Best Notes App Write And Organize With Upnote

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 2, 2026, 4:22 PM

best notes app write and organize with upnote

I've been writing about technology and the internet for over six years. I love breaking down unfamiliar tech topics and making them accessible to the average reader. I'm also passionate about internet culture and productivity software. I've written for How-To Geek, Digital Trends, and MakeUseOf, among others. My interests include live music and movie awards. A good note-taking app is a big part of every productivity toolkit.

Here are six note-taking apps I incorporated into my workflow, and why I think UpNote is the best one. I have been on the hunt for the perfect note-taking app for as long as I can remember. Not only are these apps crucial for my workflow, but I also use them to organize my personal life. Whether it’s making a grocery list, to-dos for the week, or lists of my favorite albums, a good note-taking app is essential. I tried six different apps in search of the perfect digital notebook. Several factors influenced my decision-making process.

First, I use an iPhone, an iPad, and a Windows PC, so I need an app that natively supports all three platforms and syncs across all my devices. You are probably not expecting a lot from UpNote—it is not Notion, Google Keep, Evernote, or another worldwide popular note-keeping app. During the mystery shopping review, we didn’t have high expectations at the start either, but UpNote turned out to be a delightful surprise. Its design is elegant and aesthetically pleasant; the features are advanced, well-crafted, and neat. UpNote allows you not only to solve note-keeping problems but also to craft well-designed documents, to-do lists, spreadsheets, and organizers. UpNote’s pricing structure is understandable and straightforward.

While many apps offer free plans loaded with hidden limitations or frustrating ads, UpNote bucks the trend by providing genuine usability in its free version. UpNote doesn’t require registration, allowing you to start using it immediately. And for users who want access to premium features like unlimited devices, additional formatting options, and advanced organization tools, there’s a one-time payment or a budget-friendly subscription plan. Given its elegant design and polished features, the app offers excellent value compared to pricier competitors. It’s an option that appeals to budget-conscious users while still delivering top-tier functionality. By the way, you can get UpNote surprisingly cheap.

It costs only $1.99 per month or $39.99 for a lifetime deal, and these prices are extremely democratic in comparison with competitors. From the moment you open UpNote, it feels clean and polished. Its minimalist design strikes the perfect balance between functionality and aesthetic appeal, making note-taking an enjoyable experience rather than a chore. The advanced text editor shines, offering the flexibility to create to-do lists, documents, and even simple spreadsheets. The presentation of these features is intuitive rather than overwhelming, which allows you to concentrate on your content rather than struggling with the app itself. Your notes sync seamlessly, ensuring that everything you jot down is readily accessible wherever you need it.

The simplicity of UpNote encourages creativity, giving you a blank canvas to build exactly what you need. On the flip side, the lack of pre-made templates might be a drawback for those accustomed to apps with quick-start options. Built by a two-person team, UpNote feels every bit as polished as note-taking apps from huge corporations. It offers user-friendly apps for every major platform and seamlessly converts Markdown code into rich text formatting. Best of all, you can buy the full version for a one-time fee and never worry about the (still reasonable) subscription costs. You have to deal with some downsides, most notably the limited file size for uploads and the omission of drawing tools; however, UpNote is otherwise a worthy note-taking app that keeps your expenses down.

Still, our Editors' Choice winners for the category remain Joplin, which offers a better free version, and OneNote, which is far more capable. UpNote offers a free version that allows you to sync notes across all your devices. But instead of imposing a limit on total storage, UpNote restricts you to just 50 notes and doesn't allow attachments, importing (aside from plain text files), or exporting. Far more generous free applications are available, namely OneNote, Joplin, and Obsidian. A Premium UpNote subscription costs $1.99 per month. Alternatively, you can buy a lifetime license for $39.99.

Lifetime subscribers get access to all the current features in perpetuity—the company can't guarantee that Premium Lifetime members will get all future features, however, citing the unknowable nature of related costs. As of this writing, the Premium tier removes all restrictions of the free version, while also adding support for notebook covers and interface themes. It's possible to lock your notebooks at this level as well. UpNote recommends storing fewer than 20,000 notes to ensure optimal performance when syncing across devices. Each file upload can be up to 20MB. The only way to pay for a premium subscription is via UpNote's Android, iOS, or macOS app; you can't upgrade via the service's Linux or Windows apps.

The UpNote team suggests paying through one of the supported platforms and then syncing with the other apps to access paid features across all your devices. After years of being a faithful and paying user of a major competitor product, I finally had to look for a replacement due to regular large price increases and some (to me anyway) unnecessary... being in the Google ecosystem, I tried keep as my primary notetaking app for quite a while, but I just couldn’t make it work. I had seen UpNote on a few lists of worthy products to try, and I gave it a shot. I immediately felt like this was going to be a good solution and potentially even a better solution than what I had been using for years. Having now used it for a couple of months now, being a paid premium user for most of that time, I can absolutely say this is a nearly perfect solution for me.

It can work simply as a place to jot some quick thought, or it can easily organize the thousands of notes that I currently have. The folder and notebook structure makes sense to me, and the ability to use tags is incredibly convenient. Importing from other major services is extremely simple. I would encourage anyone to at least give this a try. Once you see how much more affordable it is on top of everything else, I would imagine it could be hard to go back to another premium note taking app. Thank you so much for your review!

We're delighted to hear that you're enjoying UpNote and we hope the app continues to be useful for you :) After years of being a faithful and paying user of a major competitor product, I finally had to look for a replacement due to regular large price increases and some (to me anyway) unnecessary... being in the Google ecosystem, I tried keep as my primary notetaking app for quite a while, but I just couldn’t make it work. I had seen UpNote on a few lists of worthy products to try, and I gave it a shot. I immediately felt like this was going to be a good solution and potentially even a better solution than what I had been using for years. Having now used it for a couple of months now, being a paid premium user for most of that time, I can absolutely say this is a nearly perfect solution for me.

That other app kept increasing prices and adding distracting, annoying and pointless interface changes and adding other features that I did not need or want. So, I did a fairly exhaustive search for a new note taking app to use for work and personal use. I looked at over 10 well-reviewed alternatives, and finally found UpNote. It is perfect for me. It has a simple, straightforward interface. Syncing works very well.

It handles large numbers of notes and did a great job of importing my previous notes. Now I can focus on making clear notes, recording information so I can easily find it later. Further, I emailed in a question and got an effective response the same day. UpNote is great and definitely worth your time to learn it and transition to it. Very highly recommended! I recently got to the point where I was no longer willing to suffer with the note taking app that I had been using for nearly 20 years.

It handles large numbers of notes and did a great job of importing my previous notes. Now I can focus on making clear notes, recording information so I can easily find it later. Further, I emailed in a question and got an effective response the same day. UpNote is great and definitely worth your time to learn it and transition to it. Very highly recommended! Tagline: Clean Evernote alternative with lifetime pricing option

Product Page Tagline: Beautiful markdown note-taking app with offline access UpNote is a beautifully designed note-taking application that combines elegant simplicity with powerful organizational features, offering seamless markdown support and cross-device synchronization. Built as an affordable alternative to Evernote and Notion, UpNote focuses on providing a distraction-free writing experience without the complexity or subscription costs that plague many note-taking platforms. The app works flawlessly across Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux, making it ideal for users who need their notes accessible everywhere. The interface prioritizes clarity and ease of use, featuring a complete rich-text editor that supports multiple formatting options while maintaining a clean visual design. Users can organize notes through nested notebooks, hashtags, pinned items, and Quick Access bookmarks, ensuring that important information stays organized without feeling overwhelming.

Best Notes App Write And Organize With Upnote

People Also Search

I've Been Writing About Technology And The Internet For Over

Here Are Six Note-taking Apps I Incorporated Into My Workflow,

First, I Use An IPhone, An IPad, And A Windows

While Many Apps Offer Free Plans Loaded With Hidden Limitations

It Costs Only $1.99 Per Month Or $39.99 For A