With everything moving to the cloud, it can be hard to find a good online word processor that works just as well when you go offline. Fortunately, not only do such word processors still exist, but some are aesthetic note-taking apps that make writing a simple joy.

Let's explore the best aesthetic note-taking websites and apps that also work when the internet goes down.

1. Litewrite (Web, Chrome)

Litewrite

This aesthetic notes app is as minimal as they come. It was partially inspired by iA Writer, a popular text editor for Mac and iOS.

When you open the Litewrite website, you'll be greeted by a default introductory note. Click on the tiny Add (+) icon at the top left and you can start taking notes right away.

All your notes appear as a list tucked away in a discrete sidebar. When you scale down the browser window, the app hides the sidebar options within a clickable list icon. Also, there are a handful of shortcuts to create and switch between notes.

Despite its cloud-based presence, you don't have to worry about losing your work when your internet goes down. All of your notes are backed up to your browser so you can continue your offline note-taking until the internet returns.

You can also sync up your data to the cloud, so you always have access to your files. If you're not one for trusting third-party clouds, don't worry; you can use remoteStorage, Dropbox, or Google Drive to keep your data synced. And if you don't know which of the last two you should use, we've compared Dropbox versus Google Drive versus OneDrive in the past.

Of course, it's never a good idea to enter confidential information into an online writing service if you don't know what lurks within the service's code. Fortunately, Litewrite is open-source and available on GitHub, meaning the service has nothing to hide from you.

If you're a Chrome user, install Litewrite's Chrome app for easy access. When it's time to make notes, just head to your app list, select Litewrite, and the word processor will pop up ready for some note-taking.

Unfortunately, at the time of writing, the web application and the Chrome app are the extents of Litewrite's presence. There are no official programs to download or apps to install, so those who are easily distracted when their browser is open may not gel so well with Litewrite.

2. Laverna (Web, Windows, Mac, Linux)

Laverna

Markdown-based Laverna has a slightly more advanced setup than Litewrite. But that hasn't made its UI too complex or difficult to navigate. If you ever used Evernote, you'll find Laverna's approach similar.

With the app's aesthetic UI to guide you, you should have no trouble taking notes and creating notebooks. The main screen of the app provides a list of all your notes in a sidebar on the left.

The Settings section comes with options to add remote storage, link to Dropbox, import or export settings, switch between modes, and more. You can navigate the UI using keyboard shortcuts, which are also listed in the settings.

Related: What Is Dropbox? The Unofficial Dropbox User Guide

If you poke around the settings for long enough, you'll also come across encryption options. For a note-taking app, Laverna has a surprisingly customizable layer of encryption that you can tweak to your own liking.

For instance, you can easily re-generate the encryption salt should you believe the one you've been using is compromised. You can also tweak the factor it's strengthened by, the key size, and the authentication strength to ensure nobody spies on your notes.

If the above terms sound interesting, but you have no idea what they mean, don't worry. There's always time to learn about basic encryption terms so you can better control your privacy online.

Unfortunately, there's no official support for mobile devices at the time of writing. However, the Laverna team is working on an Android version, so keep your eyes peeled for a future update.

3. Standard Notes (Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS)

Standard Notes

Want to keep things standard and simple? Then be sure to check out Standard Notes. There are no flashy features or dazzling effects; just a plain, simple note-taker for the working professional.

Using Standard Notes is easy. Just click the Add (+) button at the top of the notes list and start creating a note. You can tag them for easy sorting later, and every tag you use appears in the left sidebar.

You can use the web version for your typing, meaning you have access to your notes no matter what PC you're using. If you create an account with the website, your notes are synced to the cloud to be accessed anywhere.

When the internet connection drops out, that doesn't mean you need to stop taking notes. You can download one of Standard Notes' aesthetic, offline note-taking apps which don't require an internet connection to work. Just sync up your work before you go and type away while you're off the radar.

Best of all, Standard Notes is a fantastic choice for anyone with a privacy mindset. It ticks two boxes that any privacy advocate should look out for; it's open-source, and it encrypts all the notes you sync before sending them to the cloud. This means that not only are your notes safe from external eyes, but you can be sure that the Standard Notes developers aren't spying on you either.

Best of all, there's no limit to what device you can use Standard Notes on. It supports all major operating systems both PC and mobile, so you can take your notes everywhere you go no matter what device you own.

Note-Taking at Its Effective Best

Note-taking apps like Evernote are great. But if you need only the most basic features to work with, all the bells and whistles of feature-rich apps can be distracting. In that case, it's best to opt for unobtrusive apps like Simplenote or the selection of aesthetic notes apps we just covered.

Of course, we're only scratching the surface of note-taking apps. Given the simplicity of a word processor, lots of developers have created what they believe makes a great productivity tool. As such, be sure to check out other unique note-taking apps before choosing one to be your work buddy.