Best Notepad Extensions for Chrome (2026), Compared

Best notepad extensions for Chrome

For a side-panel notepad that stays open next to the page, try Note Sidebar or My Notes. For a notepad on every new tab, Papier. For a simple offline toolbar notepad, Chrome Notes. For notes synced with your phone, Google Keep. For offline notes with password encryption and an optional Google Drive backup, NotePADD.

We make NotePADD, so we are not neutral. Below are the notepad extensions we would consider ourselves, with what each does best and where it falls short, from their Chrome Web Store listings. Facts checked on 11 November 2026; other extensions change, so check the listing before you install.

The options at a glance

Extension	Where it opens	Account	Offline	Password	Sync / backup
NotePADD (HotPanCake)	Toolbar popup	No	Yes	Optional encryption	Optional, your Google Drive
Chrome Notes	Toolbar popup	No	Yes	Not advertised	Backups
Note Sidebar	Side panel	No (Google for Drive)	Yes	Not advertised	Save to Google Drive
My Notes – Side Panel Notepad	Side panel	No	Yes	Not advertised	Not advertised (local-first)
Papier	New-tab page	No	Yes	Not advertised	Not advertised
Google Keep Chrome Extension	Toolbar popup	Google account	Needs sign-in	No	Google Keep on all devices

NotePADD

Best for: private quick notes in Chrome without an account. Several notes with search, checklists and formatting; saved on your computer, offline; optional AES-256 password encryption with auto-lock; optional backup to a spreadsheet in your own Google Drive; CSV export. Limits: opens as a popup, not a side panel, so it closes when you click the page; no phone app; the Drive backup keeps plain text and does not merge edits from two computers. More about NotePADD.

Chrome Notes

Best for: a simple toolbar notepad that works offline, with backups and speech-to-text input. Compared with NotePADD: a lighter tool; its listing does not mention password encryption.

Best for: notes that stay open in Chrome's side panel next to the page you are reading, with saving to Google Drive. Compared with NotePADD: better if you take notes while reading a long page; no password encryption mentioned.

My Notes – Side Panel Notepad

Best for: private, local-first notes in the side panel, with checklists and search, no account and offline use. Its wording is closest to ours. Compared with NotePADD: stays open in the side panel; NotePADD adds password encryption, auto-lock and a Drive backup.

Papier

Best for: people who want a notepad on every new tab: open a tab, start typing. Compared with NotePADD: zero clicks to reach it, but it replaces your new-tab page and lives in a tab rather than over the page you are reading.

Google Keep Chrome Extension

Best for: people who already use Google Keep and want to save pages, images and text to it from Chrome. Everything syncs to the Keep apps on your phone. Compared with NotePADD: needs a Google account and a connection to sign in; no note passwords. NotePADD vs Google Keep in detail.

How to choose

Where should it open? Side panel (stays open), toolbar popup (one click, then gone), or new tab.
Offline and no account? Check that notes are stored on your computer.
Private notes? Look for real encryption with a password, not just "secure" in the description.
More than one computer? Check how sync works and what happens when two computers edit.
Permissions. A notepad has no reason to read and change data on all websites.

Not sure an extension is needed at all? See the built-in options in how to take notes in Chrome and sticky notes vs a notepad.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best notepad extension for Chrome?

It depends on where you want the notepad: in the side panel next to the page, on the new-tab page, or behind a toolbar icon. Check whether it works offline, needs an account, and whether you need a password or sync.

Is there a notepad extension with a password?

Few have one. NotePADD can encrypt note contents with a password (AES-256) and lock itself after a time you choose.

Are notepad extensions safe?

Choose one that stores notes on your computer or in an account you control, explains its permissions and does not ask to read every website without a reason. A notepad does not need access to the pages you visit.

Which notepad extension stays open while I browse?

A side-panel notepad, such as Note Sidebar or My Notes, stays open next to the page. Toolbar notepads like NotePADD and Chrome Notes close when you click the page; new-tab notepads like Papier live in their own tab.