TaskNote vs. Evernote: Why it’s time to leave the "Digital Attic"
TL;DR:
Evernote was great in 2010. But today, it is slow, expensive, and can technically read your notes. TaskNote is what Evernote used to be: fast and simple, but with modern military-grade encryption that puts you in control.
🐢 Performance: The "Bloat" Problem
Evernote tries to do everything: tasks, calendars, scanning, chat, dashboard widgets.
- The Result: It feels heavy. Opening the app can take seconds. Searching through thousands of notes feels sluggish.
- The Feeling: It’s like a cluttered attic where you dump everything and can't find anything quickly.
TaskNote focuses on one thing: Text.
- Instant: We use a lightweight architecture. The app opens instantly. Search is immediate.
- Offline-First: No loading spinners. Your data is local.
🕵️ Privacy: The "2016 Incident"
Never forget. In 2016, Evernote proposed a policy change to let employees read your notes to train their AI. They backed down due to backlash, but the architecture hasn't changed.
Evernote:
- Server-Side Encryption: They hold the keys. If their servers are hacked, or if a rogue employee decides to snoop, your data is vulnerable.
- No E2EE: They do not offer End-to-End Encryption for the whole note body.
TaskNote:
- Client-Side Encryption: We lock the note before it leaves your device.
- No AI Training: We can't read your notes, so we definitely can't train AI on them. Your thoughts are private property.
💸 Cost & Limits
Evernote Free Plan: Services severely limited. Only 2 devices. Limited uploads (60MB/month). They constantly push you to upgrade with annoying pop-ups.
TaskNote: Fair Pricing: We don't limit the number of devices. We don't limit your text capacity. You pay for privacy features, not for basic usability.
⚔️ Comparison Table
| Feature | Evernote | TaskNote |
|---|---|---|
| Main Vibe | "Everything Sink" (Cluttered) | "Focused Workspace" (Clean) |
| Privacy | Standard (They have access) | Zero-Knowledge (Only YOU have access) |
| Speed | Slow / Heavy | Instant / Lightweight |
| Format | Proprietary HTML (Hard to leave) | Universal Markdown (Easy to export) |
| Free Plan | 2 Devices Limit | Unlimited Devices |
🏁 Conclusion: Why Switch?
Stay with Evernote if:
- You use it as a file cabinet for PDFs and web clippings you never read.
- You need their specific OCR features for scanning receipts.
Switch to TaskNote if:
- You actually want to write and think.
- You are tired of waiting for the app to load.
- You want to ensure that your personal journal remains personal forever.