A Google Keep alternative that doesn't need Google
Keep is convenient — until you notice the trade: every note lives on Google's servers, tied to your Google account, in a separate tab you have to switch to. My Notes takes the opposite approach: a notepad that docks in Chrome's side panel, stores everything on your device, and never asks you to sign in.
The honest comparison
| Google Keep | My Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Where notes live | Google's servers | Your device (optional sync to your own Drive/Dropbox) |
| Account | Google account required | None |
| While browsing | Separate tab or mini popup | Side panel beside every tab |
| Editor | Plain text + checkboxes | Rich blocks: headings, tables, code, images, Markdown in/out |
| Capture from pages | — | Right-click any selection or screenshot, source link included |
| AI | — | On-device (private) or your own key; agent access via MCP |
| Mobile apps | Yes | No — desktop Chrome only |
| Reminders | Yes | No |
That last pair matters: if phone capture and reminders are your core workflow, Keep genuinely serves you better. If your notes happen while browsing at a desk — research, work scratchpads, clipped quotes — a side-panel notepad beats a notes tab every day.
Leaving Keep is easy — and reversible
My Notes imports Markdown and exports everything (Markdown or JSON) at any time. Your notes are never locked in — which is exactly the point of leaving.