Apple Notes vs Notes.io (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Apple Notes grades higher than Notes.io: 3.4 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Apple Notes grades higher on features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Apple Notes if
- Fits if every device you own is Apple and you don't want another subscription
- Works for scanning receipts and letters so you can search the text later
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Android or Windows day to day, as you'd be working in a browser tab at iCloud.com
- Not for you if you want your notes as plain Markdown files, because they sit in the app's own store
- Tight if you share with people outside Apple, since sharing needs an iCloud account on both ends
- Watch out: sync runs on the 5 GB of free iCloud storage, and more means iCloud+ from $0.99 a month for 50 GB
- Watch out: iCloud.com shows only notes kept in iCloud, and Apple says some features are limited to select languages and regions
Pick Notes.io if
- Fits if you want to jot something down and send a link without signing up
- Works for passing a snippet of text to someone on another device
Look elsewhere if
- Too light for real note-keeping: no folders, tags or search are described
- Skip it if the note is private, as the pages say little about the privacy of shared notes
- Watch out: the short link covers notes up to 18 KB, and longer ones need you to sign in or trim them
- Not for you if you want an app, as there is only the website
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAApple NotesVery good | 2.8GPANotes.ioGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree on the App Store with no in-app purchases, in a category where the middle plan is $6 a month. The only money that comes up is iCloud storage: 5 GB free, then iCloud+ from $0.99 a month for 50 GB. | AFree, with no paid plan published anywhere on the site we read. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright, with nothing held back. Every feature on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, no plan above it to be nudged towards, and sync on the 5 GB that comes with an Apple Account. | AThe site says it has been free since it started and needs no account to write and share a note. |
| Features | BText, checklists, tables, scans, sketches and audio with live transcripts in one note, search that reads handwriting, tags, Smart Folders, links between notes, and shared and locked notes. The power-user end is missing, though, with no Markdown files. | DOne narrow function: write a note, share it by link and keep an archive. No folders, tags, search or apps are described. |
| Ease of use | A4.84 from about 650,000 App Store ratings, above the 4.7 from 1,000 ratings an A needs. Commenters who tried Obsidian, Notion and Evernote say they went back to it because it's simple and already there. | BNo store rating on record. Open the page and type, with nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | COne family of devices: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch and Vision Pro. No Android or Windows app at all, and the browser version at iCloud.com only shows notes kept in iCloud, not ones in a Google or Yahoo account. | CWeb only, with no apps, extension or integrations listed. |
| Best for | free notes if you only use Apple devices | a quick note you can share with a link |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Apple Notes and Notes.io. How we grade
Price against what you get
Apple Notes has no paid plan and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Notes.io has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
Apple Notes scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other note-taking apps on the chart, none scores higher than Apple Notes for less, and none scores higher than Notes.io for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Apple Notes also covers transcription and linked notes.
- Notes.io also covers file sharing.
In commonFree planWebNotes
At a glance
| Apple Notes | Notes.io | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The app is listed as free on the App Store, with no in-app purchases. Syncing runs through iCloud, which includes 5 GB of free storage with an Apple Account. | The site says it has been free since it started and needs no account to write and share a note. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Apple | Metromedya |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | notes.io |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Apple Notes
- Apps are listed only for Apple devices; on anything else, notes are reached in a web browser at iCloud.com.
- Notes on iCloud.com works only with notes stored in iCloud, not with notes kept in other accounts such as Google or Yahoo.
- Sync relies on iCloud, which includes 5 GB of free storage; iCloud+ plans with more storage start at $0.99 per month for 50 GB.
- Sharing is limited to people who use iCloud, and Apple says certain features are available only in select languages and regions.
Notes.io
- Links shorten only notes up to 18 KB; longer notes need you to sign in or trim them.
- The pages describe no folders, tags, search or apps, only writing, sharing and an archive.
- The site publishes no paid plans, and its pages say little about privacy of shared notes.
Key features
Apple Notes
- Rich notes
- A note can combine text styles, checklists, tables, photos, PDFs, maps and web links. Section headers collapse to hide the text under them.
- Audio recording and transcripts
- Audio sessions are recorded inside a note with a live transcript, and transcripts are searchable to find a particular moment.
- Document scanner and handwriting
- A built-in scanner captures paper documents. Sketches and handwriting are added with a finger, or with Apple Pencil on a compatible iPad, including on inline PDFs.
- Folders, tags and Smart Folders
- Notes sit in folders and subfolders or carry typed or handwritten tags. Smart Folders collect notes by rules such as date created, checklists or attachments.
- Search and links between notes
- Search covers typed text, handwriting and the text inside scanned documents and photos. Notes can link to one another, with >> as a typing shortcut.
- Shared and locked notes
- Notes and folders can be shared with other iCloud users, with changes shown in real time and an Activity view. A note can be locked with the device passcode or a custom password.
Notes.io
- No account to start
- Open the page and write; a note can be created and shared without signing up.
- Short share links
- Each note gets a link with an 8-character address that can be sent by SMS, email or a messaging app.
- Any device with a browser
- Notes are taken in the browser, so there is nothing to install on a phone or computer.
- Archive of your notes
- The site describes an archive of past notes that can be browsed quickly.
Plans
Apple Notes
Free$0
Every feature of the app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus browser access at iCloud.com.
Notes.io
Free$0
Write and share notes in the browser without an account; sign in for notes over 18 KB.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Apple Notes or Notes.io?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Apple Notes and Notes.io are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Apple Notes or Notes.io?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Apple Notes and Notes.io have a free plan.
Which platforms do Apple Notes and Notes.io run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Apple Notes lists macOS and iOS apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.