Speed Test: Why a "Chat-Style" Note App is Faster Than Apple Notes

The best note-taking app isn't the one with the most features. It’s the one that opens the fastest.

We have all been there.
You are walking down the street, or standing in line for coffee. A brilliant idea hits you. Or maybe you just remembered you need to pay the electric bill.

You pull out your phone. You tap "Notes."
You wait for iCloud to sync. You tap the "New Note" button. The cursor blinks in the "Title" field.
“Do I need a title? Should I put this in the ‘Personal’ folder or the ‘To-Do’ folder?”

By the time you have made those micro-decisions, the thought has evaporated.

This is why millions of people have stopped using "Note Apps" entirely. Instead, they open WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal and text themselves.

It’s messy, sure. But it’s fast.

But what if you could have that blazing speed without the mess?
We ran a speed test between the traditional "Folder-First" model (Apple Notes) and the "Input-First" model (Penso).

Here is why the Chat-Style interface is the future of capture.

1. The Anatomy of Friction

Traditional apps like Apple Notes or Evernote are built on the "Document Model."
They treat every thought like a Word document. It implies that what you are about to write is significant. It demands a Title. It demands a Folder.

This creates Cognitive Drag.
Every time you have to tap "New Note," your brain hesitates.

The Penso Approach (The Input Bar):
Penso is built on the "Chat Model."
When you open the app, the keyboard is already waiting. There is a persistent Input Bar at the bottom of the screen—just like texting a friend.

• No "New Note" button.

• No Titles.

• No Folders.

You just type and hit send. The friction isn't just reduced; it is eliminated.

2. The "Multimedia" Race

Let's say you want to capture a moment—a sound, a photo, or a voice memo.

In Apple Notes:

1. Open Note.

2. Tap the Camera icon.

3. Select "Take Photo or Video."

4. Capture.

5. Tap "Use Photo."

In Penso:
Look at the bottom bar.
The Camera 📷 and Mic 🎙️ buttons are sitting right there next to the text box.

• Tap the Mic to capture a melody or a meeting snippet instantly.

• Tap the Camera to snap a whiteboard or a receipt.

It saves you three clicks. In the economy of attention, three clicks is the difference between capturing a memory and letting it slip away.

3. Rapid Logging vs. Formatting

In a traditional app, if you want to make a checklist, you have to find the formatting menu, select the checkbox style, and then type.

Penso adopts the Rapid Logging philosophy (inspired by the Bullet Journal method).
There is a small "P" icon right next to the text box.

• Tap it once to make a Task (●).

• Tap it again to make a Note (—).

You are categorizing your thought as you type it, using a simple visual shorthand. You aren't formatting a document; you are logging a data point.

4. The "Search" vs. "Scroll" Problem

The biggest downside of "texting yourself" in WhatsApp is the retrieval.
You know you sent yourself that link three weeks ago, but now it’s buried under 50 "grocery list" texts.

This is where Penso leaves chat apps behind.
While it feels like a chat, it acts like a database.

• Tags: You can add #ideas or #work right in the input bar.

• Search: Tap the Search icon in the top bar. Because Penso is Local-First, it doesn't wait for a server to index your notes. It finds that specific tag or keyword instantly.

You get the capture speed of a text message, with the recall power of a computer.

The Verdict: Friction is the Enemy of Thought

Your brain doesn't think in documents. It thinks in streams.
It thinks in sudden bursts, fragments, and images.

If your tool forces you to slow down and "file" those bursts before you capture them, you lose the essence of the idea.

The "Text-to-Self" habit was a signal. It showed us that we care more about speed than structure.
Penso just listened to that signal.

Try the Speed Test Today

Next time you have a thought, don't open the heavy app. don't open the chat app where your boss is messaging you.

1. Open Penso.

2. Look at the bottom bar.

3. Type one sentence.

4. Hit Send.

See how much lighter that feels?