Price against what you get
Best-value note-taking apps
Going by our grades, Goodnotes, Simplenote and Apple Notes give the most for the money among note-taking apps: no tool on this chart scores higher without costing more.
Paid plans start at a middle price of $5.42 a month across the 66 that charge, from $0.83 (Freenotes) to $16.42 (Talknotes). 36 more cost nothing at all. 26 of the 102 score above the category's average while starting at or below its middle price. 10 cost more than the middle price and score below the average.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- Nothing scores higher without costing more
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
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Paste this where you want it. The picture links back here and is redrawn whenever a price or a grade changes. Use it freely, with the link left in.
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/charts/note-taking"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/charts/note-taking/chart.svg" alt="102 note-taking apps by starting price and by ToolGPA score" width="1200" height="675" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a>The best at every price
Each step is the highest score note-taking apps reach at that price or below. Nothing on the chart beats these without costing more.
Free
No paid plan · scores 3.0 of 4
- Apple NotesFreeBAC
- SimplenoteFreeCAB
$1
a month to start · scores 4.0 of 4
- Goodnotes$11.99 per year (Essential)AAA
Paying more for less
The note-taking apps that the most others beat on both counts: a higher score and a lower starting price.
- ScrintalStarts at $9 a month and scores 2.0 of 4.68 of 101 score higher for lessCCC
- TalknotesStarts at $16.42 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3 of 4.49 of 101 score higher for lessCCB
- Roam ResearchStarts at $13.75 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3 of 4.48 of 101 score higher for lessCCB
- Whisper MemosStarts at $5.83 a month and scores 2.0 of 4.43 of 101 score higher for lessCBD
- CurioStarts at $5 a month and scores 2.0 of 4.41 of 101 score higher for lessBCD
A high starting price often means a product is sold to companies and has no small plan, and a score is three letters, not the whole product. Read a tool’s own page before ruling it out.
The four quarters
Where the tools fall when the chart is cut at the middle price and the average score.
More for less26
Each scores above the category's average and starts at or below its middle price.
Goodnotes, Notability, Zoho Notebook, Twos, Notesnook, Joplin, Obsidian, Apple Notes and 18 more
Costs more, scores more23
Each scores above the average and starts above the middle price.
Microsoft OneNote, Notion, Craft, RemNote, Workflowy, Fabric, Tana Outliner, Evernote and 15 more
Costs less, scores less43
Each scores below the average and starts at or below the middle price.
Bangle.io, Beaver Notes, FUTO Notes, Heynote, MindForger, QOwnNotes, Rnote, Tangent Notes and 35 more
All 102 on the chart
Highest score first, then lowest price. The last column counts the tools that score higher and start lower.
| # | Tool | Score | Features, ease, platforms | A month | As its listing states it | Score higher for less |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goodnotes | 4.0 | AAA | $1 | $11.99 per year (Essential) | None |
| 2 | Microsoft OneNote | 4.0 | AAA | $8.33 | $9.99 per month, or $99.99 per year (Microsoft 365 Personal) | None |
| 3 | Notion | 4.0 | AAA | $10 | $10 per member / month, billed yearly | None |
| 4 | Notability | 3.7 | BAA | $1.25 | $14.99 per year, or $4.99 per month (Lite) | 1 |
| 5 | Zoho Notebook | 3.7 | BAA | $1.67 | $1.67 per month, billed annually at $19.99 (Pro) | 1 |
| 6 | Twos | 3.7 | ABA | $3.33 | $3.33 per month, billed yearly ($39.99) | 1 |
| 7 | Craft | 3.7 | BAA | $8 | $96 per year ($8 a month), or $10 billed monthly | 1 |
| 8 | RemNote | 3.7 | AAB | $8 | $8 per month, billed yearly ($96) | 1 |
| 9 | Notesnook | 3.3 | BBA | $1.67 | $1.99 per month, or $19.99 per year (Essential) | 2 |
| 10 | Joplin | 3.3 | ACA | $2.69 | 2.40€ per month, billed yearly at 28.69€ (Joplin Cloud Basic) | 3 |
| 11 | Obsidian | 3.3 | ABB | $4 | $4 per user / month, billed annually (Sync Standard add-on) | 4 |
| 12 | Workflowy | 3.3 | CAA | $6.99 | $6.99 per month, billed annually (Pro) | 4 |
| 13 | Fabric | 3.3 | BBA | $8 | $8 per month, billed yearly at $96 (Plus) | 4 |
| 14 | Tana Outliner | 3.3 | ACA | $8 | $8 per month, billed yearly | 4 |
| 15 | Evernote | 3.3 | BBA | $8.25 | $99 per year (about $8.25 a month), or $14.99 billed monthly | 6 |
| 16 | NotePlan | 3.3 | BAB | $8.33 | $8.33 per month, billed annually ($99) | 6 |
| 17 | TheBrain | 3.3 | ACA | $15 | $15 per month, billed at $180 per year (Pro Service) | 8 |
| 18 | Apple Notes | 3.0 | BAC | Free | Free | None |
| 19 | Simplenote | 3.0 | CAB | Free | Free | None |
| 20 | Freenotes | 3.0 | ABC | $0.83 | $1.99 per week (Weekly Plus Member), or $9.99 per year | None |
Show the other 82
| # | Tool | Score | Features, ease, platforms | A month | As its listing states it | Score higher for less |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Drafts | 3.0 | BAC | $1.67 | $1.99 per month, or $19.99 per year | 2 |
| 22 | Amplenote | 3.0 | BBB | $5.83 | $7.99 per month, or $69.99 per year (Pro, US App Store prices) | 7 |
| 23 | AppFlowy | 3.0 | BCA | $6 | $6 / month, billed annually (self-hosted One); cloud Pro is $16 per member | 7 |
| 24 | Standard Notes | 3.0 | BBB | $7.50 | $90 per year (Productivity) | 8 |
| 25 | Supernotes | 3.0 | CBA | $7.93 | £6 per month, billed annually (£72) | 8 |
| 26 | Dynalist | 3.0 | CBA | $7.99 | $7.99 per month, billed annually ($95.88 per year) | 8 |
| 27 | Heptabase | 3.0 | BCA | $8.99 | $8.99 per month, billed yearly ($107.88) | 15 |
| 28 | Capacities | 3.0 | BCA | $9.99 | $9.99 per month, billed yearly | 15 |
| 29 | AudioPen | 3.0 | CBA | $11 | $33 for 3 months of Prime, charged once ($11 a month) | 16 |
| 30 | Linwood Butterfly | 2.7 | CBB | Free | Free | None |
| 31 | NoteGen | 2.7 | BCB | Free | Free | None |
| 32 | Samsung Notes | 2.7 | BBC | Free | Free | None |
| 33 | Mimiri Notes | 2.7 | CBB | $1 | $1.20 per month, or $12 per year (Tier 1) | 3 |
| 34 | Notezilla | 2.7 | CBB | $1.66 | $19.95 per year, plus $10.00 for the first year only | 5 |
| 35 | Kilonotes | 2.7 | BBC | $1.99 | $1.99 per month (Monthly Subscription on the US App Store) | 8 |
| 36 | UpNote | 2.7 | CBB | $1.99 | $1.99 per month, or $39.99 once for lifetime (Premium) | 8 |
| 37 | Bear | 2.7 | BBC | $2.50 | $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year | 8 |
| 38 | Lockbook | 2.7 | CBB | $2.99 | $2.99 per month | 9 |
| 39 | Agenda | 2.7 | BBC | $3.33 | $39.99 per year (Premium Subscription) | 9 |
| 40 | Cryptee | 2.7 | BBC | $3.36 | €3 per month (10 GB) | 10 |
| 41 | Anytype | 2.7 | BCB | $4 | $4 per month, billed yearly ($5 billed monthly) | 10 |
| 42 | Relanote | 2.7 | CBB | $4.08 | $4.99 per month, or $49 per year if paid annually | 11 |
| 43 | Inkpad Notepad | 2.7 | CBB | $5 | $5 per month, billed annually | 11 |
| 44 | Logseq | 2.7 | BCB | $5 | $5 per month for Open Collective backers, which unlocks Logseq Sync | 11 |
| 45 | Sublime | 2.7 | CBB | $6.25 | $75 per year | 13 |
| 46 | AFFiNE | 2.7 | BCB | $6.75 | $6.75 per month, billed annually | 13 |
| 47 | Google Keep | 2.7 | CBB | $7 | $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter) | 14 |
| 48 | Notes Writer | 2.7 | ACC | $8.62 | $1.99 per week; Lifetime Pro Full Unlock is $14.99 one-time | 24 |
| 49 | LiquidText | 2.7 | CBB | $8.99 | $8.99 per month, paid annually (LIVE) | 24 |
| 50 | Bangle.io | 2.3 | CBC | Free | Free | None |
| 51 | Beaver Notes | 2.3 | CBC | Free | Free | None |
| 52 | FUTO Notes | 2.3 | CCB | Free | Free | None |
| 53 | Heynote | 2.3 | CBC | Free | Free | None |
| 54 | MindForger | 2.3 | CBC | Free | Free | None |
| 55 | QOwnNotes | 2.3 | CCB | Free | Free | None |
| 56 | Rnote | 2.3 | CBC | Free | Free | None |
| 57 | Tangent Notes | 2.3 | CBC | Free | Free | None |
| 58 | Trilium Notes | 2.3 | CCB | Free | Free | None |
| 59 | Zavala | 2.3 | CBC | Free | Free | None |
| 60 | Zim | 2.3 | CBC | Free | Free | None |
| 61 | Strflow | 2.3 | CBC | $1.25 | $1.49 per month, or $14.99 per year | 8 |
| 62 | Bundled Notes | 2.3 | CBC | $2.33 | $2.79 per month, or $27.99 per year | 15 |
| 63 | Cleft | 2.3 | CBC | $3.33 | $39.99 per year (or $6.99 billed monthly) | 18 |
| 64 | DeepNotes | 2.3 | CBC | $3.99 | $3.99 per month, billed yearly ($47.88) | 21 |
| 65 | Minimal | 2.3 | CBC | $4.17 | $4.99 per month, or $49.99 per year | 24 |
| 66 | mymind | 2.3 | CCB | $4.99 | $4.99 per month (The Bookmarker) | 24 |
| 67 | Blinko | 2.3 | CCB | $5.99 | $5.99 per month, billed monthly (Blinko Cloud Pro) | 27 |
| 68 | Lazy | 2.3 | CBC | $6 | $6 per month, billed yearly | 27 |
| 69 | Saga | 2.3 | CBC | $6 | $6 per member / month, billed annually | 27 |
| 70 | Noteey | 2.3 | CBC | $7.50 | $90 per year (Premium plan), or $99 one-time for a Desktop Pro license | 32 |
| 71 | Reflect | 2.3 | CBC | $8.25 | $9.99 per month, or $99 per year, for the iPhone and iPad app | 39 |
| 72 | Inkdrop | 2.3 | CCB | $8.31 | $8.31 per month, billed annually ($99.80 per year) | 40 |
| 73 | Roam Research | 2.3 | CCB | $13.75 | $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month) | 48 |
| 74 | Talknotes | 2.3 | CCB | $16.42 | $197 per year (shown as $16 / month, billed annually) | 49 |
| 75 | CherryTree | 2.0 | CCC | Free | Free | None |
| 76 | Fossify Notes | 2.0 | CBD | Free | Free | None |
| 77 | Jotty | 2.0 | CDB | Free | Free | None |
| 78 | KeyNote NF | 2.0 | CBD | Free | Free | None |
| 79 | Marknote | 2.0 | CBD | Free | Free | None |
| 80 | Markor | 2.0 | CBD | Free | Free | None |
| 81 | Memos | 2.0 | CDB | Free | Free | None |
| 82 | NotallyX | 2.0 | CBD | Free | Free | None |
| 83 | NoteDiscovery | 2.0 | CDB | Free | Free | None |
| 84 | Quillpad | 2.0 | CBD | Free | Free | None |
| 85 | Simple Sticky Notes | 2.0 | CBD | Free | Free | None |
| 86 | Stickies | 2.0 | CBD | Free | Free | None |
| 87 | TiddlyWiki | 2.0 | CCC | Free | Free | None |
| 88 | Tolaria | 2.0 | CCC | Free | Free | None |
| 89 | TreeSheets | 2.0 | CCC | Free | Free | None |
| 90 | VNote | 2.0 | CCC | Free | Free | None |
| 91 | Xournal++ | 2.0 | CCC | Free | Free | None |
| 92 | Bike Outliner | 2.0 | CBD | $1.67 | $29.99 one-time license, or $19.99 per year on the Mac App Store | 22 |
| 93 | Coppice | 2.0 | CBD | $1.67 | $1.99 per month, or $19.99 per year | 22 |
| 94 | GitJournal | 2.0 | CCC | $1.99 | $1.99 per month in installments, or $31.99 one-time (US App Store minimums) | 25 |
| 95 | Notewise | 2.0 | CCC | $2.42 | $2.42 per month, billed yearly ($28.99); Classic Unlimited is $16.99 one-time | 28 |
| 96 | SilverBullet | 2.0 | CDB | $4.17 | $50 per user / year (Desktop Pro, required for work use) | 39 |
| 97 | Curio | 2.0 | BCD | $5 | $5 per month, billed yearly ($60), or $99.99 one-time license | 41 |
| 98 | Whisper Memos | 2.0 | CBD | $5.83 | $5.83 per month, billed annually ($69.99 per year) | 43 |
| 99 | Scrintal | 2.0 | CCC | $9 | $9 per month, billed annually ($108 per year) | 68 |
| 100 | flatnotes | 1.7 | CDC | Free | Free | None |
| 101 | Notenik | 1.7 | CCD | Free | Free | None |
| 102 | Orgzly Revived | 1.7 | CCD | Free | Free | None |
How note-taking apps grade
Every bar is all the note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got on that count.
- Value for moneyaverage 3.2
- Free plan and trialaverage 2.8
- Featuresaverage 2.4
- Ease of useaverage 2.8
- Platforms and integrationsaverage 2.3
An A is worth 4 and an F nothing. C is the ordinary grade. Every note-taking grade in one table
Not on the chart
Sold for a single payment, or with no public price that can be put as dollars a month. They are graded like the rest.
- AllMyNotes Organizer$34.00 one-time purchase (Deluxe Edition license)
- Antinote$5 one-time purchase
- Bebop$4.99 one-time Pro upgrade
- Braintoss$2.79 one-time on Google Play; $2.99 on the App Store
- Cloud Outliner$4.99 in-app purchase on iPhone and iPad; $9.99 on Mac
- CollaNote$13.90 one-time (Lifetime Premium)
- ColorNote$1.99 - $15.99 per item (in-app purchases; billing basis not shown)
- DEVONthink$99 one-time license, with 2 Mac seats and 1 year of updates
- EagleFiler$69.99 one-time purchase
- Flexcil$8.99 (Premium) or $9.99 (Flexcil Standard) on the US App Store; basis not shown
- FSNotes$4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $8.99 one-time for Mac
- Gravity$9.99 one-time per platform
- Inkflow$12.99 one-time in-app upgrade
- Keep It$2.99 in-app subscription on the Mac App Store (billing period not labelled)
- MarginNote$12.99 one-time (Pro Lifetime, iPhone and iPad only)
- MiaoYan$14.99 one-time purchase (App Store edition)
- MyInfo$99 one-time purchase, plus tax
- MyScript Notes$1.99 on the US App Store; billing period not labeled
- Notchkin$4.99 one-time
- Notebooks$17.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $43.99 one-time for Mac
- NoteCase Pro$5 one-time for Android; desktop licenses start at €7 one-time
- Noteful$6.99 one-time purchase (Noteful Pro, Lifetime)
- Notein$5.99 per in-app item on the US listing (Orion Notes); billing basis not shown
- NotePlus$29 one-time purchase (Basic license, 1 computer)
- Noteshelf$7.99 one-time on Windows; Premium is $9.99 one-time on Android
- Noticky$4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $9.99 one-time for Mac
- Octarine$79 one-time purchase
- OmniOutliner$24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials)
- Penbook$4.99 - $39.99 per in-app item (basis not shown); $49.99 lifetime
- Quick Note$12.99 one-time
- RightNote$29.95 one-time purchase (Standard license)
- SaberAny amount per month for 10 GB of sync storage; $5 per month for 50 GB
- SideNotes$9.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $19.99 one-time for Mac
- SiYuan$64 one-time payment (PRO Features)
- SnipNotes$1.99 subscription (period not labelled), or $19.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad
- Squid$1.00 - $14.99 per in-app item on Google Play; billing basis not shown
- Stickier$4.99 one-time purchase for the iPhone and iPad app
- Stylus Labs Write$8.99 one-time for the full iOS version; free on desktop and Android
- The Archive$19.99 one-time purchase
- Tinderbox$289 one-time license, with a year of free updates
- Tot$19.99 one-time in-app purchase, per platform
- Understory$24.99 one-time purchase
- WeNote$0.99 - $39.99 per item (in-app purchases; billing basis not shown)
- Zettel Notes$0.99 one-time for the cheapest paid plugin; most are $2.99 to $5.99
- ZoomNotes$7.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $6.99 one-time for Mac
Common questions
Which note-taking apps give the most for the money?
Goodnotes, Simplenote and Apple Notes. Each is the highest-scoring tool at its price or below: Apple Notes scores 3.0 out of 4 and is free; Simplenote scores 3.0 out of 4 and is free; Goodnotes scores 4.0 out of 4 and starts at $1 a month when paid by the year. This goes by ToolGPA's own grades for features, ease of use and platforms, averaged out of 4, set against the price each tool's paid plans start at.
Which are the best free note-taking apps?
Of the 36 note-taking apps here with no paid plan at all, Apple Notes and Simplenote score highest, at 3.0 out of 4. 57 more have a free plan beside their paid ones.
Which note-taking apps are best for under $5 a month?
Goodnotes, with a score of 4.0 out of 4: the highest among the 69 that start at $5 a month or less. Goodnotes starts at $1 a month when paid by the year.
Which note-taking apps are best for under $10 a month?
Goodnotes, Microsoft OneNote and Notion, with a score of 4.0 out of 4: the highest among the 98 that start at $10 a month or less. Goodnotes starts at $1 a month when paid by the year; Microsoft OneNote starts at $8.33 a month when paid by the year; Notion starts at $10 a month for each person.
Which note-taking apps cost the most for what they offer?
On this chart, Scrintal (starts at $9 a month, scores 2.0 out of 4, and 68 tools score higher for less), Talknotes (starts at $16.42 a month when paid by the year, scores 2.3 out of 4, and 49 tools score higher for less) and Roam Research (starts at $13.75 a month when paid by the year, scores 2.3 out of 4, and 48 tools score higher for less). A high starting price often means a product is sold to companies and has no small plan, so check what the price includes before ruling one out.
How much do note-taking apps cost?
The middle starting price is $5.42 a month: half of the 66 note-taking apps with a recurring price start below that and half above. 36 of the 147 in this directory have no paid plan, and 57 of those that charge also have a free plan.
How is the score on this chart worked out?
It is the average of three of the five grades ToolGPA gives every tool: features, ease of use, and platforms and integrations, with an A worth 4 and an F worth 0. The other two grades, value for money and the free plan, are about price, so they are left out and price gets an axis of its own. 102 of the 147 note-taking apps are on the chart; 45 are left off because they are sold for a single payment or publish no price that can be put as dollars a month.
How this chart is made
- The score is the average of three of a tool’s five grades: features, ease of use, and platforms and integrations. An A is 4 points and an F none. Value for money and the free plan are left out because they are about price, and price has an axis of its own.
- The price is what paid plans start at, in dollars a month, on the cheapest way of paying the listing names. A yearly price is divided by twelve, and a price in another currency is converted. A price for each person is shown for one person.
- A tool with no paid plan sits in the band marked Free. A tool with a free plan beside paid ones is placed at its paid price and drawn as a filled dot.
- The grades are ToolGPA’s own judgement from each vendor’s pages and from public reviews, not from testing, and no vendor can pay for one. How we grade
More charts
- All note-taking apps
- Meeting Notes
- AI Assistants
- AI Agents
- AI Research
- App Builders
- Dictation
- Writing
- Docs & Wikis
- Whiteboards
- Spreadsheets
- Presentations
- To-Do Lists
- Daily Planners
- Calendar
- Project Management
- CRM
- Team Chat
- Automation
- Forms
- Focus
- Time Tracking
- Habit Trackers
- Journaling
- Read Later
- Screen Recording
- Utilities
- Browsers
- Passwords
- File Storage