Apple Notes vs Google Keep: which should you use in 2026?

Last updated November 2026

Apple Notes and Google Keep are the two note apps most people already have. One comes on every iPhone, iPad and Mac. The other comes on most Android phones and with every Google account. Both are free, both are quick, and both have quietly grown more capable over the years. They take different approaches, though. Apple Notes has become a full notes app with folders, tags, scanning and PDFs. Keep has stayed a fast, colourful board of short notes and lists.

This comparison sets them side by side so you can pick the right one, or decide whether you need something else entirely.

Quick verdict

Choose Apple Notes if you use Apple devices and want more structure, file attachments, document scanning and locked notes, all for free.

Choose Google Keep if you use Android or switch between Android, iPhone and Windows, and mostly want quick notes, checklists and shared lists.

Consider Fabric if your notes, files, screenshots and links have outgrown both and you want them in one place on every platform, searchable by describing what you are looking for.

Comparison table

Platforms

This is usually the deciding factor.

Apple Notes runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and since iOS 26 there is an Apple Watch app too. Outside Apple's ecosystem you only get a basic web version at iCloud.com. There is no Android app at all.

Google Keep runs on Android, iPhone, iPad, the web and Wear OS. There is no Windows or Mac app, since Google retired the Chrome app in 2021, but the web version works well and Keep appears in the side panel of Gmail, Docs and Calendar.

If you use an Android phone, or share notes with people who do, Keep wins. If everything you own is made by Apple, Apple Notes is better integrated.

Organisation

Apple Notes has folders and subfolders, hashtags, and smart folders that collect notes automatically based on tags, dates, attachments and other rules. You can pin notes, sort them, and view a folder as a list or a gallery.

Google Keep uses labels instead of folders. Notes live in one grid, and you organise them with labels, background colours, pins and an archive. There is no nesting.

Winner: Apple Notes. It scales much better once you have hundreds of notes.

Capture

Google Keep is about as fast as note taking gets. Open it and start typing. On Android you can capture from a widget, the lock screen, Google Assistant or a Wear OS watch.

Apple Notes is close behind. You can start a note from Control Centre, the lock screen, Siri or the Action button, and Quick Note lets you jot something from any app on Mac and iPad. The share sheet sends links, images and files straight into a note.

Winner: tie. Both are quick on their own platforms. Keep has the edge for one-tap lists, Apple Notes for capturing from anywhere on a Mac.

Search

Apple Notes searches the text of your notes, text inside scanned documents and images, handwriting, and attachments. You can filter by tags and smart folders.

Google Keep searches note text and lets you filter by type, label, colour and collaborator. You can grab text from an image into a note, but Keep does not index text inside every image automatically. "Find in note" for searching within a long note arrived on Android in August 2026.

Winner: Apple Notes. Neither searches by meaning, but Apple Notes looks inside far more of your content.

Files and attachments

Apple Notes can hold PDFs, images, scanned documents, audio recordings, links with rich previews, sketches and tables. Scanned documents become searchable.

Google Keep supports images, drawings and voice recordings. It cannot store PDFs or other documents, and notes are capped at around 20,000 characters.

Winner: Apple Notes.

Collaboration

Apple Notes lets you share a note or a whole folder with other iCloud users, with mentions and an activity view. Collaborating with someone who does not use Apple devices is awkward.

Google Keep lets you share any note or list with anyone who has a Google account. Shared shopping and household lists are one of its best features.

Winner: Google Keep, because almost everyone has a Google account.

Reminders and lists

Apple Notes has checklists, but reminders live in the separate Reminders app. You can link the two, but they are not the same thing.

Google Keep lets you set a time-based reminder on any note. Since October 2025 those reminders are saved to Google Tasks and notify you through Tasks or Calendar. Location reminders were removed.

Winner: Google Keep for simple reminders on a note, although the move to Tasks made it less self-contained.

AI features

Apple Notes includes Apple Intelligence Writing Tools on supported devices, which can rewrite, proofread and summarise text. Audio recordings are transcribed on iPhone 12 and later, and newer versions can summarise recordings on devices that support Apple Intelligence. Math Notes solves equations as you type them.

Google Keep offers Gemini list creation and Keep Live, a voice-first capture mode announced in September 2026, but both need a paid Google AI plan.

Winner: Apple Notes, because its AI features are free on supported devices. Neither can answer questions across all your notes.

Privacy and storage

Apple Notes is stored in iCloud. Locked notes are end-to-end encrypted, and turning on Advanced Data Protection extends end-to-end encryption to all your notes. You get 5 GB of free iCloud storage, shared with photos and backups. iCloud+ starts at $0.99 per month for 50 GB.

Google Keep is stored on Google's servers, encrypted in transit and at rest but not end-to-end encrypted. Notes share your 15 GB of free Google storage with Gmail, Drive and Photos.

Winner: Apple Notes on privacy. Keep gives you more free storage, though text notes use very little of either.

Pricing

Both apps are free. Apple Notes uses your iCloud storage, which starts at 5 GB free with paid tiers at $0.99 (50 GB), $2.99 (200 GB), $9.99 (2 TB), $29.99 (6 TB) and $59.99 (12 TB) per month in the US. Google Keep uses your Google storage, which starts at 15 GB free. Keep's Gemini features need a Google AI plan.

Who should choose Apple Notes

Apple users. If you have an iPhone and a Mac, Apple Notes is better organised, handles files and scanning, and is more private.

People who scan documents and sign PDFs. Built-in scanning and markup make it a capable paperwork tool.

Anyone who wants locked notes. Passwords, codes and private notes can be locked with Face ID or a password.

See also Fabric vs Apple Notes, Notion vs Apple Notes and Bear vs Apple Notes.

Who should choose Google Keep

Android users. Keep is already there, and it is very good at quick notes and lists.

Mixed households. Shared lists work with anyone who has a Google account, on any phone.

Google Workspace users. The side panel in Gmail and Docs makes Keep a handy scratchpad.

Read our full Google Keep review for more detail.

A third option: Fabric

Both apps are tied to one company's ecosystem, and neither is built to hold a large mix of notes, files, screenshots and links. Fabric runs on iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and the web, so it works for people who straddle both worlds. It stores notes alongside PDFs, documents, images and videos, and its AI search finds anything by describing it, including text and content inside images, screenshots and audio. Quick capture from the share sheet, web clipper, voice notes and email keeps saving as easy as Keep. Fabric has a free tier, and paid plans start at $8 per month billed yearly. See Fabric vs Google Keep and Fabric vs Apple Notes.

Frequently asked questions

Is Apple Notes better than Google Keep?

For Apple users, generally yes. Apple Notes has folders, tags, smart folders, PDF attachments, document scanning and locked notes, all for free. Google Keep is better if you use Android, need to share lists with Android users, or want the fastest possible capture for short notes.

Can I use Apple Notes on Android?

No. There is no Apple Notes app for Android. You can view and edit notes in a browser at iCloud.com, but the experience is limited.

Can I use Google Keep on iPhone?

Yes. Keep has an iOS app, and notes sync with Android and the web.

Which is more private, Apple Notes or Google Keep?

Apple Notes. Locked notes are end-to-end encrypted, and with Advanced Data Protection turned on, all your notes are. Google Keep notes are encrypted in transit and at rest, but not end-to-end.

Does Apple Notes or Google Keep have folders?

Apple Notes has folders and subfolders. Google Keep only has labels.

Can Google Keep store PDFs like Apple Notes?

No. Apple Notes can attach and display PDFs. Google Keep supports images, drawings and voice recordings, but not PDFs or other documents.

Which has better reminders?

Google Keep lets you set a reminder on any note, and those reminders now appear in Google Tasks and Calendar. Apple Notes relies on the separate Reminders app. Neither supports location reminders inside the notes app itself.

Is Apple Notes free?

Yes. Apple Notes is free on all Apple devices. Notes use your iCloud storage, which includes 5 GB free.

Is Google Keep free?

Yes. Google Keep is free and uses your Google account's 15 GB of free storage. Some Gemini features require a paid Google AI plan.

How do I move from Google Keep to Apple Notes?

Export your notes with Google Takeout at takeout.google.com, which gives you HTML and JSON files. Apple Notes can import text and HTML files on Mac through File, then Import to Notes, although images and checklists may need tidying afterwards.

How do I move from Apple Notes to Google Keep?

There is no direct export. On iOS 26 and later you can export notes as Markdown, or share individual notes to Keep using the share sheet. Attachments such as PDFs will not carry over, because Keep does not support them.

What should I use if I have an iPhone and a Windows PC?

Google Keep works on both, as does Fabric. Apple Notes only works on Windows through the iCloud.com website.

Related pages

Best Google Keep alternatives · Google Keep review · Fabric vs Google Keep · Fabric vs Apple Notes · Notion vs Google Keep · Evernote vs Google Keep · Obsidian vs Google Keep · OneNote vs Google Keep · Notion vs Apple Notes · Bear vs Apple Notes · Best note-taking apps