No ads or unnecessary permissions. It is fully open source and provides customizable colors. The lack of internet access and encrypted exports gives you more privacy than typical note apps.
Simple-Notes (GPL-3.0) was my favorite FOSS notes app until the project was sold to a shady Israeli company named ZipoApps in 2023. I forked it to keep it alive, FOSS and updated. I will release new versions as long as I have time and energy. Code contributions on Github are very welcome :)
This fork is not affiliated with Simple Mobile Tools, Fossify or ZipoApps.
APKs are published on GitHub Releases
Simple-Notes_<version>-FOSS-arm64-v8a.apk(most phones)Simple-Notes_<version>-FOSS-armeabi-v7a.apkSimple-Notes_<version>-FOSS-x86_64.apk(emulators)Simple-Notes_<version>-FOSS-universal.apk(all included)
The Simple Notes Pro workflow, plus notebooks, locks, and a recycle bin. Still offline, still GPL-3.0.
Organize
- Notebooks — Create, rename, pin, reorder, lock, and delete collections of notes. A toolbar icon switches a two-column notes grid and the notebooks screen (notes is the default).
- Search and tags — Find notes, notebooks, and tags from one screen. Move a note to another notebook, or send selected checklist items to a different note.
- Recycle bin — Restore deleted notes and notebooks.
Private
- Lock a note or a whole notebook with fingerprint, pattern, or PIN. Locked cards hide their preview until you unlock.
- Read-only — Freeze a text note, checklist, or counter so it cannot be edited by accident.
- Encrypted exports — AES with a password, or plain text with none.
Write
- Text notes with Markdown preview, checklists, and counter notes with colored +/− buttons.
- Undo and redo. Paste as plain text; composing keyboards still work.
- Checklists: uncheck all, collapse checked items, sort each list on its own.
Home screen
- Notes widgets and a notebook widget. Customize widget colors once; every widget updates.
No nags
- No donation, rate, or “what’s new” popups. Own app ID (
tomato.simple.notes) so it can sit next to Simple Notes Pro.
Release APKs come from assembleCoreRelease (local and GitHub Actions). Names:
Simple-Notes_<version>-FOSS-arm64-v8a.apkSimple-Notes_<version>-FOSS-armeabi-v7a.apkSimple-Notes_<version>-FOSS-x86_64.apkSimple-Notes_<version>-FOSS-universal.apk
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| App version | 6.18.0 (versionCode 124) |
| minSdk | 23 |
| targetSdk / compileSdk | 36 (Android 16) |
| JVM bytecode | 17 |
| Gradle | 9.1.0 |
| Android Gradle Plugin | 8.13.2 |
| Kotlin / KSP | 2.2.10 |
| Room | 2.8.4 |
| Local JDK | 25 (do not point Gradle at JDK 17) |
| CI JDK | Temurin 17 |
| Commons | SimpleMobileTools/Simple-Commons @ eceb48949e, patched by python scripts/patch_commons.py |
Checkout Simple-Commons next to the app (gitignored Simple-Commons/), run python scripts/patch_commons.py, then ./gradlew assembleCoreRelease. When that directory exists, Gradle includeBuilds it instead of the JitPack AAR. Sign with gitignored keystore.properties and app/keystore.jks (GitHub secrets KEYSTORE_BASE64, KEYSTORE_PASSWORD, KEY_ALIAS, KEY_PASSWORD).