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We all have our very specific ways of taking notes, but it seems 5-10 million of you will need to be changing your methods soon. The popular app Catch Notes will be shutting down.
Catch Notes’ last day will be August 30th. Users have until then to download their data if they wish to. The Catch Notes team has given you instructions on how to do it, so you don’t need to be afraid of losing all your notes.
It’s sad to see such popular apps and services dying, but what could be the cause? Is an app downloaded 5-10 million times really not able to pull a profit? Catch doesn’t go into details. They only mention the company will be taken in a “different direction”.
Our very own Chris Chavez is a big fan of Catch Notes and blames Google for its death. He believes Google Keep is killing simple note-taking apps and although Keep could be a factor, I doubt it’s powerful enough to bring down such a popular app – is it?
Many like Chris will be missing the many features Catch Notes offers. These include a sleek interface, simple UI, voice/photo/text notes and sharing/collaborating capabilities. Some of these can be replaced by other apps, but some can’t.
We are just wondering how many of our readers will miss Catch Notes. Personally, I will be sticking with Google Keep simply because I don’t need a ton of extra features. What would you say are the best alternatives to Catch Notes? What will you be using?
[Catch]
I like it better than Evernote. It just looks better in my opinion but it’s glitchy sometimes.
I really liked Catch Notes a lot and will miss it. Once I discovered G Tasks, I haven’t had as much need for Catch Notes. I guess I’ll have to download the few notes I have in there and transfer them over to something else. I didn’t really like the form factor of Google Keep, but maybe I’ll give it a 2nd shot now.
I like that Evernote syncs with my computer but I’ve never tried Google Keep – I’ll give it a shot and report back.
Google Keep is my favorite so far. Syncs with my Google account. If you haven’t looked it up yet its worth your time.
I’m seeing a lot of similar post. I’ve been using Springpad for a while. Let me go see what Google Keep is about. I never even knew it existed. LoL!!
Get Google Keep and you’ll never look back.
I got it today. I love how I can make a note AS SOON as I open the app. No looking for the make new note button or anything.
Even the keep.google.com website is pretty quick at making notes. I will miss the SpringPad extension where I can make a note while viewing the website, though.
But I don’t mind this at all. It’s pretty simplistic.
I really liked Catch…but I’m not much of a note taker…and since Keep came around, I’ve abandoned Catch…so while I won’t miss them much, I’m sad to hear that a great app is shutting down.
Been using Google Keep for a while now, love the widget.
Catch has been on my devices for quite long, but I won’t miss it. I took a bunch of voice recordings with it and a few texts, but the simplicity and sync abilities of Keep blows Catch’s text notes out of water.
WTF!? Google has a note taking app!? Where have I been!?
I’ve been using SpringPad. I hope they don’t go. But I may consider the change. I just use it for the sync and the Google Chrome extension. Being able to read and make notes without even opening a new tab. Even having Springpad as a right-click option.
If Google Keep has an extensions with the same function, then I may get it. I don’t require too much with note taking apps. Just, if I want to make a note, the moment I open your app within 2 seconds I should be writing a note.
Springpad doesn’t give me that within the app. Let me see what Google Keep is.
Google kills another great app! :/
Who’s next? SwiftKey? Waze? Gaaaaah…
Definitely my only and go-to Note app. I switched to Keep and while I like it, it’s just not as good or pretty as Catch!
Chris, the thing is, if Google did it without even trying too hard, what does it say about that app? gKeep only has like two functions, and you still blame it? They probably assembled it during a lunch hour, just for the sake of having a “note taking” ability.
Keep isn’t that popular yet. And if they don’t want to get beat by the big dog, improve the app and make it better than before. This has to be more than just losing to Google.
This is depressing because catch.com had a great culture when it came to privacy.
The first time I used catch, I fell in love with it. However, on my second day of adoption, Catch wanted me to pay to take down more notes. IMO, the app never gave free users enough mileage to latch onto it. I uninstalled the app on the second day itself.
G*ddammit
Not happy about them discontuing… Switched to Evernote :(
What’s discontuing? Sorry, just being in a playful mood.
Sad to see it go, but Google Keep is a sufficient replacement
I switched from Catch to Keep. And it works better and I like the UI of Keep as it is much more simple.
I love Catch and played with Keep but stayed true to Catch. Granted Catch is the type of app I only use once a month or less and never paid anything for. Don’t know how they stay in business actually.
I mean, that’s it. They couldn’t monetize their app/service. Didn’t help that Google comes out of nowhere and makes a free application that (mostly) does the same thing.
It’s on iOS as well. It wasn’t about Google.
I use Evernote frequently (my go-to note taking app cuz of the desktop client) but it offers WAY features than my needs require. I really enjoyed Catch’s simplicity. Not too basic like Keep, but not too crazy like Evernote.
Dang, I was a premium users too. I am also a premium Evernote user so I guess I’ll have to use Evernote and Google Keep exclusively. I liked Catch because of the reminder and location features that Evernote was slow to include. I wish these guys/gals the best. I’ve been with them since they were 3 bananas.
Never used Catch Notes so can’t comment on its usability. But Google Keep is a gem for simple discardable note taking, I used to use 3rd party apps for that purpose but haven’t looked back since Keep came around. Still, Keep’s desktop interface leaves a lot to be desired, this whole thing of it being part of Google Drive feels cynical, all part of plan to drive more traffic to Drive.
As for serious note taking, nothing beats Evernote. I’ve been a paying for the premium version and so far it’s money well spent.
I used Catch Notes for a while and liked it okay. It was a lot less bloated than Evernote. But the big thing that I found lacking about it was no good desktop application. Yeah, you could use the web interface, but I just didn’t find that very convenient. Then Google Keep came along and was almost exactly what I was looking for in a note application. Its Chrome-based desktop application is pretty good.
The irony of the situation is the distinct possibility that Google Keep may be a feature that gets axed.
Well, crap! One of the few apps I actually use several times a week.
I’ve been using it for 3 years (since it was called 3 Bannana) and I could not find any other better notetaking app. Evernote doesn’t meet my needs and Google Keep just doesn’t have enough features to match with Catch notes. Sad they will be taking this down, now I will have to look for one as good as this…
Springpad?
It’s really saddens me… A few of my friends are moving to Evernote but it seems to complicated for me. I found SomNote on AppStore and it offer transition service from Catch. SomNote supports TEXT-ONLY CSV file but it works great. It’s simple!
I always liked Springpad better than Evernote, but I had a bad experience of having it on 3 devices and I had a tablet (that doesn’t have a 3G connection) overwrite a newer file with an older one. They don’t keep backup versions of the files. It happened like this:
SomNote supports the ‘time machine’ :D You can restore any version of your notes.
Biggest thing that Catch did for free that I haven’t seen other apps do is the ability to live share with others. My colleague and I kept our to-do lists on this, and my wife and I kept our shopping lists together. So nice when she’s at the store to add “Six pack” to the list. As nice as Keep is, it doesn’t have shared lists, and I’m not paying for Evernote pro just to get that feature. Guess the culture and I are just addicted to free.
Sharing files on Google Drive is pretty awesome.
Biggest thing that Catch did for free that I haven’t seen other apps do is the ability to live share with others. My colleague and I kept our to-do lists on this, and my wife and I kept our shopping lists together. So nice when she’s at the store to add “Six pack” to the list. As nice as Keep is, it doesn’t have shared lists, and I’m not paying for Evernote pro just to get that feature. Guess I’m just addicted to free.
Thanks for the heads up. I don’t use this app anymore since Keep came about, but I have a lot of longer docs saved there. My export is complete.
Edgar, Does this mean AK Notepad will also die?
Basically yes. In the latest update, it also gives you a message about closing down.
I emailed catch: “Questions regarding closure. Maybe these could go on your FAQs.
How will the change effect AK Notepad. I assume it is going away? Will my apps (AK Notepad and Catch) continue to function on my device but without the cloud sync?”
Their repsonse: “Unfortunately at this time we cannot guarantee how the apps will
continue to work once the service is suspended on August 30th, 2013. Our
strong suggestion is to export your data and then seek another app that
will suit your needs.
Our apologies for this. Thank you for contacting Catch.
Best,
The Catch Team”
I’ve used them all; Catch, evernote, springpad, keep, note
everything, colornote. Each had its own strength/weakness. Catch was great for
the simple note. Keep is just too rudimentary to be really useful. Can’t sort
messages, can’t attach a photo to a message, no reminders, no way to organize messages
etc.. Perhaps in typical google fashion they will add these features in at a
later date but for now keep is pretty limited.
For serious note taking nothing beats evernote. And now that
it finally has reminders it is truly a complete solution. Their web clipper is
excellent and actually grabs full web pages that are clickable in evernote.
Springpad was a favorite but their desire to add everything “including
the kitchen sink” has made it less user friendly than older versions. Is it a
note taking app or a wanna be social network? I read somewhere that springpad
is the love child of evernote & pinterest! I like springpad but using it
requires more work than needed.
Catch was my go to app for the quick note. I could put it
into one of my folders errr streams and be done with it. As far as eye candy
goes catch was tops.
Evernote is the king of note apps but its like using a bazooka
to kill a mosquito in most cases.
I will miss catch.
I cant understand why people are so excited about Keep. With Catch I can use my android device, ipod and pc and all my notes are synchronised. I can quickly add a photo or voice note and an absolute essential in my opinion is the ability to read all my notes OFFLINE and create new notes. Plus it looks good and never crashed. And it was free. I cant find another app that does all that. Any ideas? The one I would like to use is Tiddlywiki but it is a pain to edit on an ipod or phone.
I hate online only apps. Its all a trick to tie you into their system. Google has turned into a similar all devouring monster and as we now know for certain they dont even offer privacy and sell your data. Whereas smaller companies are often much more imaginative and inventive. They get bought and shelved by the big boys.
Keep killed Catch Notes? More like Evernote.
Check out Hashnote if you want a simple alternative. Its really early but a good app.
I really loved catch and disappointed it will be gone soon. I downloaded my csv file but haven’t found any apps that allow you to import. Any suggestions?