Memo App Comparison
Simple Memo vs Other Memo Apps
Apple Notes, Google Keep, Notion, LINE Keep, Slack, Bear, Note To Self Mail, Email Me App and others — compared against Simple Memo across launch speed, email integration, offline support, privacy, and more.
What is Simple Memo - for Obsidian?
Simple Memo - for Obsidian is an iOS app built around one goal: capture a thought and send it with one tap (it is ready to type about 0.4 seconds after the tap in the developer's warm-launch measurement on iPhone 16e). It has no folders or manual filing — memos arrive in your email inbox and, if you set up the integration, are appended to a note in your Obsidian vault; with AI Auto-Tagging turned on, on-device AI adds a title and tags to that note. It keeps memos sent while offline in an Outbox, encrypts on-device data with AES-GCM, and sends with one tap. It was designed as a Captio alternative, inspired by the workflow of the discontinued Captio app.
Full App Comparison Matrix
| App | Ready to type | One-Tap Send | Offline | Encryption | Free Plan | Simplicity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Memo | 0.4s* | Yes | Outbox | Direct send | On-device AES-GCM (not E2E) | Yes | ★★★★★ |
| Apple Notes | 1.7s* | No | iCloud sync | Manual share | Encrypted at rest (E2E with Advanced Data Protection) | Free | ★★★☆☆ |
| Google Keep | 2.1s* | No | Yes | Manual share | In transit and at rest (not E2E) | Free | ★★★☆☆ |
| LINE Keep Memo | Not measured | No | Unverified | No | Unverified | Free (a LINE feature) | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Notion | 2.8s* | No | Limited | Manual only | In transit and at rest (not E2E) | Limited | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Slack DM to self | Not measured | No | No | Slack only | TLS | Limited | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Bear | 0.9s* | No | Yes | Manual share | Yes | Limited | ★★★☆☆ |
| Note To Self Mail | Not measured | Yes | Unverified | Email send | Unverified | Free (one-time Pro upgrade) | ★★★★☆ |
| Email Me App | Not measured | Yes | Pending notes queued | Email send | Unverified | Limited | ★★★★☆ |
| Todoist | Not measured | No | Yes | Manual only | TLS | Limited | ★★☆☆☆ |
| TickTick | Not measured | No | Yes | Manual only | TLS | Limited | ★★☆☆☆ |
| UpNote | Not measured | No | Yes | Manual share | Yes | Limited | ★★★☆☆ |
| GoodNotes | Not measured | No | Yes | Manual share | iCloud | Limited | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Day One | Not measured | No | Yes | Manual share | E2E | Limited | ★★★☆☆ |
| Craft | Not measured | No | Yes | Manual only | Yes | Limited | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Logseq | Not measured | No | Local | No | Local | Free | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Roam Research | Not measured | No | No | No | E2E | No | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Dynalist | Not measured | No | No | Email to inbox (Pro) | No | Yes | ★★★☆☆ |
| Drafts | 0.9s* | No | Yes | Actions | iCloud | Limited | ★★★★☆ |
| Stock | Not measured | No | Notes and tasks work | Team only | TLS | Limited | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Trello | Not measured | No | Yes | Manual only | TLS | Limited | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Capacities | Not measured | No | No | No | Yes | Limited | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Anytype | Not measured | No | Local-first | No | E2E | Free | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Heptabase | Not measured | No | No | No | Yes | No | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Tana | Not measured | No | Desktop app works | No | Yes | Limited | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Mem | Not measured | No | No | No | Yes | No | ★★☆☆☆ |
* Measured from icon tap to the moment you can actually type (iPhone 16e (A18) / iOS 26.5.2, taps included, median of 4–10 runs, Drafts is its fastest run, 2026-08-11, warm launches). Method and full results: the speed benchmark. Rows without * have not been measured.
Individual Comparison Pages
Detailed comparison pages for each app. In-depth analysis of differences, use cases, and migration steps.
Which Memo App Should You Choose?
FAQ
What is the most important criterion when choosing a memo app?
It depends on your use case. For quick capture, launch speed and one-tap sending matter most. For information organization, prioritize folders, tags, and search. For team collaboration, focus on sharing and real-time editing features.
How is Simple Memo different from other memo apps?
Simple Memo is purpose-built for one thing: be ready to type 0.4 seconds after the tap (warm launch, iPhone 16e), then send the thought with one tap. It has no folders or manual filing — memos arrive in your email inbox and, if you set up the integration, are appended to a note in your Obsidian vault (with AI Auto-Tagging on, on-device AI adds a title and tags to that note).
Can I use multiple memo apps together?
Yes. For example, you can use Simple Memo for instant capture and Apple Notes or Notion for long-form writing and organization. Using tools for their strengths is a great productivity strategy.
How is Simple Memo different from LINE Keep Memo?
First, the facts: Keep Memo itself still works — what ended in August 2024 was LINE Keep, the storage feature. Simple Memo also captures quickly, but your memos are kept in your own email inbox (and in your Obsidian vault if you set up the integration) rather than in LINE. How long they stay in your inbox depends on your email service and settings.
Which memo app has the best offline support?
Simple Memo uses Outbox architecture — memos sent while offline are encrypted with AES-GCM and auto-sent when connectivity returns. Apple Notes also has offline support via iCloud. Google Keep and Notion have limited offline capabilities.
