Useful Notetaking Apps for Organized, Flexible Notes
useful notetaking apps
The most useful notetaking apps in the community answer are OneNote, Noteful, and Obsidian, with Apple Notes and Google Keep fitting users who want ecosystem syncing. OneNote combines typing, handwriting, files, and audio recordings in one notebook. Noteful focuses on simple customization, audio recording, and layers without a subscription. Obsidian fits users who want note links and markup tools.
OneNote has a notebook, section, and page structure, and users can place content anywhere on a page. Users also praised the ability to attach files and audio recordings directly to a page. This makes OneNote a strong choice for people who want several note types in one organized space.
Noteful has a one-time lifetime price of $6.99, according to the community answer. Users praised its simplicity, customization, audio recording, and layering. Obsidian has note links and markup tools, so it fits users who want to connect notes and work with formatted text.
Users also look for a strong search engine and a flexible system with tags and categories. Easy export matters too, with users mentioning PDFs, Word documents, and email. Offline use and data ownership matter for people who want their notes without constant internet access or dependence on cloud services.
Your current device ecosystem can guide the choice. Apple Notes and Google Keep can fit users who already rely on Apple or Google apps and want notes to sync across devices. Some users prefer an AI meeting assistant for summaries and action items, while others choose a terminal editor such as Neovim for a specific workflow.
App picks
- OneNote Combines typing, handwriting, files, audio recordings, and flexible page placement.
- Noteful Provides simple customization, audio recording, layering, and a $6.99 lifetime price.
- Obsidian Fits users who want note links and markup tools.
- Apple Notes Can fit users who already use Apple apps and want syncing across devices.
- Google Keep Can fit users who already rely on Google apps such as Keep and Tasks.
Top Recommended Note-Taking Apps
Key Features Users Look For
Considerations for Choosing an App
Are you looking for a note-taking app primarily for academic or professional use?
Bottom line
OneNote is a frequently recommended note-taking app due to its organizational structure and versatility, with Users highlighting its ability to combine typing, handwriting, and media.
Community answers 30
What others in the community said:
My opinion obviously :) (credentials: med student). Spent a lot of money this year testing the pro versions of notetaking apps so hopefully this helps someone.
Disclaimer: I use the infinite canvas feature but the apps have the same features within their notebooks as well! (Except Boardnotes, missing pins)
Now if only there was an app that could combine all these features.
Top 5: Notability (not for taking the notes, more for document storage and AI Learn) ProDrafts BoardNotes KiloNotes Feyn
Among these, the others i tested were: Goodnotes Starnotes Nebo Notewise Freenotes CollaNote MarginNote Documents XMind Flow Noteshelf Noteful Notes+ Ahmni Obsidian Notion Concepts ZoomNotes Guga Mannnnyyyyyy more…
Update 5/14: I see that a lot of people return to this post a lot so just want to add that after 8 months, I am a Notability + Starnotes
I am seeking to engage a broad audience to discover lesser-known note-taking apps that may not receive the attention they deserve
While I have my favs, I am eager to learn about any that I might be overlooking. It would be greatly appreciated if you could provide a brief summary explaining why you consider a specific app to be underrated and highlight its standout features
All responses are welcome :)
Why didn’t GoodNotes make your list? I was interested until I saw “warning deleted my notes a few times” yeah that’s a deal breaker lol
anything thats not apple notes or one notes thats actually meant for academics(preparing for a competetive exam)
i just bought a new ipad and i was using collanote but found out its not truly free anymore as theyve added limits, heard about Notes+ might use that, but is that the alternative rn, is no other app giving free unlimited note taking?
i only care about note taking handwritten notes , no flashcards or AI tools needed
Probably gonna be tough to find an app aimed at professionals that someone put many many hours of labor into creating that’s going to be completely free. That’s just not how economics works.
Noteful.
Not free but 5.99 one-time purchase. I am not against paying for apps, but try to avoid subscriptions whenever possible.
Apple Pages / Apple Notes
Hello Everyone,
New Starnote app user here. I recently bought a tab and was looking for a good note taking app. After trying several apps I finally decided to go with Starnote app. I have purchased the lifetime version and in the little time I had with this app I can say that this app has almost everything I need.
I am glad to find this subreddit as I discovered the app have search functionality which previously I thought was missing. I would appreciate if someone can help me find tips & tricks that can make my note taking experience better.
Thank you Starnote team for this wonderful app. :)
Hi guys, I am looking for your go-to app for notetaking on an ipad that is preferably free, and has no limits to how many notes you can take (also minimal popup ads). For reference, I am a college student with a lot of note taking based classes. I have tried free goodnotes, notability, and collanote. I think goodnotes is okay, but I have heard a lot of things about glitches though and that has made me weary about committing to a subscription from them. With notability, I really liked it, but the consistent subscription platform is not feasible for me, personally, and for collanote, i also liked it, but it has SO many popup ads that it is hard to take notes during a fast paced class.
Any reccomendations? I know a lot of the apps are going to be limited or have a lot of popups if I choose to go the free route, but I am curious if there are any hidden gems out there, or if any subscriptions really are worth it.
Thanks!
Good morning all !
I am looking for the ultimate note-taking app for professional use, to centralise and easily search through the notes taken during calls and meetings.
I want to hear all your recommendations - which ones changed your life ??
(I have done in the past used emails thread, but it’s not great to search through old info. Word and excel are sometimes used, but not obviously not ideal. I looked into Notion, but it is not friendly to format or export. And not a big fan of OneNote.)
What I am looking for in the app :
- good search engine to find information in previous notes
- strong classification system through categories and tag (to easily get all notes relating to Client A and/or Project B and/or Country C and/or any other relevant criteria I could set)
- decent formatting, like inserting a table, changing text colour, highlighting, etc.
- easy to export / convert / copy (into emails, word or PDF)
- Ideally, ability to set apart assigned tasks or follow-ups that can get centralised elsewhere
- Potentially ability to connect or link it to other systems (like Notion, or project management apps)
Thanks a million :)
Why is Goodnotes not on here? I've tried a few different apps and it was by far my favorite. I actually liked Apple Notes a good bit too but it had a similar issue for me as you had with Prodrafts with losing my notes.
Noteful. Simple yet beautiful. Noteful pro cost you like $6. No ads. Bugs are rare and fixed quickly.
I like OneNote. It’s free, and if you have a MS account through your school you may already have it.
I did too, from goodnotes to notability I ended up with noteful.
Also anything with a subscription lost me. I'm sick of it like why a sub to take notes.
Noteful is $6.99 lifetime.
For quick notes I use apple notes because it's free and well integrated in the ecosystem.
For sketch and brainstorming Freeform.
Freeform?
Goodnotes is also good, the free version gives you 3 notebooks to write in.
If you are using any other app such as Joplin, Evernote, Notesnook, etc, let us know through comments.
Obsidian is great as it has markups and has notes linkage ability. Look it up.
I have the Lenovo Tab M10 Plus 3rd Gen. I use it for note taking at uni. Up until recently I used Goodnotes, but like right before exams (before Christmas) the app started glitching and I couldn't take good notes (😅😅).
Does anyone have a good note taking app? I don't mind paying for subscription, as long as it is not an outrageous price.
Hey! I’m a first-year student entering a math program, and I have a Windows laptop. I’m looking for recommendations for a good note-taking app for university.
Ideally, I’d like something that **records the professor during class so I can go back and listen to the recording later**, while also being able to help organize or make sense of what was said.
What apps do you recommend for this? Thanks! :)
Honestly OneNote is really good. The ability to “write” wherever you want on the page; attaching files and audio recordings directly on the page; and the notebook/section/page format are all pretty great. Plus it’s integrated with Copilot if you want AI to take summary notes for you. Plus plus you can control phone to computer or tablet without missing a beat.
I stopped taking manual notes during meetings entirely. Now I let an AI meeting assistant handle summaries and action items, and I just stay present. Made searching past decisions way easier.
Still experimenting with tools, curious what others recommend here.
Obsidian (with excalidraw plugin). Again
- Syncthing for folder synchronization between devices
Hey, so I just got an iPad and need recommendations on good note taking apps. Preferably, I’d like some free apps that have everything needed like: unlimited notebooks/folders and pages, ability to use it offline!! Ability to export files (pdfs, slides, docs, etc.) and no ads.
I can also pay for a GOOD note taking app that is a one time payment (not a subscription) and is not very expensive. For example, goodnotes is an app I often hear about, but I feel like there are cheaper apps that offer just as nice note taking.
I was thinking about Noteful, Kilonotes, CollaNote, Notes+, Freenotes
Any opinions on those apps? What do you think and which one is the most worth the price OR the best overall?
I’m building Grape. It’s an offline-first note taking app and you own your data. It has unlimited folders, notes, drawings, voice recordings, images, and files in the free plan. There’s a lifetime plan where you can buy once to enable AI features.
- Powerful Search and Organization: Many Users prioritize a strong search engine and a flexible classification system with tags and categories to easily find past notes.
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