Top 5 Sticky Notes Apps for Ubuntu in 2023

Sticky notes are a convenient way to jot down quick thoughts, reminders, and to-do lists. As a developer working on Ubuntu, having a handy sticky notes app can boost your productivity.

I‘ve tested and reviewed the top 5 sticky notes apps for Ubuntu to help you find the perfect one for your needs:

1. Xpad

Xpad is a popular open-source sticky notes app that‘s fully-featured, customizable, and easy to use.

Key Features:

• Create multiple sticky note windows
• Customize background color, font style/color
• Resize and drag notes around
• Separate window for customization
• Lightweight and fast

Pros:

• Open source and actively developed
• Tons of customization options
• Notes autosave for reliability
• Actively maintained and updated

Cons:

• No password protection for notes
• No link or email detection

Installing Xpad

You can easily install Xpad via the terminal:

sudo apt install xpad

Or search for it in the Ubuntu Software app.

Overall, Xpad hits the sweet spot between features and simplicity. For most Ubuntu users, it will serve all your basic sticky notes needs.

Xpad sticky notes interface

2. Indicator Sticky Notes

Indicator Sticky Notes takes a more minimalist approach while still offering customization options.

This open-source app runs in your menu bar for quick access. It‘s less fully-featured than Xpad but easier to launch and manage.

Key Features:

• Menu bar integration
• Multiple color-coded note categories
• Customizable font/color/background
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Lock notes mode

Pros:

• Lightning fast to open
• Clean and simple interface
• Notes autosave and easy access
• Active development

Cons:

• Fewer options than advanced alternatives
• No URLs/email detection
• Ubuntu desktop only (no mobile)

Installing Indicator Sticky Notes

First add the app‘s PPA, then install with apt:

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:umang/indicator-stickynotes
sudo apt update
sudo apt install indicator-stickynotes

For quickly jotting down thoughts and reminders, Indicator Sticky Notes is a top choice. Its simplicity does come with some limitations, but it nails the basics.

3. Gnome Sticky Notes

Gnome Sticky Notes integrates directly into Ubuntu‘s Gnome desktop environment. It comes pre-installed on Ubuntu by default.

The main appeal here is tight integration with Ubuntu‘s desktop and default apps. Sticky notes sync across devices via a GNOME account.

Key Features:

• Default Ubuntu app
• Cloud backup & sync
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Tags/color-coding system
• Search notes

Pros:

• Seamlessly integrates with desktop
• Easy multi-device sync
• Actively maintained
• Simple interface

Cons:

• Very basic features
• No custom font/colors/backgrounds
• Requires GNOME account

Installing Gnome Sticky Notes

There‘s no installation necessary – Gnome Sticky Notes comes preloaded as part of Ubuntu‘s default apps.

You can launch it via the apps menu or by hitting the Super key and searching for "sticky".

For basic quick notes with built-in cloud backup, Gnome Sticky Notes does the job admirably. Just don‘t expect lots of bells and whistles.

4. Notes-Up

Notes-up offers a balance between customization and usability with Markdown support thrown in. It‘s an excellent open-source choice for developers and power users.

This app takes a notebook-style approach, making it easy to organize extensive notes.

Key Features:

• Notebooks & rich text notes
• Custom fonts, themes & layouts
• Markdown formatting
• Tags, checkboxes & highlighting
• Fast search with advanced options

Pros:

• Excellent notebook organization
• Very customizable look & feel
• Handy Markdown support
• Lots of advanced search/export options

Cons:

• Complex interface has learning curve
• No built-in note syncing
• Fewer features than Evernote-style apps

Installing Notes-Up

Notes-Up isn‘t found in the main Ubuntu repositories. But you can easily install it via Flatpak:

flatpak install flathub com.gitlab.carlosgonzalez.notesup

For technical users who want rich notes and customization abilities, Notes-Up is a hidden gem. The interface requires some tweaking to master, but it‘s extremely powerful once customized to your workflow.

5. Boostnote

Boostnote bills itself as an "open source note-taking app for programmers." True to its name, Boostnote offers programmer-centric capabilities like code snippet support, GitHub integration, and over 200 code/markup languages.

It‘s essentially a souped-up Evernote tuned for software developers.

Key Features:

• Live preview for Markdown
• Code blocks and syntax highlighting
• Snapshots to revert to previous versions
• Tagging system
• Themes and editor customization

Pros:

• Excellent coding features
• Great Markdown support
• Clean, polished interface
• Backups and versioning

Cons:

• No built-in cloud sync
• Fairly heavy app
• Limited to technical users

Installing Boostnote

Unfortunately Boostnote isn‘t available via apt. But they offer a .deb package to manually install:

wget https://github.com/BoostIO/boost-releases/releases/download/v0.24.5/boost-note_0.24.5_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i boost-note_0.24.5_amd64.deb

For coders and developers who want programmer-friendly features, Boostnote has no equal. The technical focus does limit its appeal, but remains a top choice in its niche.

Summary – Best Ubuntu Sticky Notes App

I hope this guide has helped you pick the best sticky notes app for your needs on Ubuntu!

For most users, I recommend starting out with Xpad or Indicator Sticky Notes. They strike a nice balance between utility and ease of use.

However, power users may want to explore Notes-Up for its expansive features or Boostnote for programming-focused notes.

No matter which app you choose, keeping sticky notes handy is a simple way to boost your productivity on Ubuntu. Jot down your thoughts liberally and organically – your future self will thank you!

Let me know if you have any other favorite sticky notes app for Linux/Ubuntu. I‘m always testing new programs to try out!