Notesnook vs ColorNote

The same simplicity, with notes nobody else can read — and they work on your computer too.

Notesnook encrypts every note on your device before it syncs, so nobody but you can read them. ColorNote's own Play Store disclosure says data may be shared with third parties and is encrypted in transit. It's a good, fast, free notepad — but it's Android only, and your notes are readable by the people holding them.

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OUR CASE

Where Notesnook is better

Your notes stay unreadable to everyone but you.

Encrypted on your device before it syncs.
ColorNote: encrypted in transit only, per its Play listing.
That listing also says data may be shared with third parties.

The same notes on your computer.

Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, iPad and the web.
ColorNote is Android only.

Room to grow into.

Notebooks, tags, rich text and attachments.
100 versions of every note, free.
Still opens as fast as a notepad.

Open source, and free to leave.

GPL-3.0 clients, self-hostable sync server.
Export to Markdown, HTML, PDF or plain text.

What happens to your notes

	Notesnook	ColorNote
End-to-end encrypted so the vendor cannot read your notes
Data may be shared with third parties
Password lock on notes
Open source
Self-hostable sync server
Contains ads

Where you can use it

	Notesnook	ColorNote
Android
iPhone and iPad
Windows, macOS and Linux desktop apps
Web app
Sync between devices

Writing and organising

	Notesnook	ColorNote
Notes and checklists
Rich text — headings, tables, formatting
Notebooks, tags and colours	50 notebooks, 50 tags free	Colours
Note version history	100 free, unlimited on Pro
Calendar and diary view
Reminders
Attachments and images in notes
Full export to open formats

Price

	Notesnook	ColorNote
Free plan	$0 — unlimited notes, all devices	$0 — with in-app purchases
Paid plan	$19.99/yr — Essential	In-app purchases
Free trial	14 days

ColorNote is a registered trademark of Social & Mobile, Inc. This comparison was written from its Google Play listing and colornote.com on 2026-07-30 and is not endorsed by them. Found something out of date? Tell us and we will correct it.

MOVING OVER

Moving from ColorNote

ColorNote backs up to device or SD storage in its own format, so this move is more manual than most. Create your account first.

Step 1
Back up or copy your notes out
ColorNote stores its backup under /data/colornote or the app’s files folder on the SD card. If you locked notes with the master password, unlock them before you start — clearing a forgotten password destroys them.
Step 2
Create your free Notesnook account
Unlimited notes on every device, no card. Your password encrypts your notes and cannot be reset.
Step 3
Bring the notes in
Paste or import your notes into Notesnook. Everything is encrypted on your device as you add it, and syncs to your other devices from there.

THE OTHER SIDE

In fairness to ColorNote

Where ColorNote is stronger, in our own words. If one of these decides it for you, we would rather you read it here than find out later.

It's simpler than us, and that's the point.

Colour-coded notes, checklists, a calendar you can write a diary into, reminders in the status bar, and nothing to learn. 4.8 stars from 3.96 million reviews isn't an accident. If all you want is a notepad that opens instantly, ColorNote fits better than anything with sync settings and encryption keys.

It locks notes with a master password, free.

ColorNote has had a passcode lock for years at no cost. With us, app lock is a Pro feature. Worth knowing: their own FAQ warns that clearing a forgotten master password loses the locked notes — the same trade-off real encryption always makes, and one we make too.

Calendar notes and the diary view.

Writing a note straight onto a date and reading the month back as a journal is genuinely nice, and we have no equivalent view.

Questions & answers

Is ColorNote safe?

For everyday notes it's a well-reviewed app with 100 million installs and a master password lock. What its Google Play Data safety disclosure says is that data may be shared with third parties and is encrypted in transit — there's no end-to-end encryption claim. So: safe enough for a shopping list, not the same thing as notes only you can read.

What does the master password actually protect?

The notes you choose to lock, on that device. Their FAQ says that if you forget it and clear it, those notes are gone — which tells you it's real encryption rather than a screen you can click past. It doesn't change what's stored on their servers when you use online backup.

Why move if ColorNote works fine?

Three reasons only: you want your notes on a computer as well as your phone, you want them encrypted so nobody but you can read them, or you've outgrown a plain notepad and want notebooks, formatting and attachments. If none of those is true, it's a good app and there's no reason to switch.

What do I lose?

The calendar and diary view, the free note lock, and some simplicity. There's more in Notesnook, which isn't always what you want from a notepad.

Is Notesnook free on Android too?

Yes — unlimited notes on unlimited devices, no card, and the Android app is the same as every other client. Nothing about the free plan is Android-specific.