
Notezilla
Notezilla is a commercial SideWriter alternative, offering colorful and powerful sticky notes for Windows and phones. It provides features like reminder alarms, attaching notes to websites or documents, organizing with folders/tags, and cloud sync. Notezilla supports Windows, Web, Android, and iPhone, and includes auto-saving, encrypted notes, and sits in the System Tray for quick access.
Tomboy
Tomboy is a free and open-source note-taking application known for its easy installation and cross-platform compatibility across Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD. It offers automatic link generation between notes and local storage, making it a simple yet effective SideWriter alternative for users who prefer a straightforward note-taking experience with basic sync capabilities.
Zoho Notebook
Zoho Notebook is a free personal online notebook application that serves as a versatile SideWriter alternative, allowing you to combine text, images, audio, video, and documents. Available on Mac, Linux, Web, Android, iPhone, and Apple Watch, it supports cloud sync, handwriting recognition, outline organization, and includes a web clipper for saving content from the internet.
Leanote
Leanote is a freemium and open-source SideWriter alternative that functions as both a personal notebook and a blogging platform. It allows users to write notes and publish them if desired. Supporting Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iPhone, Leanote offers Markdown support, full-text search, nested notebooks, and the ability to export to HTML or PDF, catering to both personal and sharing needs.
NixNote
NixNote, formerly Nevernote, is a free and open-source client for Evernote, making it a viable SideWriter alternative for those who appreciate Evernote's features but prefer an open-source solution. Available on Mac, Windows, and Linux, NixNote provides an Evernote-compatible note-taking experience, allowing users to manage their notes within a familiar interface.
Elephant
Elephant is a free and open-source notetaker with a classic interface, positioning itself as a secure and private SideWriter alternative as it keeps notes to yourself without requiring accounts or clouds. It supports Mac, Windows, and Linux, offering features like Markdown support, note organization, image insertion, and offline functionality, with syncing options via services like Dropbox or Github.
Finding the perfect SideWriter alternative depends heavily on your individual preferences for features, platform support, and privacy. Explore these options, try out their interfaces, and see which one best complements your note-taking style and workflow.