The Best Note-Taking Apps in 2026
Microsoft OneNote is the top-ranked note-taking app of the 214 we ranked (9.3/10, free plan), best for microsoft-focused users and collaborative teams. Notion is the runner-up (9.2/10), and Evernote is the next highest-ranked option with a free plan (9.0/10). We researched note-taking apps through their official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. Rankings focus on the core job of writing and organizing notes, value for money and verified features—not hands-on testing.
Our top picks
-
Top ranked
Microsoft OneNote#1 of 2149.3/10A broad, collaborative note system with strong Microsoft integration and a capable free option.
Free plan
-
Runner-up
Notion#2 of 2149.2/10A flexible workspace for teams that want notes and knowledge bases alongside databases and collaboration.
Free plan
-
Top-ranked free plan
Evernote#3 of 2149.0/10A broad note-taking workspace for organizing information, tasks, calendars, and documents.
Free plan · 7-day trial
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 214 tools, best first · page 1 of 5
-
Best forMicrosoft-focused users and collaborative teams
A broad, collaborative note system with strong Microsoft integration and a capable free option.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
9.3/10★★★★★Visit site -
Best forCollaborative notes and knowledge bases
A flexible workspace for teams that want notes and knowledge bases alongside databases and collaboration.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Notion -
Best forFeature-rich personal and business note taking
A broad note-taking workspace for organizing information, tasks, calendars, and documents.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
Free plan · 7-day trial Our Evernote verdict → Visit EvernoteFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #3 · $79/mo →9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Evernote -
Best forHandwritten notebooks and PDF annotation
A broad note-taking app for handwriting, PDFs, collaboration, and AI across five platforms.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
Free plan · 7-day trial Our Goodnotes verdict → Visit GoodnotesFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #4 · $69/mo →8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Goodnotes -
Best forStudents using handwriting, PDFs, and recordings
A flexible notes app for handwriting, PDFs, recordings, and AI study tools.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
Free plan · 30-day trial Our Notability verdict → Visit NotabilityFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #5 · $59/mo →8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Notability -
Best forOpen-source, privacy-conscious note takers
A privacy-focused Markdown notebook that works across desktop, mobile and web.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Joplin -
Best forUsers wanting free notes with broad integrations
A flexible free note-taking app with broad platforms, integrations, and content types.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Zoho Notebook -
Best forNetworked-note and knowledge-management users
A flexible local-file workspace for connected notes, research, and personal knowledge.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Obsidian -
Best forPolished collaborative documents and notes
Craft brings polished notes, documents, tasks, collaboration, and AI into one workspace.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Craft -
Best forSimple, free notes and shared lists
A free, approachable choice for notes, lists, reminders, and lightweight collaboration.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Google Keep -
Best forCollaborative team note libraries
A flexible note library with real-time collaboration, offline access, and broad capture options.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Notejoy -
Best forHandwriting, PDF annotation, and study sets
A strong choice for handwritten notes, PDF annotation, and study materials.
- Note sharing
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit MyScript Notes -
Best forOutliners, linked journals, and task-focused notes
A flexible local-first workspace for connected notes, tasks, journals, and research.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Logseq -
Best forAffordable encrypted notes across many devices
A privacy-focused note app with broad platform support and low-cost paid plans.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Notesnook -
Best forPower users combining notes, tasks, and calendars
A broad productivity workspace for connecting notes, tasks, calendars, and linked information.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Amplenote -
Best forSelf-hosters wanting block-based notes
A capable personal knowledge system with strong free features and costly upgrades.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit SiYuan -
Best forStructured, object-based personal knowledge management
A structured knowledge workspace with broad integrations and a useful free tier.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Capacities -
Best forStudents turning notes into spaced repetition
A study-focused note app that turns source material into review workflows.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit RemNote -
Best forCollaborative Markdown publishing
A strong web-based workspace for collaborative Markdown, publishing, and GitHub workflows.
- Offline access
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit HackMD -
Best forAffordable, straightforward cross-platform notes
A capable, affordable note app for organized personal knowledge across seven platforms.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit UpNote -
Best forMinimalist free notes with reliable basics
A capable free notes app for people who value simplicity over breadth.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Simplenote -
Best forCollaborative notecards and spaced repetition
A flexible notecard system for shared knowledge, offline work and spaced repetition.
- Offline access
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Supernotes -
Best forOutlines, lists, and lightweight team sharing
A flexible outliner with sharing, exports, AI, and a free usage-limited plan.
- Note sharing
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Workflowy -
Best forDaily lists, reminders, and lightweight notes
A flexible daily-list app for notes, reminders, tasks, and personal organization.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Twos -
Best forSelf-hosted collaborative knowledge workspaces
A broad self-hosted workspace for notes, tasks, documentation, and knowledge sharing.
- Note sharing
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Poznote -
Best forOpen-source users wanting an all-in-one vault
A broad, open-source Markdown vault for users who want notes, planning, study, and collaboration together.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Noteriv -
Best forSecurity-first note taking
A security-first note app with broad note types, offline editing, and no real-time collaboration.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Standard Notes -
Best forPowerful local Markdown and visual workspaces
A broad local Markdown workspace with a one-time desktop license.
- Offline access
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Pellet -
Best forPrivate, offline-first collaborative workspaces
A private, offline-first workspace with structured notes, shared spaces, and real-time collaboration.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit Anytype -
Best forTablet-oriented handwriting and document annotation
A flexible handwriting and annotation app with offline canvases and optional AI plans.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Notewise -
Best forPDF annotation and spaced-repetition study
A focused Apple study workspace for turning source material into reviewable notes.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit MarginNote -
Best forAI-powered research notebooks with source citations
A citation-focused research notebook with AI summaries, study tools, and broad source imports.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit Gemini -
Best forEncrypted notes with tasks and calendars
A unified workspace for encrypted notes, planning, collaboration and offline work.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
5.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Notte -
Best forMarkdown notes with Git-based synchronization
A portable Markdown workspace for users who want Git-based notebook synchronization.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
5.8/10★★★☆☆Visit NotesHub -
Best forLow-cost local-file notes with AI
Low-cost Markdown notes with offline editing, local AI, and optional cloud features.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
5.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Hillnote -
Best forApple users combining notes and time planning
A focused Apple-friendly workspace for combining notes, tasks, and time planning.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
5.6/10★★★☆☆Visit NotePlan -
Best forNetworked notes for dedicated graph users
A graph-centered note app with deep linking, APIs, and no permanent free plan.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
5.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Roam Research -
Best forHandwriting-to-text and pen-based note taking
A strong pen-first note app, limited by weak collaboration and store-dependent pricing.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
5.4/10★★★☆☆Visit MyScript Notes -
Best forDevelopers and technical Markdown note takers
A focused paid workspace for technical notes, code, diagrams, and offline access.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
5.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Inkdrop -
Best forHandwritten notes with transcription and study tools
A broad note-taking workspace for handwritten study materials and transcribed ideas.
5.3/10★★★☆☆Visit TouchNotes -
Best forSelf-hosted timeline notes and attachments
A flexible open-source choice for self-hosted notes, search, sharing, and offline capture.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
5.1/10★★★☆☆Visit Memos -
Best forOpen-source Vim and Markdown users
A flexible Markdown vault for Vim users who want control across every major platform.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
5.0/10★★☆☆☆Visit ZenNotes -
Best forResearch notes tied to source documents
A focused research workspace for connecting notes directly to source documents.
- Offline access
4.9/10★★☆☆☆Visit LiquidText -
Best forMac users building visual idea spaces
Curio gives Mac users a flexible visual workspace for notes, research, PDFs, and tasks.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
4.9/10★★☆☆☆Visit Curio -
Best forVisual research and whiteboard-based thinking
A visual research workspace with whiteboards, linked notes, PDF tools, and AI.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
4.8/10★★☆☆☆Visit Heptabase -
Best forUsers turning saved content into an AI knowledge base
A capable AI knowledge base with useful free access and costly higher tiers.
- Offline access
4.7/10★★☆☆☆Visit Recall -
Best forApple Pencil handwriting and creative study
A feature-rich Apple note-taking app for handwriting, study, and creative work.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
4.5/10★★☆☆☆Visit CollaNote -
Best forOpen-source handwritten infinite canvases
A capable free canvas for handwritten notes, with limited integrations and experimental collaboration.
- Real-time collaboration
- Note sharing
- Offline access
4.4/10★★☆☆☆Visit site -
Best forEncrypted notes and bookmarks for self-hosters
A privacy-focused notebook with broad note types, offline access, and self-hosting.
- Note sharing
- Offline access
4.3/10★★☆☆☆Visit Turtl -
Best forFree browser-based team collaboration
A capable free web workspace for shared documents, tasks, embeds, and lightweight project planning.
4.2/10★★☆☆☆Visit Dropbox Paper
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Offline access | Supported platforms | Note sharing | Real-time collaboration | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microsoft OneNote | Yes | $99.99/yr | Yes | web, windows, macos, ios, android | Yes | Yes | 9.3 |
| 2 | Notion | Yes | $10/user/mo | Yes | web, windows, macos, ios, android, chrome_extension | Yes | Yes | 9.2 |
| 3 | Evernote | Yes | Yes | web, windows, macos, ios, android, chrome_extension | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 4 | Goodnotes | Yes | Yes | web, windows, macos, ios, android | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | |
| 5 | Notability | Yes | $14.99/user/yr | Yes | web, windows, macos, ios, android | Yes | Yes | 8.7 |
| 6 | Joplin | Yes | €2.40/mo | Yes | web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension, API | Yes | Yes | 8.6 |
| 7 | Zoho Notebook | Yes | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android | Yes | Yes | 8.5 | |
| 8 | Obsidian | Yes | $4/user/mo | Yes | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension | Yes | Yes | 8.4 |
| 9 | Craft | Yes | $6.40/user/mo | Yes | web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Yes | Yes | 8.3 |
| 10 | Google Keep | Yes | Free | Yes | web, ios, android, chrome_extension | Yes | Yes | 8.2 |
| 11 | Notejoy | Yes | $5/mo | Yes | web, windows, macos, ios, android, chrome_extension | Yes | Yes | 8.1 |
| 12 | MyScript Notes | Yes | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS | Yes | No | 8.0 | ||
| 13 | Logseq | Yes | Free | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
| 14 | Notesnook | Yes | $1.67/mo | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android | Yes | 7.8 | |
| 15 | Amplenote | Yes | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android, chrome_extension, api | Yes | Yes | 7.7 | |
| 16 | SiYuan | Yes | $64 one-time | Yes | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, web interface, Chrome/Edge extension, API, Docker self-hosting | Yes | 7.6 | |
| 17 | Capacities | Yes | $8.33/mo | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android | Yes | No | 7.5 |
| 18 | RemNote | Yes | $8/mo | 7.4 | ||||
| 19 | HackMD | Yes | $5/seat/mo | Yes | 7.3 | |||
| 20 | UpNote | Yes | $1.99/mo | Yes | windows, macos, linux, ios, android, chrome_extension | Yes | No | 7.2 |
| 21 | Simplenote | Yes | Free | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android | Yes | 7.1 | |
| 22 | Supernotes | Yes | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android | 7.0 | |||
| 23 | Workflowy | Yes | $6.99/mo | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android, chrome_extension | Yes | 6.9 | ||
| 24 | Twos | Yes | $39.99/yr | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android, chrome_extension, api | Yes | Yes | 6.8 |
| 25 | Poznote | Yes | Free | web, windows, macos, linux, android, chrome_extension | Yes | 6.7 | ||
| 26 | Noteriv | Yes | Free | Yes | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, browser extension | Yes | Yes | 6.6 |
| 27 | Standard Notes | Yes | $90/yr | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android | Yes | No | 6.5 |
| 28 | Pellet | Yes | $20/device one-time | Yes | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, iPadOS, Android | 6.4 | ||
| 29 | Anytype | Yes | Yes | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Yes | Yes | 6.3 | |
| 30 | Notewise | Yes | $28.99/user/yr | Yes | web, ios, android | Yes | Yes | 6.2 |
| 31 | MarginNote | Yes | $16.99/yr | Yes | macos, ios | Yes | No | 6.1 |
| 32 | Gemini Notebook | Yes | 6.0 | |||||
| 33 | Notte | Yes | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android | Yes | Yes | 5.9 | |
| 34 | NotesHub | Yes | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android | Yes | 5.8 | ||
| 35 | Hillnote | Yes | $2/mo | Yes | windows, macos, ios, android | Yes | No | 5.7 |
| 36 | NotePlan | No | $99/user/yr | Yes | web, macos, ios | Yes | Yes | 5.6 |
| 37 | Roam Research | No | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android, chrome_extension, api | Yes | 5.5 | ||
| 38 | Nebo (now MyScript Notes) | Yes | Yes | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Yes | No | 5.4 | |
| 39 | Inkdrop | No | $8.31/user/mo | Yes | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android | Yes | 5.4 | |
| 40 | TouchNotes | Yes | windows, macos, ios, android | 5.3 | ||||
| 41 | Memos | Yes | Free | Yes | web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome extension | Yes | 5.1 | |
| 42 | ZenNotes | Yes | Free | Yes | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, self-hosted browser | Yes | 5.0 | |
| 43 | LiquidText | Yes | Yes | 4.9 | ||||
| 44 | Curio | Yes | $5/mo | Yes | macos | Yes | 4.9 | |
| 45 | Heptabase | Yes | $107.88/user/yr | Yes | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android, chrome_extension | Yes | Yes | 4.8 |
| 46 | Recall | Yes | $10/mo | Yes | 4.7 | |||
| 47 | CollaNote | Yes | Yes | ios, macos | Yes | Yes | 4.5 | |
| 48 | Linwood Butterfly | Yes | Free | Yes | web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Yes | Yes | 4.4 |
| 49 | Turtl | Yes | Yes | windows, macos, linux, android, chrome_extension | Yes | 4.3 | ||
| 50 | Dropbox Paper | Yes | $0.99/mo | 4.2 |
Head-to-head All 26 comparisons →
- Microsoft OneNote vs Notion
- Microsoft OneNote vs Evernote
- Microsoft OneNote vs Goodnotes
- Microsoft OneNote vs Notability
- Microsoft OneNote vs Joplin
- Microsoft OneNote vs Zoho Notebook
- Microsoft OneNote vs Obsidian
- Notion vs Evernote
- Notion vs Goodnotes
Buyer's guide
How much do note-taking apps cost? Of the 214 we ranked, 172 have a free plan and 22 publish a paid starting price. Among the 16 priced per month, the lowest is $0.99/mo (Dropbox Paper); a typical starting price is about $5/mo. Prices checked September 2026.
Which note-taking apps have a free plan? 172 of the 214 we ranked list one. The highest-ranked are Microsoft OneNote (9.3/10), Notion (9.2/10) and Evernote (9.0/10).
Which features set note-taking apps apart? Real-time collaboration: 34 of 214, including Microsoft OneNote (9.3/10), Notion (9.2/10) and Evernote (9.0/10). Note sharing: 105 of 214, including Microsoft OneNote (9.3/10), Notion (9.2/10) and Evernote (9.0/10). Offline access: 142 of 214, including Microsoft OneNote (9.3/10), Notion (9.2/10) and Evernote (9.0/10).
Explore other topics All topics →
- AI Tools 304 directories · 8,306 tools ranked AI Writing Tools · AI Video Generators · Text-to-Speech Software
- Web Hosting & Domains 275 directories · 6,107 tools ranked Shared Web Hosting · Managed Cloud Hosting · Dedicated Server Hosting
- Marketing 139 directories · 4,058 tools ranked SEO Tools · Influencer Marketing Platforms · Email Marketing Software
- Sales & CRM 152 directories · 4,161 tools ranked Real Estate CRM Software · CRM Software · Proposal Software
- Customer Service 55 directories · 1,547 tools ranked Chatbot Builders · Knowledge Base Software · Call Center Software
- Communication 109 directories · 3,229 tools ranked Business Phone Systems · Email Clients · Audience Response Systems
How we rank Note-Taking apps
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
Last updated · How we research and update