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# Simplenote: Best Open Source Note Taking App
- URL: https://itsfoss.com/simplenote-linux-desktop/
- Published: 2016-04-03T11:31:47.000Z
- Updated: 2023-01-11T09:56:18.000Z
- Author: Abhishek Prakash
- Tags: Linux, Open Source, #Import 2022-12-26 08:27

[Simplenote](http://simplenote.com/?ref=itsfoss.com) is a popular note taking app on iOS and Android. Simplenote has been also available for Mac OS X for sometimes and now it is also available for Linux and Windows. It is an Open Source application now.

Simplenote is developed by [Automattic](https://automattic.com/?ref=itsfoss.com), the company behind WordPress. Automattic also has several other impressive products but we are not going to see that today as we focus on Simplenote.

## Simplenote features

[![Simplenote is now available in Linux desktop](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2016/04/Simplenote-Linux.jpg)](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2016/04/Simplenote-Linux.jpg)

If you have never used Simplenote, I suggest to give it a try. It might not have as many features as Evernote, but it does have an impressive list of features.

- Cross platform
- Searchable notes
- Notes can be tagged for even quick search and organize them
- Notes can be sorted by modification date or alphabetically
- Notes can be synced across devices
- Individual notes can be shared with others via URL
- Notes can be collaborated with other people (even if they don’t have Simplenote account)
- Version control so you keep history of all changes made in the past
- Markdown support in desktop versions (needs to be enabled from the settings)
- Light and dark theme in desktop version
- Password protection on notes
- Pin important notes
- Free to use, even the backup and sync is free. No limit.
- Can be used offline

In short, Simplenote might have simple in its name but it does a lot more than a [simple note taking app like Notes](https://itsfoss.com/notes-app-linux/).

The feature I like the most is seamless sync across devices. This is a feature I prefer to have in a note taking app especially when I use my smartphone all the times and write down quick thoughts on it and later read them on my desktop.

[![Simplenote in Ubuntu Linux](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2016/04/Simplenote-1.jpeg)](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2016/04/Simplenote-1.jpeg)

Simplenote in Ubuntu 16.04

[![Simplenote dark theme](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2016/04/Simplenote-2.jpeg)](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2016/04/Simplenote-2.jpeg)

Dark theme with multiple options

## Install Simplenote in Linux

Simplenote has a **.deb installation file for 64 bit systems** that can be used in Ubuntu, Linux Mint, elementary OS and other Debian/Ubuntu based Linux distributions.

You can grab the file from the Simplenote download page:

[Download Simplenote for Linux](http://simplenote.com/?ref=itsfoss.com)

Just double click on the downloaded file to install it. You can also check out the source code on Github.

[Simplenote Source Code](https://github.com/Automattic/simplenote-electron?ref=itsfoss.com)

How do you find Simplenote? Do you [use some other note taking apps for Linux](https://itsfoss.com/note-taking-apps-linux/) which you think is better than Simplenote? Do let us know.