Simple Memo vs Evernote
Which Should You Choose?

Evernote is a comprehensive knowledge management platform featuring notebooks, tags, full-text search, Web Clipper, PDF annotation, and shared notebooks. For years it was the go-to digital note tool, but since 2023 its increasingly restrictive free tier has pushed many users to seek alternatives. Evernote excels at long-form writing, project management, and research organization — but its complexity makes it too slow for quick thought capture. A 2.5-second wait before typing (our measurement, median) and multi-step workflows are its core limitation for quick use.

• 1 Time to Type: 0.4s vs 2.5s
  Evernote loads notebook lists, recent notes, and sync status at launch — 2.5 seconds to typing in our measurement (iPhone 16e, warm launch, median of 5; range 2.3–5.1s). Simple Memo places the cursor in the input field instantly at 0.4 seconds. In meetings or on the go, this gap determines whether you capture or lose the thought.
• 2 Direction of Features: Send Out vs Accumulate
  Evernote is built to accumulate and organize with notebooks, tags, and full-text search. Simple Memo is built to write and instantly email. It outsources storage to your email inbox and GTD system, keeping friction low by focusing solely on capture.
• 3 Data Location: Email Inbox vs Evernote Servers
  Evernote notes live on Evernote's servers, accessible only through Evernote apps. Simple Memo delivers to your email inbox — viewable and searchable in Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, or any client. Email is the most universal data store in existence.
• 4 Search vs Inbox: Fundamentally Different Approaches
  Evernote uses powerful full-text search to dig up past notes. Simple Memo sends memos to your inbox, managed through your email client's search, filters, and labels. If you already have an email management workflow, Simple Memo fits naturally into it.
• 5 Free Plan Practicality: A Daily Send Limit vs Note Limits
  Evernote's free tier is limited to 50 notes, 1 notebook and 1 device. Simple Memo's free tier allows 3 sends/day; saving to Obsidian only is a Premium feature. It's designed to be sustainably free for light users.
• 6 How Evernote Users Combine Both
  You can combine both apps: capture quickly with Simple Memo on the go, receive memos by email, then keep only the important ones in Evernote. This separates a fast inbox from a long-term archive.

A "full migration" from Evernote to Simple Memo - for Obsidian is not necessary. Simple Memo - for Obsidian is not an Evernote replacement — it is a complementary quick-capture tool. Here is how to transition your daily capture workflow to Simple Memo - for Obsidian while keeping Evernote for what it does best: knowledge management.

• 1 Migrate only the capture habit
  Keep your existing Evernote notebooks exactly as they are. What you are migrating is only the habit of "instantly jotting down a thought." Install Simple Memo - for Obsidian, set your email address, and you are ready. No changes to your Evernote notebook structure needed.
• 2 Connect via Evernote's email-in feature
  Evernote offers an "email to note" feature (check Evernote's own plan information for availability). Forward the memo emails you receive from Simple Memo - for Obsidian to your Evernote email-in address, and they become Evernote notes. (Setting the Evernote address directly as Simple Memo's recipient has not been tested, including the address verification step.) Capture with Simple Memo - for Obsidian, archive in Evernote.
• 3 Run both apps in parallel for one week
  For the first week, keep both apps on your home screen. Use Simple Memo - for Obsidian when you think "I need to note this NOW" and Evernote when you need to search past notes. A common split is Simple Memo - for Obsidian for capture and Evernote for organization.