When note apps shut down
Risks and precautions: the 2026 guide
This page was machine-translated from Japanese. Read the Japanese original
Captio termination, LINE Keep termination, Evernote reduction - If the memo app you use every day suddenly disappears, what will happen to your important notes? From examples of applications that have actually ended service to specific measures to protect data, we will thoroughly explain.
The risk of losing data due to the termination of the service of the memo app is a reality. Captio (Ended In 2024), LINE Keep (Ended In 2024, 8), And Evernote (Dissolution Of The Japanese Corporation In 2024) Are Examples. The countermeasures are 1 check the export function 2 email-based backup 3 select an app with low vendor lock-in.
List of memo apps that have actually been discontinued
"The memo app will be discontinued, it won't happen to the app you're using" - don't you think so? In fact, in the past few years, memo and note apps that have been loved by many users have been discontinued one after another. First, let's take a look at the actual example.
| App | End time | Cause | The whereabouts of user data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captio | October 2024 | Lack of maintenance resources (announcement from the developer) | Remaining in the email |
| LINE Keep | August 28, 2024 | LINE's strategy change | Advance notice is available, export period is available |
| Evernote Japan Corporation | 2024 years | Acquisition and restructuring by Bending Spoons | The service is ongoing but shrinking |
| Google Keep Chrome version | 2021 years | Chrome App Discontinue | Migrate to the web version |
| Wunderlist | 2020 years | Microsoft acquisition → To Do transition | Data migration tool provided |
| Sunrise Calendar | 2016 years | Microsoft acquisition → Outlook integration | Data loss |
If you look at the table above, there are various reasons for service termination. There are only factors that users cannot control, such as API restrictions, corporate acquisitions, strategy changes, and platform abolition. It is particularly noteworthy that the whereabouts of data varies greatly depending on the app.
With Captio, notes were sent as emails, so the data remained in users’ mailboxes even after the app was discontinued. In contrast, there have been cases such as Sunrise Calendar where data was completely lost. This difference is the main reason to pay attention to how a note app stores your data.
LINE Keep was used by many users in Japan as a "pending storage place", so the impact of the termination was particularly large. Behind the convenience of being able to easily save URL and images in the talk of LINE, the persistence of data was not guaranteed.
Checklist of risk factors for service termination
Let's check the checklist below to see how much there is a risk of service termination in the memo app you are using. The more applicable items, the higher the risk.
- Dependence on specific API - Apps that rely on external API may suddenly stop functioning due to a change in the policy of its provider.
- Vulnerability of the revenue model - Buy-out (one-time billing) apps, revenue will plummet when the increase in the number of users stops. There are many patterns in which funds to continue development are exhausted, updates stop, and eventually the service ends.
- Acquisition risk — Wunderlist was a popular app with 60000000 users, but after its acquisition by Microsoft, it was discontinued in 2020 as part of its integration into Microsoft To Do. Apps run by startups may disappear following an acquisition.
- Cloud-only design - Apps that only store data in the cloud and do not leave copies locally will not be able to access all data the moment the server stops.
- With or without export function - Apps that cannot export data in standard formats (text, Markdown, CSV, etc.) have a high vendor lock-in and are difficult to recover data at the end of service.
- Scale and stability of the operating company - Apps for individual developers and small startups tend to have a higher risk of service continuity than applications from large companies. However, platform OS standard apps such as Apple Notes are exceptionally stable.
1 of these risk factors alone may not pose a major problem. However, when several factors overlap, the likelihood of a service shutting down increases sharply. In its shutdown announcement, the developer of Captio cited being unable to continue the work required to maintain stability and security; it did not name a particular API or pricing model as the cause.
Service termination risk assessment of major memo apps
We made an independent risk assessment based on the above risk factors for major memo apps. This is an opinion based on the author's analysis and does not guarantee future predictions.
| App | Risk | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Notes | extremely low | Apple OS standard app. iCloud integration also secures data |
| Google Keep | low | Stable with Google provided. However, the Chrome version has a track record of ending in 2021 |
| Notion | medium | VC-supported startup. The data is for the cloud only. Export function available |
| Obsidian | extremely low | Local file (Markdown). Data remains even after the service ends |
| Evernote | medium to high | The downward trend after the acquisition by Bending Spoons. Significant restrictions on free plans |
| Simple Memo | extremely low | You will receive an email. Even after the service is over, the received memo will remain in the mailbox |
Extremely low = Data is stored locally or in email, and even if the app is no longer available, the data remains at hand.
low = operated by a large company. Although the possibility of service termination is low, there has been a track record of abolishing some functions in the past.
Medium = Operated by a startup, or cloud-only with an export feature. Acquisition or changes in direction remain risks.
Medium to high = There are already signs of service reductions, raising concerns about long-term data safety.
The important thing in this evaluation is that it is not "low risk = excellent function". Notion is a very high-performance tool, but because it is designed exclusively for the cloud, there is a data risk at the end of service. On the other hand, the Obsidian is a simple text file base, so the risk of service termination is extremely low, but real-time synchronization requires a Sync function (for a fee).
In other words, when choosing a memo app, you need to consider the balance between "richness of features" and "data persistence". The more important the memo is, the less likely the risk of service termination should be saved.
3 measures to protect data
The risk of service termination of the memo app cannot be completely zero. However, by taking the following 3 measures, you can protect your data in case of emergency.
- Use the export function regularly
Many memo apps have a data export function. Even if it's 1 a month, let's get into the habit of exporting data and saving it locally. General-purpose formats such as text, Markdown, PDF, and HTML are preferred for export formats. It can be said that apps that can only be exported in their own format have a high risk of vendor locking in.
Note: Do not leave the exported file as "only exported". Regularly save it to the backup destination (external HDD, cloud storage, etc.) and make sure you can actually open it. - Use email as a backup channel
Emailing a note to yourself is 1 simple backup method. Many email services, including Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo! Mail, are operated by long-established companies. Email also uses standard protocols such as IMAP/SMTP, reducing dependence on a single service.
Simple Memo is designed around this approach: write a note, send it, and receive it as email in your mailbox. Delivered notes remain there, so even if the Simple Memo service ends, notes already delivered are unaffected. Email retention remains subject to your email provider’s policies. - Choose an app with a local file formatApps that save notes as a local file (Markdown, text file) like
Obsidian are made to be less affected by service termination. Since the file is on the device at hand, you can open it with another text editor even if the app service is finished (the file placed in the app folder in "This iPhone" of iPhone will disappear with the app when you delete it).
However, the local file method also has disadvantages. A separate mechanism is required for synchronization between devices (Obsidian Sync is charged in the case of Obsidian), and the ease of mobile may be inferior to cloud apps.
These 3 countermeasures are more effective by combining them as well as any 1. For example, "I usually take an email-based backup with Simple Memo, but save long notes as Markdown files with Obsidian" is ideal.
The important thing is not to concentrate the data storage location on 1. It is the same idea as portfolio diversification in investment. Let's have an awareness of "decentralized storage" to protect the digital asset called Memo.
The reason why the received memo remains even if Simple Memo is terminated
Simple Memo reflects the lessons learned from the end of Captio in the design. " I will explain in detail the design based on the idea that even if the app is no longer available, the received note will remain.
The notes you wrote with Simple Memo will be sent directly to the email address you set. Notes are in your mailbox (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo! Email, etc.) will be saved as a normal email. The body of the memo passes through the Simple Memo server during the transmission process, but does not continue to be saved on the server.
In other words, even if the service of Simple Memo is terminated, the memo that has already been received will remain in the inbox for the retention period and availability of the email account. The unsent memo left in Outbox has not yet arrived.
In the announcement of termination, the developer of the Captio cited the reason that it could no longer continue to work to maintain stability and safety. Simple Memo is sent through Cloudflare Workers and Resend API, so there is no need to link the destination mailbox with OAuth.
However, since Cloudflare and Resend are external services, they depend on their availability and policy. We cannot guarantee that the service will continue for any app.
Simple Memo's backend works on Cloudflare Workers, and Resend API is used to send emails. Both are services provided by external businesses.
Cloudflare Workers process on servers distributed around the world, but if Cloudflare or Resend fails, transmission may be delayed or stopped.
Simple Memo does not have its own data format or cloud storage. The notes you sent will be sent as a standard email, so you are free to migrate to other apps. You can import emails into another memo app or save them as text files.
The design idea of the Simple Memo is that there is no lock-in that "if you don't continue to use it, you will lose data" for the memo you sent.
For security, Simple Memo encrypts notes waiting in the on-device Outbox with AES-GCM and protects communication from the app using HTTPS (TLS). Email delivery is not end-to-end encrypted. Even if the service ends, delivered notes remain in your own mailbox. When choosing an alternative to Captio, check whether you retain your notes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Will the service of Google Keep end?
The service of Google Keep is not scheduled to end at this time. It is operated by one of the world's largest technology companies called Google, and it can be said that the short-term risk is low. However, there is a track record that the Google Keep Chrome version (Chrome App version) has been discontinued in 2021, and the possibility that the provision for specific platforms will end is not zero. It should also be remembered that Google has a history of sudden termination of popular services such as Google Reader, Google+, and Inbox. Click here for a detailed comparison of Google Keep.
Is Evernote safe?
There are concerns about the long-term safety of the Evernote. After being acquired by the Italian company Bending Spoons in 2023, the Japanese corporation was dissolved in 2024 and a large-scale restructuring was carried out. The free plan is significantly limited (up to the number of notes 50 and the terminal 1), and the former momentum has been lost. Although the possibility of a sudden termination of the service is unlikely, there is a risk of further functional restrictions and service reduction in the long run. If you are using Evernote, we strongly recommend regular data export.
What happens to your data if a note app is discontinued?
What happens to data when a service shuts down varies greatly with the app’s storage model. With cloud-only apps (which store data only on servers), you may lose access when the servers stop running. Many services provide an export period before shutting down, but missing the notice risks losing your data. With apps that store data locally (such as Obsidian), the files remain on your device, so the impact is minimal. With email-based apps (such as Simple Memo), sent notes have already arrived in your mailbox and remain there even if the app is discontinued. Notes waiting to be sent are still inside the app on your device until you send them.
Which memo app has the lowest risk of service termination?
From the perspective of "data remains even after the service is terminated", it can be said that local file storage Obsidian (Markdown file) and mail-based Simple Memo (stored in mailbox) are the least risky. Apple Notes is also safe in conjunction with iCloud as long as you continue to use the Apple product. The important thing is whether the app and the data are separated. Choosing an app designed to leave data in a different place even if the app disappears is an effective countermeasure.
What is the replacement app for LINE Keep?
There are several alternative apps for the purpose of "saving notes for the time being" of LINE Keep. If you value ease, Simple Memo (send to email with one tap), if you value organization, we recommend Apple Notes or Google Keep, and if you want high functionality, we recommend Notion. For more information, please see the LINE Keep alternative app comparison article.