Jot down your thoughts, save images of things you need to remember, and keep everything at your fingertips on all of your devices with the top note-taking apps we’ve tested.
Everyone needs to write things down from time to time. Note-taking apps let you do just that, and they seamlessly sync your memos across all your other devices. However, their real advantage lies in how they help you organize and find information. The best apps offer multiple structuring options, including folders or notebooks, as well as effective tagging and search features. In short, a good note-taking app is like having a personal internet where you can easily look up anything about your life. We’ve been testing note-taking apps for more than a decade, and our top picks include the extremely capable Microsoft OneNote and the open-source Joplin. But these aren’t the only apps worth checking out, so read on for more of our top picks.Why We Picked It
Even as a free app, OneNote stands out. It has every feature you could want, from organizational structure to cross-platform syncing, voice notes, and OCR. It also comes with the best web clipping tool we’ve seen. OneNote is the first application most people should consider when looking for a note-taking app. It’s a no-brainer if you subscribe to any Microsoft 365 plan.Who It’s For
People who don’t want to pay: Oftentimes, free apps lack significant features compared with paid services, but Microsoft OneNote is an exception. The only major things you give up by not paying are the ability to store files locally on Windows and additional storage space.
Most people: Note-taking is a personal activity, so no single app will work for everyone; however, Microsoft OneNote is flexible enough to suit practically anyone. It offers apps for every major operating system, features an intuitive design, and boasts a plethora of features.Why We Picked It
The open-source Joplin is as close to a perfect note-taking app as you can get if you’re looking for something relatively simple. It’s completely free and stores your notes locally on your computer if you choose—though you can also pay to use Joplin’s cloud storage. Notes you take in Joplin are yours in the same way that notes you take in a paper notebook are. This approach, until recently, had a downside: a lack of collaboration tools. That’s changed, as Joplin now offers notebook sharing for those willing to pay a fee.Who It’s For
People who love simplicity: Joplin is as simple as it gets for a note-taking app. If you just want a quick way to jot something down, the app is tough to beat.
The privacy-conscious: Many note-taking apps focus on cloud storage, but the privacy-respecting Joplin gives you complete ownership of your notes by storing them locally on your device by default.Why We Picked It
Evernote once dominated the note-taking space, but no longer. It’s still a powerful note-taking platform, however, thanks to its AI-enabled plain language search tool, OCR features, and support for voice notes. Moreover, Evernote’s collaboration features are fairly deep, and its interface now has less clutter than before. Just note that the free version is limited, and the paid plans are relatively expensive for the features they offer.
