Need to jot down some thoughts but can’t find a pen and paper handy? Trying to write a shopping list, but can’t find anything to write on? Afraid you’re going to forget that important message but have no way to get it down?
An online notepad is always there. It allows you to easily write down your thoughts and take them with you, without the added difficulty of having to carry anything with you that you wouldn’t already. Here are the five best notepads to consider.
1. aNotepad
Starting off our list we have aNotepad. It's what every good note-taking service should be–simple, clean and easy to use. The UI consists of a white box in which to jot down your thoughts, with the ability to add a title if you need it. Often this is all you need from a notepad, and aNotepad delivers on that beautifully.
There are other features there if you need them, of course. You can save your notes for later and manage them into various folders at the bottom of the screen. These will remain saved there for as long as you don’t delete your browser cookies.
If you want to access your notes even if you do delete your cookies, you can always sign up for a free user account. Doing so allows you to log in from anywhere and still view and edit your notes.
Better word-processing options are also available. It’s possible to import Microsoft Word documents, if the need arises, as well as to use the webpage as a rich-text editor. If you want to share your notes with others, this too is possible. By setting your notes to public, you can share them with others and even password protect them if you so wish.
2. ClickUp
ClickUp is next, and potentially the most feature-rich option on our list. Often, ClickUp is a service aimed at larger companies and industries, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still find it useful.
Productivity is king, here, and as such, ClickUp features options to easily create tasks and assign them to a calendar. It also allows you to set up goals and notifications to remind you what you need to do and when. Nested subtasks and checklists are a feature to help break down more complicated tasks.
Don’t worry if you’re just looking to quickly jot something down, either. ClickUp still allows you to quickly create documents that you can rapidly fill in with your thoughts. You can quickly access these notes later and shared easily with anyone else who is a member of the same workplace.
ClickUp's editing options are diverse and when used in conjunction with the calendar and to-do list functionality that ClickUp brings, you’ll be able to get a lot done.
3. Shrib
On the other end of the spectrum is Shrib. If ClickUp is feature-rich and full of functionality that some of you will find useful, then Shrib is the opposite–simple, easy, and very fast.
Shrib’s major selling point comes from its speed. It’s a cloud service, meaning that it saves your notes automatically to the cloud as you type them. This means that no matter the situation, even if your internet connection drops out, your notes will be safely backed up.
From there, you can freely share your notes with others. You get the choice of whether or not you want recipients to be able to edit the notes or only view them. You can also download or print your notes.
Shrib offers a premium service dubbed Shrib Pro. This service makes the fastest note-taking service even faster, with immediate syncing to the cloud on every keystroke. In the plan, you'll also find more options, such as password protection, AES encryption, keyboard shortcuts, and no ads.
4. Simplenote
Next on the list is Simplenote. The platform's UI is clean, and easy to understand. On the left are all of your notes. To the right and dominating most of the screen is your text editor.
Writing down thoughts is as easy as you’d expect, and creating new notes is the same. You can insert checklists with just a right-click, and saving happens automatically, meaning there’s no way for you to lose anything you write down.
You can pin important notes to the top of your list so that you don’t lose them, or you can use Simplenote’s useful search function. While all of this is useful, Simplenote’s most impressive feature is just how seamless it is.
While the platform is free to use online in your browser, it also offers an app for most platforms. The notes you write update instantly between one and the other, making it a breeze to quickly jot something down while you’re at the computer and have it with you later in the day when you’re out and about.
5. Primapad
Finally, we have Primapad. The platform works without the need to log in or sign up. All you need to do is choose a name for your notes so that you can access it later, and then get to writing.
Once you’ve jotted down whatever it is that you needed to get down, you can access it again from the same URL. This makes it easy to access your notes, regardless of what device you are using. Be careful, though. If you pick the same name as somebody else, it’s possible they might edit your notes without your knowledge or consent.
There’s More to Note-Taking Than Just How You Do It
Now, you no doubt have some ideas on how you can make the most out of these notepad services, but there’s more to it than just where and how you take your notes.
Whether online or offline, writing is an important part of the process, but the method can be just as important. Try to implement new techniques and ideas with these services, and you’ll notice your organization improving just as much.
