My experience with Nimbus Notes (beware)

[ChickenBright3614 5]

I'll start by saying this isn't a pro-Evernote post. I've been looking for viable Evernote alternatives for years and recently went all in with Nimbus Notes.

Using a free account, I was very happy with the functionality and formatting options provided and the import from Evernote was excellent. My notes never looked better.

Then I started getting a warning about my account using over 10000 blocks and noticed I could no longer edit or add notes. I only had approximately 500 notes so why was I getting a warning about 10000. Well it turns out a block is a "line" in a note and after my 30 day grace period this warning flagged up. In those 30 days I was so happy with the import and editing options that I didn't even consider moving elsewhere and deleted my Evernote account.

For some reason the 10000 blocks warning has now been replaced by the "You've reached the 30 notes limit per workspace for free accounts" (see the attached screenshot). This pops up immediately even after I click cancel. Forcing me to pay for Pro.

Anyway I decided to migrate away from Nimbus Notes but their only export options are PDF and HTML. PDF is not an option. So I bulk migrated my 500 notes with the HTML option and ended up with 500 zip files. I then extracted all 500 zip files to reveal my 500 HTML files. I dragged and dropped a few of my HTML files into Bear (you have to do this individually) but noticed that I had no "tag" data and no "attachments".

Basically my notes are trapped in Nimbus Notes now.

So hear are my options:

1. Pay Nimbus Notes to allow me to access my Notes (sound familiar?),
2. Manually copy from Nimbus Notes to Bear.

Be very careful with Nimbus Notes. There is something off about this company. They have beautiful import options that support multiple applications but their export options don't exist. Once you're in you better pay them or you will lose access to your data.

[eric99 978]

That's exactly the reason that I stick with Evernote because my data can be imported by most note taking apps that want to compete with EN.

In the worst case, I can even write an importer myself because the ENEX format is very well documented and formally described in an XML scheme.

Edit: I don't understand why you removed your FREE Evernote account ?  Maybe, you still have an ENEX backup that can be used for the Bear import or to restore your Evernote account?

[gazumped 11,637]

I've got 55K notes in Evernote and I had already decided that if I ever move away from this company I'll start a new 'clean' account with a new provider.  Where I need content from Evernote I can copy,  clip (if that's an option) or email (also if...) it into my new account - but in my case at least Evernote is my 'reference library'.  99% of the content is just look-up information and history with a very small element of work in progress.

I can move that 1% to a new home,  and as long as my Evernote account remains available it's just my go-to look-up resource.  If I were to spend a month or two getting everything converted over to a new home I'd just be wasting most of my time.

YMMV!

[ChickenBright3614 5]

On 10/21/2021 at 7:42 PM, eric99 said:

I don't understand why you removed your FREE Evernote account ?  Maybe, you still have an ENEX backup

It's mostly because I'm an idiot. I have this tendency to move forward so, for instance, once I decided that Nimbus was going to be my note taking app I erased the past. To be fair Nimbus literally had everything I needed until I started receiving those warnings after the 30 day grace period.

I wish I had my ENEX file... 

[eric99 978]

12 minutes ago, Nygaard said:

Did any of you try getupnote.com? I really like the design, but I am not sure if I should make the switch. I am really dissapointed with EN. They seam to ignore feedback. Still no zoom in pdf on android. Still not possible to annotate pdf with pen in windows (EN actually replied that they were aware of the issue and suggested I used the legacy edition!! That was months ago but still not fixed ) etc. 

No, not tested yet, BUT please look first at the export options !!!

[PinkElephant 8,045]

@Nygaard EN rolls out a completely recoded app. Now everybody has his pet functions, and cries „They ignore me“ when it does not show up.

They probably ignore nobody - they follow the agile software development concept. They released a core app initially, and now add feature by feature with every release.

Typically what is today in its design phase will be coded next, then follows QA and then release preparations (which include adaptation of help documents, tutorials etc.). So probably with 10.23 released they have internally already everything up to 10.30 defined and in the making.

So just enjoy every release as a miracle package, I am sure there is plenty to come. Eventually your functions will show up as well.

[WilliamL 653]

I’m afraid this isn’t surprising. There’s been so many shady things about Nimbus, I would go back to paper before I considered them an option. I hope you can get your data into a format that helps you. Thankfully I got a good discount with EN recently for the year so I’ll see how the next year unfolds. 

[PinkElephant 8,045]

@Nygaard Have a better idea ?

[agsteele 2,933]

11 minutes ago, Nygaard said:

I don't consider the ability to zoom on a PDF on my phone or the ability to use my pen in windows for annotation as "my personal pet functions".

But, as it happens, I can do both of those things in Evernote 10 and Android.

I just opened a note containing a PDF - opened the PDF as was able to zoom in and out with the typical finger pinch in Android.

In Windows, I took my pen, started a new Sketch note (the equivalent of the Ink note in Legacy) and it worked just as expected. The pen never worked in a standard note in Legacy and doesn't in v10.  So these functions appear to me just as they have aways been. I am also able to annotate a PDF on my desktop with a pen. Actually I don't typically do this but I tested and it worked.

[PinkElephant 8,045]

PDF Annotation works as it ever did: By typing a text, with a rather clumsy tool. The tool is the same as in the Skitch app, which AFAIK is available for MacOS and iOS only. There is not pen mode for annotation. The only pen based function are some graphical tools for setting markups or highlights, boxes, pixelate a selection etc.

On iOS I can zoom in a lot in view mode, even up to filling the screen of the iPhone with a few letters - this should be sufficient for everybody. But once in annotation mode, I can't zoom at all - which is a huge restriction. 

On the Mac, it is just the other way: In viewer mode, it does not zoom the pdf - it only zooms the note view in total. But in annotation mode there is a full zoom control, in and out.

Still some work to do on these modes, it seems.

[mcarrara 6]

I did pay for Nimbus and moved everything from Evernote to Nimbus.  I have returned from Nimbus (partially) but can't export anything.  When I tried PDF all of them are blank. Good thing I had kept my EV account active.

That said I now use two apps.  I really like the multiple workspaces in Nimbus, however that is the only thing I like over Evernote.  I use Nimbus as reference storage. If EV included multiple workspaces (at the same price) I could total leave Nimbus.

Mark

[gazumped 11,637]

2 hours ago, mcarrara said:

If EV included multiple workspaces

What defines a 'workspace'?  Mine are all separate notes,  or dedicated notebooks...

[doson 6]

I tried nimbus but deleted after few hours. Better stick to Evernote for another decade.

[dbvirago 497]

I bought a lifetime business plan in Nimbus for $59 last year through some special. I use it for a backup for EN and an escape route if needed. During the period when the Android app was completely useless, it was my goto for mobile. Now, I only have to resort to it occasionally. 

FYI, the block limit was similar to what Notion had for a while. It didn't work for them either and they have a more 'unlimited' plan

[Powerfab 43]

I picked up the same lifetime plan as dbvirago. 

I migrated over my entire EN database, 17,600 notes at last count. The migration was primarily as a backup, but I also wanted to see how it performed with this amount of notes as reviews were mixed on its ability once “loaded up”

So what’s my thoughts? A mixed bag really.  The migration was slow, I exported EN notebook at a time and checked batch number count once migrated. I didn’t loose any notes in the migration but it took several days, sometimes leaving it to do its thing over night. It might have been better to do one EN dump and upload, I don’t know.

Password encrypted files didn’t carry across properly, that was to be expected. They’re there but illegible. I didn’t revisit them for security reasons, but it wouldn’t have been much of an issue to have resolved them had I needed to do so.

What I have found annoying is that some files reverted to incorrect creation dates. They bear no resemblance to their original. I’d say probably a few 100 have done this, but I haven’t been able to determine a pattern or if the issue is EN’s or Nimbus.
 

So in operation Nimbus hasn’t faltered as a web app. But just like EN sync to the desktop app or both my iOS phone and iPad has been poor. The green elephant wheel replaced with a more discrete probing bar at the top of the screen. 
It’s no faster or slower than EN in this regard, but it means it has no advantage to warrant switching. They’re both based on Electron and the limitations of the coding reflect similarly on both. 

Nimbus has some nice formatting touches. The block editing similar to Notion works well. But it also has some strange design decisions. Files can be attached inline, or alternatively as attachments to the note. Both can be present in the same note, but attachments cannot be viewed within the note. 

Likewise todo’s are confined to a collapsible sidebar within the note. Unfortunately these cannot have an assigned date, nor can you perform a search for todo’s. In reality this means they get lost once you move through notes or other folders.

I’ve decided to stick with EN for now. I can’t really put my finger on it, perhaps just familiarity and the time invested in it, but EN remains a powerful draw.

Nimbus has a lot going for it. If I thought EN were not going to improve further in the coming months I’d consider Nimbus as I don’t see anything else cross platform of equal ability. For now, my loyalty remains with EN, hoping things keep improving and become more stable.

 

[mcarrara 6]

@gazumped Separate workspaces are like separate notebooks.  Different notes , stacks and tags.  Completely separate, but you can link between them.   I have four, one for general references, one for travel, one for small projects and one for my hobbies.  

While Nimbus does link to Google Drive Docs, it does not have the calendar integration of EN. I also prefer the way EN deals with attachments.  So for now I run both.

[mcarrara 6]

I'm glad there are choices in the note taking space,  Competition leads to improvements for users.  No one program can be everything for everyone, different people have different needs and work styles.

One more comment on Nimbus.  I feel the developers are more concerned with presentation and looks of the note than in other areas.  That's their choice and I accept it.

For my needs and work style Evernote does almost all I need.  It is my primary note taking app. At the same time I supplement it with other apps.  Nimbus is one of those apps.  I also include Google things (whatever they are calling it this month, GSuite, Google Apps, Workspaces, whatever.) As wells as Samsung Notes on my phone.

[ChickenBright3614 5]

The purpose of my post was to highlight the lack of export features in Nimbus. Sure it's a great app with great formatting, but without any viable export options you will be stuck in Nimbus.

I'm currently without all my notes simply because I'm not in the mood to start copying and pasting nearly 500 notes. I will have to get around to it at some point but right now I can think of a million other things I'd rather do...

[AndreasES 1]

Would it not work to export PDF from nimbus, then convert from PDF to TXT and then import into Evernote?

[AlbertR 511]

Es müssten schon super-duper-wichtige Notizen sein, die jemanden zwingen, überhaupt an so etwas zu denken 😉
Mit einer Konvertierung in Text geht jedes Bild und jede Formatierung verloren. Außerdem kann EN auch in PDFs suchen...
Falls du hier reingeschneit bist, weil du auch auf Nimbus reingefallen bist oder noch damit liebäugelst: Vergiss' es einfach und du sparst viel Zeit... Mach's wie @eric99 und @gazumped es gleich zu Beginn des Threads als direkte Antworten beschrieben haben.

[lulzrawr 5]

Thanks for sharing your experience with Nimbus.

Being sorely disappointed with Evernote's version 10, I'm actively looking for an Evernote alternative. Nimbus is one of the first that I tried. My first impression with Nimbus was extremely positive, but then two major flaws revealed themselves. The first problem with Nimbus is that I can't toggle off the note view in the UI. This is one of the changes in Evernote's version 10 that led me to look for an alternative, so it is a dealbreaker. The second problem is that I can't nest tags in Nimbus. The ability to nest tags is one of Evernote's best features, and I haven't found an alternative program that has this feature.

One major positive thing about Nimbus that Evernote does not have is that tags can be clicked from within a note, the result of the click being the same as if it were clicked from in the sidebar - it searches for all the notes with the tag. However, this is not enough of a positive to overlook the two previously mentioned dealbreakers.

This thread reinforces my choice not to switch to Nimbus. It is a pity, it did seem like it had potential. 
 

[eric99 978]

1 hour ago, lulzrawr said:

Thanks for sharing your experience with Nimbus.

The first problem with Nimbus is that I can't toggle off the note view in the UI. This is one of the changes in Evernote's version 10 that led me to look for an alternative, so it is a dealbreaker. 

What exactly do you mean by toggle off the note view in the UI ?

[lulzrawr 5]

29 minutes ago, eric99 said:

What exactly do you mean by toggle off the note view in the UI ?

In previous versions of Evernote, it was possible to view your note list as a compact detailed list of notes, with columns that you can select yourself, and sort as you wish, without the note panel.

In this view, you need to open your note in a new window to read it, but it is a clean and crisp view. Frankly, I do not need or want previews of notes shoved in my face all the time. If I decide to view or edit a note, I'll prefer to view it or edit it in a full screen.

 

[PinkElephant 8,045]

You can edit the note list, adding or removing columns as you like. There are not all options available as in legacy, but most of them.

The note view is there, that’s it.

You can contact EN through the feedback function build into the browser.

[eric99 978]

22 hours ago, lulzrawr said:

In previous versions of Evernote, it was possible to view your note list as a compact detailed list of notes, with columns that you can select yourself, and sort as you wish, without the note panel.

In this view, you need to open your note in a new window to read it, but it is a clean and crisp view. Frankly, I do not need or want previews of notes shoved in my face all the time. If I decide to view or edit a note, I'll prefer to view it or edit it in a full screen.

 

In V10 you can also  configure a note list as a compact detailed list of notes without thumbnails or previews, with columns that you can select yourself. Sorting is possible as well, but not on all columns.

[lulzrawr 5]

9 hours ago, eric99 said:

In V10 you can also  configure a note list as a compact detailed list of notes without thumbnails or previews, with columns that you can select yourself. Sorting is possible as well, but not on all columns.

Thank you, yes I'm fully aware of this. You have side-stepped the point - v10 takes away the option to turn off the note panel in the UI.

 

[eric99 978]

On 5/11/2022 at 7:35 AM, lulzrawr said:

Thank you, yes I'm fully aware of this. You have side-stepped the point - v10 takes away the option to turn off the note panel in the UI.

 

Sorry, I misunderstood the problem. The best work around is to use the left side note list and maximize it as wide as possible.  Then you double click the required note to open it in full screen.  This would be perfect if there was no width limitation,I don't understand why EN engineers restricted it.

[stephmag 6]

I moved from EN to Nimbus end of 2020. I loved the editing features, import went well, even if had to relink the notes manually (for about 6.000 notes).
But... it went out to be a catastrophy. Some month ago I almost lost all my notes, used another month for restoring them note after note and until today, it is slow, very slow, looses data, doesn´t synchronize correctly over different devices.... It is a note-taking-app not able to manage notes 
If somebody is interested in the full drama, read here.
I still have my free EN account and my notes from 2020 and would like to come back as paying customer to EN. And I know lots of people who would like the same. At the moment I am using both systems in parallel because as written from a lot of people here, there is no valid option for getting stuff from NN to EN.
Therefore, if there would be a cool importing feature in Evernote (or a script with the same effect) for NN-notes, people would leave Nimbus in droves.
Any developer hearing the call? :)

[agsteele 2,933]

I don't think that you have a route to export back to Evernote.  I would treat Nim,bus Notes as an archive. If you are returning to Evernote then start from today. Everything new goes into Evernote. Any note that you have to access and update in Nimbus manually copy across to Evernote. Anything in Nimbus that isn't touched gets to stay in Nimbus. Working note by note as you need to move something over will take small amounts of time and, quite quickly, you'll have everything current in Evernote.

 

[gazumped 11,637]

8 minutes ago, stephmag said:

Any developer hearing the call? 

I admire your optimism,  but this topic has been around for a while - I think you're more likely to get suggestions for ways to move data rather than an offer write a new script...  having said which;  if you still have all your old data in Evernote,  is there much new /edited stuff to move?

I was going to go on and suggest you continue working in Evernote and just deal with updating individual cases as and when you need to,  but @agsteele got there before me!!

[stephmag 6]

8 minutes ago, agsteele said:

 I would treat Nim,bus Notes as an archive. If you are returning to Evernote then start from today. Everything new goes into Evernote. Any note that you have to access and update in Nimbus manually copy across to Evernote. Anything in Nimbus that isn't touched gets to stay in Nimbus. Working note by note as you need to move something over will take small amounts of time and, quite quickly, you'll have everything current in Evernote.

 

In a way this what I am doing at the moment. Funny thing is that I used EN for about 10 years before switching to NN, therefore, some notes are already existing in EN, but not in the newest versions. But just to leave it mostly in NN is not an option because I almost manage everything in a note-taking-app, documentation, project management, knowledge-base. I must access it often. But for now I am doing exactly what you are suggesting

[stephmag 6]

10 minutes ago, gazumped said:

I admire your optimism,  but this topic has been around for a while - I think you're more likely to get suggestions for ways to move data rather than an offer write a new script...  having said which;  if you still have all your old data in Evernote,  is there much new /edited stuff to move?

Yeah, it is... 

And #optimism  I think that such an import system would not be that difficult as a batch approach. The HTML-export from NN is something which gets your note into EN, but with lots of manual steps. But nothing a specified crawler would not be able to do. And if Evernote gets more clients with such a tool? Basically this was Nimbus approach to get people away from Evernote.

[agsteele 2,933]

I don't know anything about the export formats for Nimbus Notes. My guess is that you would need to findan application that would make an intermediate step for you.

I was able to create an ENEX file by undertaking a document merge process.  It was a proof of concept thing for me but I was able to create a two document ENEX from a CSV file which contained the data. I guess that I should be able to convert an HTML export to XML since that is all ENEX really is. But the task will take you longer than the gradual switch I suggested

[zolee 13]

Nimbus is worst. I am saying this after using it for 2 years and being excited in the begining.

Sometimes you are wondering are they really out of their minds. Gaslightinng is mode of operation for support.

https://support.nimbusweb.co/portal/en/community/topic/nimbus-web-cannot-be-used-at-all-not-even-to-read-cached-not-if-there-is-no-internet

 

Do not ever switch to NB. Funny thing is that I acctualy like it better then evernote but they became unebarable too.

1. YOU DO NOT OWN YOUR NOTES

There is no way of fully exporting your notes and OWNING THEM.
There is no way of even fully exporting them for backup to reimport them back to NB in case of NB servers failure.
All you have is c*apy html export and pdf print screen. If you reimport html back to NB you get ONLY text, no pics, no tags, no original date of creation, last update date, no nothing! Pdf is just a screenshot and cannot be reimported back at all.

Once NB is down you ARE screwed!

 

2. YOU CAN'T WORK OFFLINE

Nimbus web version, you cannot offline read already loaded note let allone edit to be synced later.

To make it clear. You load the note and note is displayed on the screen. You are reading the note. BUT, if it happens that you loose internet connection there will be grey overaly over WHOLE screen telling you that you don't have int. connection and you WILL NOT BE able to continue reading your note. Edit and sync when you get your int connection back is out of question of coruse. IT WAS NOT LIKE THAT. It was like Evernote and any other web version of note taking apps. THIS IS A NEW FEATURE!!!
They supose that you have internet access everywere at any single point on earht while you travel and that never ever you will have no internet connection issues.

 

3. BUGS BUGS BUGS
Programing team is bug factory team. They will not solve bugs. Here and there they will half do something about them but basicaly NO, you cannot count on bugs being solved!!! 

 

4. SUPPORT WIL GASLIGHT YOU AND TREAT YOU LITERALY LIKE AN IDIOT.

Look at the provided link, but then also read some other treads over there.

 

5. SLOWEST NOTE EDITING APP I EVER ENCOUNTERED

 

If you didn't already switch to Nimbus and if you love yourself DO NOT DO IT!
I love many of the features, but it is not worth the trouble.

[PinkElephant 8,045]

Thanks for pointing at some issues about Nimbus. I always feel that before switching to any note taking app, one should take a close look at the possibility to export your own data again. This is important, more so than the often discussed import tools.

Out of curiosity, and for a more balanced view: What would be THE ONE feature you found in Nimbus and would love to have in EN as well ?

[zolee 13]

There would be many features. I love NB. I do. It is much better Note taking and editing app but this 5 things for me made it ubearable to continue, number 1 being most serious issue and number 2 straw that broke the camel's back. 4-5 were serious but, hey I'll survive and hope they will fix that.

Most horible thing for me is imposibility for real offline backup. My whole life and work is in the notes. Not being able to work offline in web version is serious as I do work only in web version on laptop and android on phone and often on the go and on the places where internet is skechy or I can't acces it. Before I was able to start work where I have internet. Hibernate laptop before travel. While I travel open laptop and continue editing same note that I already opened. Note would sync when I get internet. Not that is imosible.

What would I like to see in the Evernote to be happy.

1. Right click menu that also comes up automaticaly soon as txt is selected.

2. Paragrahps (blocks) that you can move arround. Evernote kind of has them but only for bullet points. Whole NB is centered arround "blocks"

3. Collapsible bulet points structures etc.

4. Outline that is automaticaly made following header structure

5. They are preparing I think possibility that public shared notes can be edited by people who dont have NB (like checking checkboxes)

6. As I remember, recording quality in EN for audio notes was HORIBLE before. Don't know if it is better now. NB is perfect.

Many other things.

NB IS BETTER SOFTWARE but in the same time it is WORST one too and in the most crucial things.

I would want to stay in NB but this is just too dangerous and my work is sabotaged with their crazy offline "feature". They basicaly killed it for offline work.

[gazumped 11,637]

4 hours ago, zolee said:

recording quality in EN for audio notes was HORIBLE before.

Hi.  Don't know if things have improved any now,  but I'd suggest that using a note-taking app to record any sound (especially if you want quality) is not a good idea.  I use Audacity on my Windows laptop and desktop,  and a separate app on Android.  So many reasons - better controls on playback / no risk you'll fat-finger the recording closed or run out of storage space...  MP3 and WAV files can be attached to notes and played from there...  Not the point of your comments I know,  but it's a sore point for me!

[Boot17 1,438]

8 hours ago, zolee said:

NB IS BETTER SOFTWARE

Not for me. I've tried it and there were a lot of things that I didn't like about it compared to Evernote. So I guess I have the best of both worlds.

[zolee 13]

You are lucky you didnt move to NB... 

Just to think that in the begining I was 1000% NB fan and now I hate the day I first heard of them!

I am not sure EN is for me. Thinking of Notion.

EDIT. Just realised notion cant record audio notes nor can scan documents. Big turn off for me. Otherwise I like it even if it is bit complicated.

[zolee 13]

On 2/14/2023 at 4:59 AM, Boot17 said:

Not for me. I've tried it and there were a lot of things that I didn't like about it compared to Evernote. So I guess I have the best of both worlds.

I should have phrase it it differently. NB app really suits me fully!