Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Evernote VS SelfControl

Compare Evernote VS SelfControl and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Evernote logo Evernote

Bring your life's work together in one digital workspace. Evernote is the place to collect inspirational ideas, write meaningful words, and move your important projects forward.

SelfControl logo SelfControl

V2 updates! - Custom time interval for distraction free mode - Ability to turn off ' always on' mode - Improved UI -- Self Control -- A simple app to keep you focused online by blocking sites that you spend way too much time on.
  • Evernote Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-18
  • SelfControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

Evernote

$ Details
-
Release Date
2000 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
California
Founder(s)
Phil Libin
Employees
250 - 499

Evernote features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Evernote is available on multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, ensuring that users can access their notes from any device.
  • Organizational Tools
    Evernote provides a range of organizational tools such as notebooks, tags, and a powerful search feature to help users keep their notes well-organized.
  • Web Clipper
    The Evernote Web Clipper allows users to save web pages, articles, and screenshots directly to their Evernote account, making it easier to gather and organize online resources.
  • Collaboration Features
    Evernote supports collaboration, enabling users to share notes and notebooks with others, which is useful for team projects and group work.
  • Integration with Other Apps
    Evernote integrates with a variety of third-party applications such as Google Drive, Outlook, and Slack, enhancing its functionality and ease of use.

Possible disadvantages of Evernote

  • Cost
    Evernote offers a free version, but its premium features and higher storage limits come at a subscription cost, which may be a drawback for budget-conscious users.
  • Learning Curve
    New users may find Evernote's extensive features and options overwhelming at first, requiring some time to fully understand and utilize all its capabilities.
  • Syncing Issues
    Some users have reported occasional syncing problems, where changes made on one device are not immediately reflected on others.
  • Limited Offline Access
    The ability to access notes offline is restricted in the free version, which may be inconvenient for users who often work without internet access.
  • Privacy Concerns
    There have been concerns about the privacy and security of the data stored in Evernote, as it involves uploading personal information to their servers.

SelfControl features and specs

  • Effective Website Blocking
    SelfControl blocks access to distracting websites based on a customizable blocklist, helping users stay focused.
  • Timer Functionality
    Users can set a timer for how long they want websites to remain blocked, ensuring focused work periods without distraction.
  • Free to Use
    SelfControl is open-source and free to download and use, making it accessible to anyone without financial barriers.
  • Easy to Use
    The interface is straightforward and user-friendly, allowing users to quickly set their preferences and get started.

Possible disadvantages of SelfControl

  • Mac-Only
    SelfControl is only available for macOS, excluding Windows and Linux users from using the application.
  • No Undo Option
    Once the block period is set and started, it cannot be undone even by restarting the computer, which could be an issue if access to blocked sites is needed unexpectedly.
  • Limited Feature Set
    The app primarily focuses on website blocking, lacking additional productivity tools or features like app blocking or usage analytics.
  • No Scheduled Blocking
    SelfControl does not offer the ability to schedule block sessions in advance, meaning users must manually start each session.

Analysis of SelfControl

Overall verdict

  • Overall, SelfControl is a highly recommended tool for individuals looking to enhance their productivity by minimizing digital distractions. Its open-source nature and no-nonsense approach make it a popular choice among students, freelancers, and professionals alike.

Why this product is good

  • SelfControl is considered a good application because it effectively blocks distracting websites, helping users focus on their tasks without getting sidetracked by online distractions. It's simple to use, efficient, and highly customizable, allowing users to specify which sites to block and for how long, ensuring a tailored productivity experience.

Recommended for

    SelfControl is ideal for students who need to concentrate on studying, remote workers who want to avoid procrastination, freelancers who require discipline in managing their time, and anyone who needs a simple solution to reduce digital distractions during focused work periods.

Evernote videos

10 Reasons why You Should Be Using Evernote in 2019

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  • Review - how I get organized with Evernote
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  • Tutorial - iPadagogy - App Review - Skitch Video Tutorial

SelfControl videos

How to block websites that distract you ? Selfcontrol [Mac App review and tutorial]

More videos:

  • Review - SelfControl Review - Block distracting websites

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Evernote and SelfControl)
Note Taking
100 100%
0% 0
Time Tracking
0 0%
100% 100
Task Management
100 100%
0% 0
Time Management
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Evernote and SelfControl

Evernote Reviews

  1. Simple and efficient app

    The app helps keep everything organized and is really easy to use. Iโ€™ve been using it for a while now, and I really like it.

  2. Boyd Richardson
    ยท Writer at SE ยท

    If you're someone who likes to keep everything in order and easily accessible, you'll want to check out the Evernote app. This app is designed to help you keep track of all your notes, ideas, and to-do lists in one place, and it does so with style.

    From my experience using the app, I found that it's incredibly user-friendly and has a sleek design. You can easily create notes, organize them into notebooks, and even add tags to make it easier to find what you're looking for later on. Whether you're a student trying to keep track of your class notes or a busy professional juggling multiple projects, Evernote has you covered.

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Notion
    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    High capabilities|Supports multiple languages|Syncs|Easy integration
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Free plan with limited options|Syncing issue
  3. Deepak Kumar
    ยท Technical Reviewer at Screenshot Chrome Extensions ยท
    Intuitive Software

    The thing that I personally like about Evernote is that before I have used word as my note taking application, than on my smartphone I have had used Google Keep and so my notes were just unorganized mess. But with Evernote now I can have my notes at one place and unified. Also the fact that I can log to another device and my notes are "just there" is really nice. And also I like graphics user interface of Evernote.

    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Easy to use|Saves a ton of time|Sync across all my devices|Chrome extension available
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Few webpages takes time to load|Paid plan to use on multiple devices

Quick, Clear Ways to Edit Mac Screenshots for Dailyย Tasks
Skitch: Focuses on user-friendly annotation. Highlight text, blur details, or draw arrows without fuss.
11 Best Google Keeps Alternatives for 2024
It depends on your needs. Evernote offers advanced note-taking features and organization, suitable for complex tasks. Google Keep is simpler and integrates well with other Google services, making it ideal for basic note-taking and quick reminders.
Source: upbase.io
20 Obsidian Alternatives: Top Note-Taking Tools to Consider
Evernote is a note-taking tool with fantastic web-clipping capabilities. This handy app lets you clip, save, and sync notes from anywhere on the web to all your devices.
Source: clickup.com
The 6 best note-taking apps in 2024
Not only is Joplin the best open source note-taking app on our list, but it's also the best free Evernote alternative too. For a number of reasons I'll explore below, I don't feel Evernote merits a spot on this list right now; however, because Evernote has been such a staple of the note-taking app space, most other apps compete by trying to be different. OneNote is awesome,...
Source: zapier.com
The best note-taking apps for collecting your thoughts and data
That being said, the paid version of Evernote still does what it does well, especially if youโ€™re one of those users who has stuck with it for a while. The basic look and feel of the web app hasnโ€™t changed much, although the homepage now shows recent notes, a scratch pad, and recently captured websites. (The homepage can be personalized with other widgets if you have a paid...

SelfControl Reviews

We have no reviews of SelfControl yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

SelfControl might be a bit more popular than Evernote. We know about 79 links to it since March 2021 and only 66 links to Evernote. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Evernote mentions (66)

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SelfControl mentions (79)

  • Oregon School Cell Phone Ban: 'Engaged Students, Joyful Teachers'
    A combination of https://selfcontrolapp.com/ and Hammerspoon automation and you can lock yourself out of pretty much everything. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Kiki โ€“ The accountability monster for people who are easily distracted
    Happy to see it still exists, and free https://selfcontrolapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • How do you fight YouTube addiction and procrastination? I'm struggling with it
    I have found that a useful method for getting distractions off my work laptop has been https://selfcontrolapp.com/ (if you're on mac). - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Using an $8 smart outlet to avoid brainrot
    Pro tip for macos/ios folks: - Macos: Install https://selfcontrolapp.com/, add every website and their alternatives you know, set it to 24 hours. Really hard to bypass this even if you know networking stuff - iOS: Enable downtime 24/7 ask someone else to set the password. I'm down to about 35 minutes a day of mobile usage, and laptop usage is only work related things. You really need two or three days to clear... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • My 30-Year Quitting Addiction
    There is a free and open source app called SelfControl for macOS. It allows one to block access to any site one adds to the list in the app for the amount of time the user chooses. Attempt to use multiple browsers, restarting one's machine, deleting the app, etc. won't get around the block either. It's been super helpful for me, so I thought I'd just throw it out there. https://selfcontrolapp.com. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Evernote and SelfControl, you can also consider the following products

OneNote - Get the OneNote app for free on your tablet, phone, and computer, so you can capture your ideas and to-do lists in one place wherever you are. Or try OneNote with Office for free.

Cold Turkey - Cold Turkey is a free productivity program that you can use to temporarily block distractions so that you can get your work done!

Notion - All-in-one workspace. One tool for your whole team. Write, plan, and get organized.

Freedom.to - Freedom is a productivity hack that lets you block apps, websites or the entire Internet on iPhones, iPads, Windows and Mac computers.

Google Keep - Capture notes, share them with others, and access them from your computer, phone or tablet. Free with a Google account.

FocusMe - The website blocker you can't cheat