Note Anytime Review

There’s a plethora of note taking apps available in the App Store, but I have yet to discover a free one packed with plenty of features until I downloaded Note Anytime. The description boasts that it is free for now, but there are some IAPs hidden within the app for those who desire more features. What makes it stand out over others is not only its simplicity, but the flexibility that it gives users.

The floating pen palette provides users with plenty of white space. Upon tapping on the floating pen, a circle of other icons forms around it and there are also options that appear on the top and bottom of the screen. There’s a pen, eraser, text and lasso tool available. The pen tool features the most options as it allows users to change the stroke size, color, and gradient. Writing with my finger was a breeze as the app uses spatial intelligence to make perfect curves. I wish my real handwriting looked just as awesome.

Along with tools, the app also has preloaded paper designs like yellow notebook, graph and calendar designs that allow users to organize and customize their notes. Much like other similar apps, Note Anytime also provides users with the ability to add other elements like photos, PDF files and webpages. Unlike most note taking apps, the free version comes complete with PDF annotation, scaling functions with vector based authoring, and even social media sharing capabilities.

What I really desire in a note taking app is organization. If it’s not possible to keep things organized, I’m likely not going to use the app often. Fortunately, Note Anytime has three methods for managing notes: deleting/filtering, tagging and folder. I particularly enjoyed the folder option as it links tags together and makes it easy to find documents.

I wouldn’t consider the interface intuitive as it is confusing to use at first due to all the features. The developers included a separate section filled with professional instructional videos, which is great for those who may need help figuring out how to use it. Aside from a slightly perplexing interface, users should be aware that there are some features that require in-app purchases, but they aren’t needed to fully enjoy the app. These in-app purchases are add-on features that some users may desire like pre-designed calligraphy pens, cloud storage space for their own service (first 2MB are free), and additional paper layouts.

Thanks to all the features, Note Anytime makes it possible to create customized and personalized notes for school, business or leisure. It’s easy to move and arrange objects on a page, and the calligraphy pens means there’s no excuse for illegible handwriting. This is an easily recommendable productivity app considering it’s free. I’ll definitely be keeping it on my home screen.