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Note-Taking Apps

From quick capture to linked knowledge bases: places to think, write and find things again.

Our top three note-taking apps

These three suit different people more than they compete. Notion comes first because it works for one person and for a team, in a browser and on most devices. Obsidian is second for anyone who wants their notes as files they own. Microsoft OneNote is third as the free notebook that runs almost everywhere. If you use only Apple devices, Apple Notes is free and already installed, and is outside the three only because its apps are Apple-only.

  1. First: Notion

    Free plan · from $10/mo

    For: Most people, and anyone who shares notes with a team

    Notion keeps notes, a wiki and databases in one workspace that runs in a browser and as Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android apps. The free plan gives one person unlimited pages, and paid plans start at $10 per member a month, billed yearly. Its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 from about 90,000 ratings. Know the limits: there is no Linux desktop app, file uploads on the free plan stop at 5 MB, and most of the AI features need the Business plan.

    iPhone and iPad app: 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store

    Notion pricing and details

  2. Second: Obsidian

    Free plan · from $4/mo

    For: People who want their notes as files they own

    Obsidian stores notes as plain Markdown files on your own device, and the app is free with no sign-up on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android. Links between notes, a graph view and community plugins are what people build on. It is second because the convenience costs extra or takes work: there is no web app, and syncing through Obsidian is a paid add-on from $4 per user a month, billed annually. Reviewers also mention a learning curve and a weaker phone app.

    iPhone and iPad app: 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store

    Obsidian pricing and details

  3. Third: Microsoft OneNote

    Free plan · from $9.99/mo

    For: A free notebook on almost any device

    OneNote is free to use on the web, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android. It takes typed, handwritten and scanned notes, and its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 from more than a million ratings. It is third because it leans on a Microsoft account: storage is the 5 GB shared with OneDrive and Outlook.com, only the Windows app can keep notebooks on a local drive, and there is no Linux app.

    iPhone and iPad app: 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store

    Microsoft OneNote pricing and details

Ranked on Oct 9, 2026 from what each listing shows and what people say about the tool, not from our own testing. How we rank

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147 tools

Tools

  • AFFiNE

    Note-Taking

    Open-source workspace that merges docs, whiteboards and databases

    Free plan · from $6.75/moWeb · macOS · Windows +3

  • Agenda

    Note-Taking

    Date-focused notes on a timeline, linked to your calendar

    Free plan · from $39.99/yrmacOS · iOS

  • AllMyNotes Organizer

    Note-Taking

    Windows notes organizer that keeps everything in one local file

    Free plan · from $34.00 one-timeWindows

  • Amplenote

    Note-Taking

    Notes, to-do lists and a task calendar in one app

    Free plan · from $7.99/moWeb · macOS · Windows +3

  • Antinote

    Note-Taking

    Mac scratchpad for temporary notes, quick math and checklists

    Free trial · from $5 one-timemacOS

  • Anytype

    Note-Taking

    Local-first, end-to-end encrypted workspace for notes and data

    Free plan · from $4/momacOS · Windows · Linux +2

  • AppFlowy

    Note-Taking

    Open-core workspace for docs, wikis and projects you can self-host

    Free plan · from $6/moWeb · macOS · Windows +3

  • Apple Notes

    Note-Taking

    Apple's free notes app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web

    FreeiOS · macOS · Web

  • AudioPen

    Note-Taking

    Voice notes rewritten into clear text in a chosen style

    Free plan · from $33/moWeb · macOS · Windows +2

  • Bangle.io

    Note-Taking

    Browser-based notes app that edits your local Markdown files

    FreeWeb

  • Bear

    Note-Taking

    Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with tags and links

    Free plan · from $2.99/momacOS · iOS

  • Beaver Notes

    Note-Taking

    Open-source, local-first Markdown notes app for desktop

    FreemacOS · Windows · Linux

  • Bebop

    Note-Taking

    Capture-first plain-text notes app for iPhone

    Free plan · from $4.99 one-timeiOS

  • Bike Outliner

    Note-Taking

    Fast outliner and structured writing app for Mac

    Free plan · from $29.99 one-timemacOS

  • Blinko

    Note-Taking

    AI-assisted card notes, self-hosted or on Blinko Cloud

    Free plan · from $5.99/moWeb · macOS · Windows +2

  • Braintoss

    Note-Taking

    One-tap capture app that sends notes to your email inbox

    From $2.79 one-timeiOS · Android

  • Bundled Notes

    Note-Taking

    Notes, lists and kanban boards organized into bundles

    Free plan · from $2.79/moAndroid · Web · iOS

  • Capacities

    Note-Taking

    Object-based note-taking app with daily notes and backlinks

    Free plan · from $9.99/moWeb · macOS · Windows +3

  • CherryTree

    Note-Taking

    Hierarchical desktop notes with rich text and code highlighting

    FreeWindows · macOS · Linux

  • Cleft

    Note-Taking

    Voice notes turned into structured notes on Apple devices

    Free plan · from $39.99/yriOS · macOS

  • Cloud Outliner

    Note-Taking

    Outliner for iPhone, iPad and Mac with iCloud sync

    Free plan · from $4.99iOS · macOS

  • CollaNote

    Note-Taking

    Handwriting and PDF markup notes for iPad, iPhone and Mac

    Free plan · from $13.90 one-timeiOS · macOS

  • ColorNote

    Note-Taking

    Android notepad for color-coded notes and checklists

    Free plan · from $1.99Android

  • Coppice

    Note-Taking

    Mac app for linking notes together on a spatial canvas

    Free plan · from $1.99/momacOS

  • Craft

    Note-Taking

    Notes and documents app with tasks, daily notes and whiteboards

    Free plan · from $96/yrWeb · macOS · Windows +2

  • Cryptee

    Note-Taking

    Encrypted documents, notes and photo storage from Estonia

    Free plan · from €3/moWeb

  • Curio

    Note-Taking

    Freeform Mac notebook with mind maps, lists and Kanban

    Free plan · from $5/momacOS

  • DeepNotes

    Note-Taking

    End-to-end encrypted infinite canvas for nested notes

    Free plan · from $3.99/moWeb · macOS · Windows +1

  • DEVONthink

    Note-Taking

    Document and information manager for Mac, iPhone and iPad

    Free trial · from $99 one-timemacOS · iOS · Web

  • Drafts

    Note-Taking

    Quick-capture notes app for Apple devices with text actions

    Free plan · from $1.99/moiOS · macOS

  • Dynalist

    Note-Taking

    Outlining app for nested lists, notes and tasks

    Free plan · from $7.99/moWeb · macOS · Windows +3

  • EagleFiler

    Note-Taking

    Document organizer and mail archiver for Mac

    Free trial · from $69.99 one-timemacOS

  • Evernote

    Note-Taking

    Note-taking app with web clipping, tasks, calendar and AI search

    Free plan · from $99/yrWeb · macOS · Windows +2

  • Fabric

    Note-Taking

    AI workspace for notes, files, bookmarks and meeting notes

    Free plan · from $8/moWeb · macOS · Windows +3

  • flatnotes

    Note-Taking

    Self-hosted notes web app on a flat folder of Markdown files

    FreeWeb

  • Flexcil

    Note-Taking

    PDF reader and handwriting notebook built around pen gestures

    Free plan · from $8.99iOS · Android

  • Fossify Notes

    Note-Taking

    Open-source Android notes and checklists with no account

    FreeAndroid

  • Freenotes

    Note-Taking

    Handwriting and PDF annotation app with AI study tools

    Free plan · from $1.99iOS · Android

  • FSNotes

    Note-Taking

    Open-source Markdown notes app for Mac and iPhone

    Free plan · from $4.99 one-timemacOS · iOS

  • FUTO Notes

    Note-Taking

    Local-first Markdown notes with self-hosted encrypted sync

    FreemacOS · Windows · Linux +2

  • GitJournal

    Note-Taking

    Mobile Markdown notes app that syncs through any Git repository

    Free plan · from $1.99/moAndroid · iOS

  • Goodnotes

    Note-Taking

    Handwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant

    Free plan · from $11.99/yriOS · macOS · Android +2

  • Google Keep

    Note-Taking

    Google's app for quick notes, lists and reminders

    Free plan · from $7/moWeb · iOS · Android

  • Gravity

    Note-Taking

    Single-stream notes app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android

    From $9.99 one-timeiOS · macOS · Android

  • Heptabase

    Note-Taking

    Visual notes app that arranges linked cards on whiteboards

    Free trial · from $8.99/moWeb · macOS · Windows +3

  • Heynote

    Note-Taking

    Block-based scratchpad for developers on Mac, Windows and Linux

    FreemacOS · Windows · Linux

  • Inkdrop

    Note-Taking

    Markdown note app for developers with encrypted sync

    Free trial · from $8.31/momacOS · Windows · Linux +2

  • Inkflow

    Note-Taking

    Handwriting notebook for iPad and iPhone with movable vector ink

    Free plan · from $12.99 one-timeiOS

Guides

Shortlists and alternatives for note-taking apps.

  • +2
    Alternatives

    The best Evernote alternatives in 2026

    Six Evernote alternatives for people who have run into its limits: 50 notes on the Free plan, 1,000 on Starter and no Linux app. Each pick says who it suits, what it costs and where it stops.

    6 tools · Updated October 2026

  • +3
    Alternatives

    The best Notion alternatives in 2026

    Seven Notion alternatives matched to the reasons people leave: AI that needs the Business plan, a free plan that tightens once a second member joins and no Linux desktop app. Each pick says who it suits and what it costs.

    7 tools · Updated October 2026

  • +3
    Alternatives

    The best Obsidian alternatives in 2026

    Seven Obsidian alternatives for people who want a web app, sync without a paid add-on or more structure than a set of Markdown files. Each pick says who it suits, what it costs and where it stops.

    7 tools · Updated October 2026

  • +6
    Best of

    The best note-taking apps in 2026

    Ten note-taking apps, from plain Markdown files kept on your own device to shared workspaces with databases. Each pick says who it suits, what it costs and where the free plan stops.

    10 tools · Updated October 2026