Key Takeaways
- It’s potential to discover a note-taking app that matches your wants, with choices for organizing, syncing, and cross-platform help.
- Microsoft OneNote provides textual content formatting, voice enter, and cross-platform help throughout the Microsoft ecosystem.
- For an intuitive Apple-based possibility, take into account Apple Notes for straightforward entry throughout units, even on an internet browser.
Be aware-taking is one thing all of us do in some capability. Irrespective of if it is advisable write lists, copy down a telephone quantity, or take detailed notes on a dialogue or class, there is a note-taking app on the market that is for you. The proper note-taking app ought to simplify your workflow, and provide help to hold issues organized. There’s a variety of choices now for a note-taking app; some are perfect for desktops, whereas others are designed for use with telephones and tablets. There are even some new apps that I’ve included which have been featured by Apple and have simply been launched to the general public.
The appropriate note-taking app will will let you seamlessly jot down or dictate your notes throughout a number of platforms and have them synchronized and able to go from anyplace. An excellent higher hub of ideas also needs to have group programs that make it straightforward to seek for and discover your notes as a way to rapidly reference info everytime you want it.
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1 Microsoft OneNote
My favourite note-taking app
Microsoft / Pocket-lint
My prime general note-taking app
Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft OneNote manages to suit the majority of Microsoft Phrase’s text-formatting and modifying skills into a light-weight note-taking app that handles all the things from textual content, to audio, to handwriting and drawing.
- Free to make use of
- Helps handwriting enter from tablets
- Cross platform help on iOS, Android, and Mac
- Works greatest inside Microsoft’s app ecosystem
Microsoft’s OneNote is my favourite, hands-down, and it is the note-taking app that I’ve used probably the most. OneNote is my each day driver for each my skilled writing, but it surely’s additionally what I exploit to draft quick tales and jot down each day reminders. It isn’t the snazziest note-taking app out there, however in case you’ve used Microsoft Phrase, then OneNote’s interface, which options the identical “ribbon” bar, ought to really feel comfy to you. Better of all, you need to use OneNote with a free Microsoft Account.
The free model of OneNote will offer you all of the options you may want, together with the power to cross-sync your notes throughout Home windows, Android, macOS, iOS, and even iPadOS. You’ll need to pay additional if you need greater than the 5GB of allotted space for storing or if you wish to export your OneNote information to Workplace Phrase or Excel. If any of those apply to you, you have to to pay for a Microsoft 365 account, which begins at $7 per thirty days, however you do obtain the remainder of Microsoft’s 365 productiveness suite.
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2 Apple Notes
The default and fully-free notes app for macOS and iOS
My favourite iOS note-taking app
Apple Notes
Apple’s Notes app comes pre-installed on all Macs and iOS units, and it is our favourite iOS note-taking app. Whereas there are different note-taking apps on the market for iOS, Notes has seen some nice enhancements over the previous few years that make it our favourite for the iOS platform.
- Current updates have improved the app
- May even be accessed from a bowser
- Expertise is not very intuitive
When you have an iPhone or Mac pc, there is a fairly good probability you have interacted with Apple’s free Notes app. That is in all probability my second most-used notes app, and I prefer it as a result of it’s straightforward to make use of, has constant helpful characteristic updates, and is totally built-in along with your different Apple units by way of your iCloud account.
Notes has improved significantly since its authentic launch again with the unique iPhone. The newest iOS replace means that you can have hidden conversations with the Notes app, in addition to create straightforward group notes for issues like social gathering planning or a category task. In case you are utilizing the Notes app on an iPad, the app is Pen appropriate, and you’ll hand-write notes. Be warned, nevertheless, it isn’t probably the most intuitive expertise, as you must insert a handwriting part into your word, as an alternative of drawing immediately on the word.
Apple Notes may be accessed from practically anyplace, together with your browser. You’ll be able to entry your entire Apple notes by way of your iCloud account, and that is true even in case you are utilizing a Chromebook or Home windows PC. Whilst you can view and edit your Apple Notes information by way of an internet browser, I do not suggest utilizing the Home windows model of the Notes app, because it interacts fairly poorly with the Home windows 10 and 11.
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3 Bear
One of the best different to Apple Notes for iOS units
Bear / Pocket-lint
Nice different to Apple Notes
Bear
Bear is for iOS customers who need a clear design and feature-rich alternative for Apple’s Notes app. Bear encompasses a tagging system together with Markdown help for straightforward organizing of your notes.
- Markdown textual content modifying help
- Apple Pencil help
- Intuitive tagging system for group
- Solely appropriate with Apple merchandise
Bear is a good possibility for anybody who needs a extra feature-rich note-taking app for iOS units and Macs. The killer characteristic of Bear is that it means that you can write in Markdown (a formatting software that means that you can format textual content in real-time) and tag every word to maintain your ideas neatly organized. You do not have to make use of the Markdown characteristic, although. Bear is simple to make use of, and it is easy to prepare your notes your personal manner. There’s additionally pen help, so you need to use the Apple Pencil natively in Bear.
I actually respect how straightforward utilizing the Apple Pencil is with Bear when in comparison with Apple’s personal Notes app. You do not have to create any additional fields to attract with the pen, and the app’s response to the pen is nice. Bear can be utilized free of charge, however the free model limits your exports to simply .TXT, Markdown, and Textbundle information. The cost tiers for Bear are a bit complicated, however for $3 a month or $30 a yr, you possibly can export your notes to just about any format, together with ePUB and OCR. The paid model additionally consists of iCloud syncing, so your notes can go anyplace with you.
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4 Google Hold
One of the best easy and totally free note-taking app
My prime light-weight note-taking app
Google Hold
Google Hold is free to make use of and out there on all platforms, but it surely lacks group options in comparison with the opposite choices on this record. Nonetheless, it’s a nice note-keeping app for anybody searching for a light-weight note-taking app.
- Simple to make use of
- Completely free
- Cross-platform
- Lack of group options
- Google Docs has higher integration
In case you are searching for a easy and light-weight note-taking app or one that does not have a steep studying curve with a ton of options, take into account Google Hold. Google Hold may be accessed from any gadget and is a superb note-taking app for jotting down fast notes or for creating each day to-do lists. You’ll be able to enter photographs into Hold notes and hyperlinks with ease, and Hold is built-in with the remainder of Google’s ecosystem.
Hold is accessible immediately from Gmail, making it straightforward to jot down fast bits of knowledge from emails. You can even draft writings in Hold and export them on to Google Docs, saving time within the writing course of. That is how I exploit Hold, and whereas it isn’t my each day driver in the way in which OneNote is, it is nonetheless in my rotation of apps. It is good with the ability to copy down essential dates, telephone numbers, or names from Gmail with out having to open a separate window. There is no charge for utilizing Hold, however do remember the fact that your Hold notes will impression your general Google account storage, so if in case you have a whole lot of already-existing Sheets and Docs, it’s possible you’ll must pay for extra Google storage.
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5 Notion
One of the best premium note-taking app
My favorite feature-rich premium note-taking app
Notion
Notion is a well-liked note-taking app typically utilized by software program builders, but it surely’s nice for anybody because of its big selection of customized templates and options.
- Extensive ranging use circumstances
- Completely different templates for various makes use of
- AI integration
In the event you’ve labored for a startup or have labored on a technical crew, there is a good probability you’ve interacted with Notion. I’ve used Notion each in a job setting, however I’ve additionally used it as a digital journaling software. It is one of the vital versatile note-taking apps that I’ve examined, and in case you’re prepared to spend time on studying all of the ins-and-outs, Notion can do practically something you need it to as a note-taking app.
Notion / Pocket-lint
Notion is constructed with blocks of your notes. It is simple to create your personal Wiki, to-do lists, or each day or weekly planner with Notion because of the block system of the UI. Notion runs in your browser, so it is usable from anyplace, and you’ll share something you create with every other Notion customers. It is free to make use of, however if you wish to deliver in additional than 10 individuals to your Notion, or create personal pages, you possibly can pay for Notion beginning at $8 a month.
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6 Obsidian
Essentially the most expansive note-taking app, for these with persistence
My favourite feature-rich note-taking app
Obsidian
Obsidian is a good, feature-rich note-taking app, but it surely encompasses a steep studying curve. It is free to make use of for people, however companies might want to pay for a industrial license from Obsidian.
- Free to make use of for people
- Graph notes
- Big selection of free plug-ins
Obsidian is probably the most feature-rich note-taking app on this record, but it surely’s additionally probably the most troublesome to study. It shines by regionally saving your notes, eliminating the requirement for an web connection that many of the different apps on this record have. It additionally retains your word safe, however safety at all times comes at a value, and that primarily interprets to how troublesome Obsidian is to study.
There is a ton you are able to do with Obsidian. You can also make a nesting doll of your notes, graph them, and arrange connections inside an internet design. You can even benefit from the a whole lot of free plug-ins which might be out there for Obsidian. Obsidian’s greatest characteristic is its customizable options. You can also make issues look nevertheless you want, so long as you’re prepared to discover ways to grasp the app.
The place I’ve actually seen it shine personally is with long-form writing.
I’ve spent a whole lot of time with Obsidian, and whereas I have not mastered the app by any means, I’ve gotten a style of simply how helpful and deep Obsidian options go. I’ve used Obsidian to draft tales, however the place I’ve actually seen it shine personally is with long-form writing. Obsidian is a good software for storyboarding because of its graphing characteristic, and it is my most popular technique of utilizing the app.
7 Craft
As featured by Apple at WWDC
Craft
Craft is a feature-rich note-taking app that rivals Notion in each design and options. It is simple to make use of, though there’s a steep studying curve if you wish to develop into an professional with the app. You’ll be able to strive it free of charge, however plans begin at $8 for limitless entry.
- Accessible interface
- Characteristic-rich design
- Completely different note-taking choices
- Steep studying curve
- Month-to-month subscription
Craft is a brand new note-taking app that has discovered some buzz on-line after Apple featured the app at WWDC. Craft does an ideal job at balancing being a feature-rich app with accessibility. Just like Notion, you possibly can create backlinks in any doc in Craft with a view to hyperlink to different notes. I used backlinks to simply hyperlink again whereas planning the analysis for future articles, and I discovered it to be an intuitive characteristic, however it’s practically an identical to how Notion operates on this regard.
The place Craft stands aside from Notion is in how briskly the app is. Craft responds instantly, even with giant information, whereas Notion is usually a bit gradual the larger your Notion will get. Whereas the training curve at instances can really feel steep with Craft, the Craft crew has an enormous repository of free movies that may educate you how one can do something you need out there on their YouTube. You’ll be able to really go far with Craft, in the identical manner you possibly can with Obsidian and Notion to create your personal good note-taking app throughout the app itself.
Craft is free to make use of for the primary 1500 blocks, which the typical consumer will seemingly replenish in about two weeks. I hit the restrict a bit extra rapidly, inside a week-and-a-half, however I used to be testing the app completely and used extra options than I might if I used to be utilizing it for myself. After the free trial with Craft ends, you may must pay for one of many plans, with probably the most fundamental plan beginning at $8 month-to-month. For $8 month-to-month, you possibly can create as many paperwork in Craft as you want, however you may want a marketing strategy if you wish to add others to your Craft.
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FAQ
Q: How did you resolve on these picks?
As a author overlaying client tech and way of life, I’ve examined many alternative note-taking apps through the years. I constructed this record by prioritizing ease of use and price whereas contemplating options. The highest picks are what I’ve present in my very own testing to be the easiest-to-use apps, whereas the extra feature-rich apps are additional alongside within the record.
Q: Is it value paying for a note-taking app?
This finally relies upon by yourself particular person wants. If there’s a particular characteristic that it is advisable pay for for a note-taking app, and also you suppose it’s going to simplify your workflow, I might say go for it. I’ve paid for note-taking apps prior to now due to sure options I needed to make use of, however I do not at the moment pay for any note-taking apps. As a author, nevertheless, I’ve no downside with paying for a note-taking app if I do know that it’s going to make my life simpler.
