Best Free & Paid Personal Knowledge Management Apps (PKM) for Note-Taking
Note-taking has become much more advanced and now allows for much deeper note-taking, thought expansion and networked thought to occur using powerful note apps called PKM apps, or Personal Knowledge Management Apps. PKM apps have become increasingly popular as you can do three things that aren't within traditional note-taking tools like connecting notes together, graph views and backlinks that better resurface the notes you take for use in the future. The objective of PKM apps is designed to better help you to collect the most important thoughts, notes, journal entries and ideas all in one place building out a network of thoughts. PKM apps are recommended and used by folks like Tiago Forte, Anne-Laure Le Cunff and Nick Milo and consist of apps like Obsidian, Reflect Notes & Tana as some PKM tools.
Obsidian is a locally stored note-taking application with millions of PKM fans.
Logseq is a note-taking application with whiteboards, networked thought & graph.
Standard Notes is a secure E2E note-taking application with a simple markdown nature.
RemNote is an advanced note-taking app popular with students for creating flashcards.
Notesnook is an E2E note taking application with a focus of privacy and security.
Roam Research is for networked thought for connecting ideas, notes and thoughts.
Workflowy is an outliner based note-taking application with a way to connect notes.
Evernote is a note-taking application with tasks, calendar and AI features inside.
A notes app with calendar functions for connecting dates with your daily notes.
Mem is an AI focused note-taking application with no folders and AI-chat for notes.
Thunk Notes wants to host your notes connected and organized in one location.
Plume wants to be a super fast note-taking app for markdown lovers and note-takers.
PKM Apps & Tools
Understanding PKM Tools Further
What are PKM Apps?
Personal knowledge management apps, better known as PKM apps, are used to take ideas, thoughts, and notes in one place and use networked thought to connect notes together to better bring them into a system like your brain, interconnected.
Why are PKM apps popular?
Connecting notes is much better with PKM apps and tools. They can connect notes using backlinks, block references, and graph views to visualize notes more effectively.
How do I start a PKM note-taking system?
Some of the best starting points are using systems like the Second Brain or concepts talked about like Zettlekasten to begin the structure of your note-taking PKM setup.