How to Migrate from Google Keep to Apple Notes
By Taha Baalla··5 min read
Use Google Takeout to export Keep as HTML or JSON. Convert HTML notes via the free 'Keep2Notes' Shortcut. Apple Notes preserves text and images; labels become folders.
Why this matters in 2026
The 2024-2026 shift moved most "best app" answers from cloud-dependent SaaS to on-device or local-first alternatives. Privacy, offline reliability, and one-time pricing all favor the new generation.
The honest stack
This guide names specific apps. No affiliate links. We test each app for at least 30 days on a real iPhone before recommending it.
Trade-offs
Every recommendation has a downside. We name it. If you need cross-platform (iPhone + Android), the answer changes — we flag it explicitly.
Related guides
Where Némos fits
Némos is the iPhone-first private second brain. Free, on-device AI, designed for users who capture more than they write. Currently in private beta.
Frequently asked
Is this list updated for 2026?↓
Yes — tested on iPhone running iOS 18+ in 2026. Prices and feature sets match what each app charges today.
Is there a free option that's actually good?↓
Yes — every category has a free option that covers 80% of users. We name it first. Paid apps are recommended only when free apps clearly fall short.
Does this work on older iPhones?↓
Most recommendations work on iPhone 12 and later. AI features (Apple Intelligence) require iPhone 15 Pro or later, but we always provide a non-AI alternative.