Best Note-Taking Apps for 2024: Reviewed, Tested & Curated
Best Note Taking Apps
31st Oct, 2024
Take better notes and organize your thoughts and ideas with PKM tools, all-round note-taking tools and advanced tools with new AI abilities, here's our top note-taking picks.
Note-taking apps can be powerful tools in your arsenal.
They have been successful in helping people better organize their lives, achieve promotions, and even build the most prominent companies we see today. Even Leonardo Da Vinci was an avid note-taker. Tools like note apps can take you far by allowing your mind to remember things without the pressures of storing that information.
Practices like GTD by David Allen and Second Brain by Tiago Forte have all been birthed from the art of note-taking, and the impact it can have on your daily life can be fruitful.
Our Best Notes Apps: Shortlisted for 2024
These are the best note-taking applications we've hand-selected for this year:
Tool | What is it? | Pricing Starts At |
|---|---|---|
PKM note-taking for advanced note-takers | Free, $4 per month | |
Outliner app for nesting notes together | Free, $4.99 per month | |
Student note-taking software with flashcards | Free, $8 per month | |
Markdown editor note-taking app for iOS & mac | Free, $29.99 per year | |
Quick and easy note-taking app with cards | Free, $10 per month | |
Friendly and affordable notes app with covers | Free, $29.99 per year | |
Minimal, PKM-style notes app with secure notes | $10 per month | |
All-round note-taking with sketch abilities | Free | |
GTD-focused note-taking application with tasks | Free, $5.95 per month | |
No-code workspace for notes & projects | Free, $10 per month | |
E2E note-taking app with a PKM feel | Free, $90 per year | |
Secure note-taking with high levels of encryption | Free, $49.99 per year | |
AI-focused note-taking app with long history | Free, $14.99 per month | |
PKM, object-based note-taking app & software | Free, $8 per month |
What is a note-taking app?
A note-taking application helps you capture and organize notes.
Note-taking applications are available in a few formats. PKM apps and traditional note-taking apps are common note-taking tools.
What do the best note-taking apps do?
Some of the characteristics of good note-taking apps to consider:
Features | Helpful for |
|---|---|
Quick capture | Top note-taking apps will allow us to quickly capture an idea at the moment, normally with a speedy iOS or Android app. Or quick access on the desktop. |
Text formatting | A range of text formatting will allow users to customize their notes, adding headers, highlights, and even in some apps PDF annotation abilities. |
Structured organization | Good note apps will have a structured way to organize, or at least a system to organize by, allowing you to create a good base for your note-taking as you add more and more notes. |
Tools Reviewed & Tested
Let's unpack all these note-taking apps to understand which is best for you:
Obsidian
Best PKM Notes App
Why is Obsidian one of the best notes apps?
Obsidian remains one of the best note taking applications on the market and has one of the best ratings on Tool Finder as a notes app purely due to a combination of factors.
The first of those factors is the product's value for money. Obsidian packs so much into It for the price of nothing, which is impeccable. The second factor remains the ability to update the application at the pace of user feedback, which is remarkable.
Obsidian, whilst being a much more focused on advanced note taking, offers a friendly, approachable experience that with some education can be learnt and adopted for any need. The only gripe will be for those who want syncing between devices will have to pay $8 per month for the Obsidian Sync plan - but for the solo experience on desktop Obsidian is outstanding. One to consider in 2024.
Read our full Obsidian review here or learn Obsidian it in 2024.
Workflowy
Powerful Outliner App
- Pricing: Free, with $4.99 upgrade for Workflowy Pro
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
- Best Features: Offline Desktop App, Simple Nature
Why is Workflowy one of the best notes apps?
Workflowy is an outliner application which means it doesn't work like a traditional notes app and isn't ideal for those who might want something that allows you to capture images, multimedia as Workflowy is much more focused on outlining your notes.
Workflowy allows you to create bullets and bury notes within them. It focused a lot of learning keyboard shortcuts and faster ways to use it to add notes as you go, but for those who love outliners - Workflowy is one of the best note outliners on the market.
Read our full Workflowy review here.
RemNote
Best Student Note-Taker
- Pricing: Free, with $8 upgrade to Pro
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
- Best Features: Flashcards, Flashcard Analytics & PDF Annotation (Pro)
Why is RemNote one of the best notes apps?
RemNote is one of the best, or if not, the best notes app for students. It combines the ability to take notes and collect PDFs, presentations & uploads with notes & the ability to turn the notes into flashcards. This ability isn't hard or complicated and allows students to import notes from other apps and then instantly turn those into flashcards making them an more useful study resources.
There are no limits on the ability to create flashcards or notes in RemNote but there is locks on abilities like PDF annotation and file upload per notes but RemNote has approachable pricing for those who want to invest in their studies. Probably popular with pHD and masters students looking to better invest in their tools.
Read our full RemNote review here.
Bear Notes
Best Markdown Notes App
- Pricing: Free with limits, $29.99 per year upgrade
- Platforms: iOS & Mac only
- Best Features: Tables, markdown & hashtag notebooks concept
Why is Bear Notes one of the best notes apps?
Bear Notes offers a way for you to take notes in a simple markdown style, you can then nest your notes into hashtags (which are notebooks). Bear is much more relaxed than apps like Evernote that force you to add things in an ordered fashion which appeals to many people who want something more than Apple Notes.
Newer updates have made things easier with using markdown, tables, PDFs and links too making life easier to manage in Bear Notes. For iPad, iOS, and Mac users, Bear is a catch as it works fast and snappy allowing you to take focused notes on the go and on the desktop.
Read our full Bear Notes review here.
Supernotes
Awesome PKM App
- Pricing: Free for 100 cards and almost $10 per month pricing
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux
- Best Features: Daily notes, collaboration & Notecards
Why is Supernotes one of the best notes apps?
Supernotes is an odd one because it initially got a lot of users for their focus on being a handy collaborative notes app for students, but since they've become a hit with those looking for a more approachable PKM (personal knowledge management) application.
Supernotes allows you to create notes in a notecards, these notecards remove the need for traditional folders, following the old fashioned Zettelkasten system that has been brought back to life with these notes apps in the last few years. Each note can be shared and collaborated on, which makes it popular for students, but Supernotes offers daily notes, heat maps, offline, reliability, tags and probably one of the most stunning design on a notes app challenging for the best looking notes app on the market.
Read our full Supernotes review here.
UpNote
Best Value Notes App
Why is UpNote one of the best notes apps?
A hidden gem is what we call UpNote. With a 50 notes limit on free, this seems like a bad offering, but the lifetime pricing of UpNote offers the most value for money out there. $29.99 lifetime allows you access to all that UpNote Premium offers including tables, unlimited notes, attachments & note locking.
This application reminds us a lot of Bear Notes, with a clean feel and focus on making the notes experience even more detailed than apps like Apple Notes.
Read our full UpNote review here.
Reflect Notes
Best PKM & Notes Balance
- Pricing: No Free, 14-Day Trial, $10 per month
- Platforms: Mac, iOS, Chrome, Safari, Web
- Best Features: E2E Notes, Calendar Integrations & Look
Why is Reflect Notes one of the best notes apps?
Reflect brings a sense of class to this list with a stunning design this application isn't just about the looks. Reflect Notes packs in graph for connected notes, meetings for connecting your calendar, E2E note encryption and newer AI abilities.
Reflect Notes does come at a price of $10 per month without a free plan. They want to be the best in-class notes app and fund their future features with this and you can tell the attention to detail they offer throughout the application. With Reflect AI, you can dictate and transcribe notes, create action lists, and save custom prompts - ideal for newbies to using AI and beyond. There's a lot of focus on security of notes and integrations - making Reflect one of our apps to watch throughout 2024.
Read our full Reflect Notes app review here.
Microsoft OneNote
Best Microsoft Notes App
- Pricing: Free, options with Microsoft 365
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Web
- Best Features: Co-Pilot, Multimedia & Sketching
Why is OneNote one of the best notes apps?
OneNote is a veteran of this list and always comes into our top 10 lists we do every single year. You know why? OneNote offers a comprehensive, well-updated notes app that appeals not only to businesses who want to take meeting notes, all the way to students looking to sketch their ideas and lesson studies.
The next year could be very exciting for OneNote with the introduction of Microsoft Co-Pilot allowing you to go deeper with your notes and with Microsoft invested in OpenAI, both literally and in the product, they could offer a great way to speak with your notes as you build them out, both for work and life.
Read our full Microsoft OneNote review here.
Amplenote
Best GTD Notes App
- Pricing: Free with $5.84 per month pricing plans (starting from)
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
- Best Features: Task Score, Calendar & Task Lists
Why is Amplenote one of the best notes apps?
Amplenote hits the spot as a classic notes app with the vision to grow and grow. They currently have a range of features, almost too many, that help you to unlock your notes, but not just your notes - your tasks and calendar can be housed in Amplenote. Much like Evernote, they want to be your brain for everything and believe they could do with building a system for it hence their match-up to GTD.
One of the notable experience as a notes app isn't actually their note abilities, for us, we adored the ability to manage your task alongside and rank your tasks using a simple set of parameters which makes adding notes to tasks much more interactive for projects and beyond. Worth an exploration in 2024 and more to come we're sure.
Notion
Best Workspace App
- Pricing: Free, with $10 Pro
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
- Best Features: Databases, Web Clipper & Projects
Why is Notion one of the best notes apps?
A lot of people have been turning to Notion in the last few years as this one-stop shop for everything productivity. There's been dozens of people creating full templates to organize your full life and Notion courses that help you unlock all the features in the platform.
With Notion, you can create databases - this isn't difficult don't worry, there are even templates for note databases. Once you have a database it can be flexed to your needs. Want it more for meeting note? Ideal - you can. Want it more for personal journal notes, vice versa. It is super flexible and allows for every type of note with no free plan limits.
Read our full Notion review here and learn Notion this year.
Standard Notes
Best Security Notes App
- Pricing: Free, with $90 per year or $120 per year
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Best Features: Themes & Secure Notes
Why is Standard Notes one of the best notes apps?
Standard Notes is focused on locking your notes and making sure no one gets in.
Their focus has been on secure notes from their launch and it wants to bring you a no-massive-thrills notes app that packs in the power of offline, sync (for pro) and powerful privacy settings for those wanting to take personal notes.
The themes and range of modes allows you to not only take rich text notes, but also spreadsheet based notes too (pro users) that gives you more freedom than some applications focusing on E2E secure encryption. Standard is opinionated meaning they want to deliver the best all-round secure application on the market.
Read our full Standard review here.
Notesnook
Great Security Notes App
- Pricing: Free, with $49.99 per annum option
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Best Features: Reminders (beta) & sync from day one
Why is Notesnook one of the best notes apps?
Notesnook brings a zero knowledge way to take secure notes.
They want to be a clean app like Bear that hosts your notes in a encrypted manner - allowing you to better secure your notes without limits. The limits with Notesnook come when you want to attach things to your notes, add reminders (in beta) and more security features for privacy. This notes application is probably the best value for money for securing your notes.
Read our full Notesnook review here.
Evernote
Top All Round Notes App
- Pricing: Free, with $14.99 per month pricing
- Platforms: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
- Best Features: AI Note Clean, New AI Search & Tasks
Why is Evernote one of the best notes apps?
Much like Amplenote, Evernote wants to be your base for tasks, notes & calendar in a much more traditional style making life easier for connecting calendar events, meeting notes, project tasks and project notes all in one hosted location. Evernote presents a decent notes app that has had many years of struggles with their history of change between 2013 - 2020 it has recently been acquired by Bending Spoons with a vision of making AI the focus of the long-standing notes app.
For those looking for a traditional all-rounder, Evernote still does a brilliant job and we hope the new team at Bending Spoons will breathe speed, reliability & new features into it over the 2024 season.
Read our full Evernote review here.
Capacities
Object Based Notes App
- Pricing: Free with pricing coming
- Platforms: Mac, Windows,, iOS, Android
- Best Features: Object Studio, Properties & Search
Why is Capacities one of the best notes apps?
Looking like Notion, Capacities brings fresh thinking to the notes space by focusing the premise on object based note taking. With unlimited notes, Capacities brings a way to take notes that allows you to set a structure. For example, want to take book notes? Create the object: book and you can go from here, meaning you can re-use it and apply it ongoing.
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Perfect for templates but from the core of the blocks for notes you use every single day. Capacities is the best newcomer and brings a fresh approach with a stunning design that many people are flocking to in 2024.
Do I Need a Note-Taking Application?
This all depends on what you need to capture. Note-taking applications tend to be good when used daily to bring together notes - or capturing things on the go.
Tools like Evernote and Obsidian in the list are different, but offer two great ways to take notes, Evernote more traditional - with the quick capture of documents, photos and short checklists, whilst Obsidian more networked, for the more advanced note-taker.
Matching something to your needs can be helpful for long-term note-taking, as moving between note-taking apps can be like moving house - stressful, expensive and tiring.
Which Type of Note Taker Are You?
When choosing a note-taking app, it's important to understand the four personalities of a note-taker. These include the Organizer, the Collector, the Sketcher, and the Notetaker.
- The Organizer is someone who prefers to organize their notes in a structured way. They may want to use a note-taking app that offers a range of organizational tools, such as folders, tags, and labels.
- The Collector is someone who likes to collect lots of information. They may want to use a note-taking app that offers a range of options for saving and storing information, such as cloud storage and searchable notes.
- The Sketcher is someone who prefers to draw and create diagrams. They may want to use a note-taking app that offers a range of tools for drawing, such as shapes, arrows, and text boxes.
- The Notetaker is someone who prefers to take notes quickly and easily. They may want to use a note-taking app that offers a range of features for taking notes, such as voice dictation and text-to-speech transcription.
By understanding the four personalities of a note-taker, you can easily find a note-taking app that suits your needs. These concepts are so well explained by Anne-Laure Le Cunff of Ness Labs, in here piece about the types of note-taking users.
How to Pick the Best Notes App?
Another option is to read through articles and reviews that compare different note-taking apps. This will give you a sense of what each app offers and how they differ from one another. Finally, you can always try out a few different apps to see which one you like best. Many note-taking apps offer free trials, so you can test them out before making a decision.
This is some good generalised advice on picking productivity tools:
For some people, Notion might be the house for everything—tasks, notes, and calendar—but for others, a tool for each of them, like notes, tasks, and calendar, could be the perfect productivity set-up.
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