The Apple Notes Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Apple Notes in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Apple Notes
The Insider’s Guide
Apple's free notes app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Apple Notes’s own pages.
Made by Apple · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05After you payGetting your money back, getting out, and getting help
- 06The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 07Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Apple Notes’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Apple Notes’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.4
GPA, above 138 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
Notes is Apple's note-taking app for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro. A note can hold text, checklists, tables, scanned documents, sketches, audio recordings with transcripts and file attachments, and notes are organized with folders, tags and Smart Folders. Notes sync between devices through iCloud, can be shared with other iCloud users and can also be opened in a web browser at iCloud.com.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Apple Notes, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Commenters who tried Obsidian, Notion and Evernote say they went back to it because it's simple and already there.
- 1
Best for free notes if you only use Apple devices
Apple Notes is Apple's free notes app, synced through iCloud, and a note can hold scans, sketches, audio with transcripts and file attachments.
- 2
It is free
Apple Notes has no paid plan at all. 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.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
iOS, macOS and Web.
- 4
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.
- 5
Audio recording and transcripts
Audio sessions are recorded inside a note with a live transcript, and transcripts are searchable to find a particular moment.
- 6
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.
- 7
A 3.4 GPA, above 138 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Apple Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
- 9
What users like
Commenters who tried Obsidian, Notion, Evernote or Simplenote say they settled on it because it is simple and already there.
Apple Notes at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, iOS
- Made by
- Apple
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 3.4 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 4.8 on the App Store, 650,439 ratings
The report card
Best for free notes if you only use Apple devices
Apple Notes is Apple's free notes app, synced through iCloud, and a note can hold scans, sketches, audio with transcripts and file attachments. Outside Apple devices you get only a browser tab at iCloud.com, sharing works only with other iCloud users, notes are not kept as Markdown files, and past 5 GB of iCloud storage you pay for iCloud+.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free 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. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free 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. |
| Features | B | Text, 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. |
| Ease of use | A | 4.84 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. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | One 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Apple Notes is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- People who use only Apple devices
- Quick capture with Quick Note, Siri or dictation on Apple Watch
- Scanning receipts and documents into searchable notes
- Families and friends sharing notes and folders over iCloud
Worth knowing
- 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.
What people say
- 4.8on the App Store, from 650,439 ratings
What they like
- Commenters who tried Obsidian, Notion, Evernote or Simplenote say they settled on it because it is simple and already there.
- Notes that stay in step across iPhone, iPad and Mac without a separate subscription are named as a reason for staying with it.
What they don’t
- Commenters dislike that notes sit in the app's own store instead of as ordinary files, and name Markdown as what they would rather have.
- Heavy users among the reviewers report faults: an iPad that runs hot when writing with the Pencil, crashes, and syncing or shared notes that lag or lose work.
- Commenters who want more from a notes app say it offers too little, which is the reason some give for building or moving to another editor.
10 App Store reviews, four of them one star, from February 2022 to July 2026, and about 25 Hacker News comments from July to October 2026
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Apple Notes is free to use.
Free
$0
Every feature of the app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro, plus browser access at iCloud.com.
The 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.
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, macOS and iOS
Apple's free notes app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: real-time collaboration, transcription, notes, linked notes.
The power-user end is missing, though, with no Markdown files.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- iCloud
- Siri
- Safari
- Maps
Apple Notes is made by Apple.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
138/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Apple Notes's GPA of 3.4 is higher than 138 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on ease of use (A, above 133 of 147) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 31).
Apple Notes has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Apple Notes’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
- BFeaturesAbove 100 of 147
- AEase of useAbove 133 of 147
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 147
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Apple Notes is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Apple Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.4 is higher than 138 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade.
What you could make
- Notes and linked notes: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Speech turned into text you can trust.
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- Hooks into the device itself: an Apple Watch app, Apple Pencil and handwriting.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Apple Notes’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Refunds
After you pay
Getting your money back, getting out, and getting help
What happens once you have paid: whether you can get your money back, how to leave, and how to reach a person when something goes wrong. Each is graded from Apple Notes’s own terms and help pages.
Leaving Apple Notes
Not graded · checked Oct 18, 2026
Notes ships with Apple's devices at no charge, so there is no plan to pay for and nothing to claim back. The only account involved is the Apple Account your notes sync through, and Apple will delete that for you at any time, for any reason. Get a copy of your data from Apple's Data and Privacy page before you do, because deletion is permanent.
- Closing your account
There is nothing to cancel. The Apple Account behind iCloud notes can be deleted permanently at any time and for any reason: you sign in on Apple's Data and Privacy page and select the request to delete your account. Apple's article says you must cancel an AppleCare plan first, and that any other subscriptions are cancelled at the end of their billing cycles.
Stated on support.apple.com- What you keep afterwards
Apple says deleting the account permanently removes the account details and everything stored in iCloud, and that it cannot reopen the account or restore the data. The email address cannot start a new Apple Account for several years. Apple tells you to back up iCloud data first, and a separate article on its Data and Privacy tools says you can request a copy of your data or deactivate the account temporarily instead.
Stated on support.apple.com
In your favour
- Nothing is charged for the app, so there is nothing to cancel and nothing to claim back.
- You can delete the Apple Account yourself, at any time and for any reason.
- Apple's Data and Privacy page will give you a copy of your data before you go.
- If you only want a break, Apple offers a temporary deactivation instead.
Watch out for
- Deleting the Apple Account takes everything in iCloud with it, not only your notes.
- It cannot be undone once it has gone through, and Apple cannot restore the data.
- The same email address or phone number is blocked from a new Apple Account for several years.
- You have to cancel an AppleCare plan before Apple will delete the account at all.
Customer support
Good · checked Oct 18, 2026
Notes has no help desk of its own, so you get Apple's: a detailed user guide, a huge public forum, a chat that runs in Messages and phone lines in the countries Apple lists. That is a lot for an app nobody paid for. It stays a B because the contact page never says when any of it is open or how long you will wait, and phone support only exists where Apple lists a country.
Ways to get help
Live chat
The Contact Apple Support page offers a chat with Apple that opens in the Messages app on your device. It covers Apple products in general rather than Notes in particular.
Stated on support.apple.comPhone
The same contact page lists live phone support country by country. Countries that are not on the list are not offered a line, and the page gives no hours for the ones that are.
Stated on support.apple.comHelp centre
The Notes User Guide for Mac walks through the app feature by feature, including sharing, collaborating and importing, exporting and printing notes, with a separate version for each recent release of macOS.
Stated on support.apple.comCommunity or forum
The Apple Support Community is a public forum, open to anyone, where Apple customers post questions about any Apple product and other users answer.
Stated on discussions.apple.com
Not listed on Apple Notes’s pages: email, contact form or ticket.
- When people answer
Its pages do not say.
- How fast it says it replies
Its pages do not say.
- What depends on your plan
Its pages do not say.
In your favour
- You can reach a person by chat or by phone for an app that costs nothing.
- The Notes User Guide is thorough and has a version for each recent macOS release.
- The Apple Support Community is public and does not need an account to read.
Watch out for
- No hours and no reply time are given anywhere on the contact page.
- Phone support only exists in the countries Apple lists, and nowhere else.
- There is no queue just for Notes: you go in through Apple's general support.
What these two grades rest on. Read on 18 October 2026: Apple's articles on deleting an Apple Account and on its Data and Privacy tools, the Contact Apple Support page, the Notes User Guide for Mac, the Apple Support Community and the app's App Store listing. Nobody here closed an account or contacted Apple's support. They are graded apart from the five that make the GPA. How we grade refunds and support.
Part 06 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Google Keep, Microsoft OneNote, Bear, Evernote and Simplenote
The 5 tools Apple Notes is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Google Keep
Free plan · from $7/mo
Google's app for quick notes, lists and reminders.
- Only Apple Notes lists a macOS app.
- Only Google Keep lists an Android app.
- Only Google Keep lists a browser extension.
- 3.8GPA
Microsoft OneNote
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Microsoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes.
- Only Microsoft OneNote lists Windows and Android apps.
- Only Microsoft OneNote lists a browser extension.
- Apple Notes also covers linked notes.
- 2.6GPA
Bear
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with tags and links.
- Only Apple Notes lists a web app.
- Only Bear lists a browser extension.
- Apple Notes also covers transcription.
- 2.6GPA
Evernote
Free plan · from $99/yr
Note-taking app with web clipping, tasks, calendar and AI search.
- Only Evernote lists Windows and Android apps.
- Only Evernote lists a browser extension.
- Apple Notes also covers transcription and linked notes.
- 3.4GPA
Simplenote
Free
Free plain-text notes that sync across every major platform.
- Only Simplenote lists Android, Windows and Linux apps.
- Simplenote is open source, according to its own site.
- Apple Notes also covers transcription.
Part 07 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
17
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Apple Notes free?
Yes. Apple Notes is free to use.
How much does Apple Notes cost?
Apple Notes lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Apple Notes work on?
Apple Notes is available on iOS, macOS and Web.
How is Apple Notes rated?
Apple Notes's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 650,439 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 7, 2026.
Is Apple Notes any good?
We have not tested Apple Notes, so this is what reviewers say. Often praised: Commenters who tried Obsidian, Notion, Evernote or Simplenote say they settled on it because it is simple and already there.
Does Apple Notes have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Apple Notes is listed for iOS, macOS and Web.
Does Apple Notes have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Apple Notes is listed for iOS, macOS and Web.
Is Apple Notes open source?
Apple Notes is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
What does Apple Notes integrate with?
Apple Notes's listing names iCloud, Siri, Safari and Maps. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Apple Notes?
Apple Notes is made by Apple.
What are the alternatives to Apple Notes?
The closest alternatives to Apple Notes in our directory are Google Keep, Microsoft OneNote, Bear, Evernote and Simplenote.
How do I close a Apple Notes account?
There is nothing to cancel. The Apple Account behind iCloud notes can be deleted permanently at any time and for any reason: you sign in on Apple's Data and Privacy page and select the request to delete your account.
What happens to my data if I leave Apple Notes?
Apple says deleting the account permanently removes the account details and everything stored in iCloud, and that it cannot reopen the account or restore the data.
How do I contact Apple Notes support?
Apple Notes's pages list these ways to get help: live chat, phone, help centre and community or forum.
How does Apple Notes compare with other note-taking apps?
Apple Notes's GPA of 3.4 is higher than 138 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 5.
Is Apple Notes good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Apple Notes A for value for money. Apple Notes has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Apple Notes?
Apple Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Apple Notes’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Apple's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-22.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Apple. Prices change, so check icloud.com before you buy.
- apps.apple.com/us/app/notes/id1110145109
- support.apple.com/guide/notes/welcome/mac
- support.apple.com/guide/icloud/what-you-can-do-with-icloud-and-notes-mm2d069f7097/icloud
- support.apple.com/guide/icloud/notes-on-icloudcom-overview-mm6704cac5/icloud
- support.apple.com/guide/iphone/lock-notes-iphf177bb154/ios
- support.apple.com/en-us/108047
- apple.com/icloud/
Part 08 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Apple Notes, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/apple-notes
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Apple Notes: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/apple-notes
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/apple-notes/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Apple Notes, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 148 note-taking apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft OneNote Insider's GuideMicrosoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes3.8 GPA
- Goodnotes Insider's GuideHandwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant3.6 GPA
- Joplin Insider's GuideOpen source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose3.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Apple Notes’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Apple Notes is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Apple. Prices and plans change: check icloud.com before you buy.