University of Kwazulu-Natal

The Best Note Taking Apps Compared Find Your Perfect Digital Notebook

Bonisiwe Shabane
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the best note taking apps compared find your perfect digital notebook

In our fast-paced digital world, the humble notebook has undergone a remarkable transformation. Gone are the days when we relied solely on paper and pen to capture our thoughts, ideas, and important information. Today, note-taking apps and digital notebooks have revolutionized how we organize our lives, both personally and professionally. Whether you’re a student taking lecture notes, a professional managing projects, or simply someone trying to keep track of daily tasks and inspirations, finding the right digital solution for information management can be a... But with dozens of note-taking apps flooding the market, each claiming to be the ultimate solution, how do you choose the one that truly meets your needs? The perfect digital notebook varies widely depending on your specific requirements—some excel at handling handwritten notes, others at organizing research, while some focus on collaboration or integration with other productivity tools.

In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll dive deep into seven leading note-taking apps, examining their strengths, weaknesses, unique features, and ideal use cases. Whether you’re looking for something simple and intuitive or robust and feature-rich, this guide will help you navigate the crowded digital notebook landscape to find your perfect match for capturing and managing information effectively. Before we dive into comparing specific note-taking apps, it’s crucial to understand what might make one digital notebook perfect for you but completely inadequate for someone else. The note-taking app market has evolved to address various specialized needs, and clarifying your priorities will make your selection process much more efficient. We all process and organize information differently. Some of us are visual thinkers who benefit from mind maps, drawings, and spatial organization.

Others prefer structured, linear text with clear hierarchies. Many professionals need to incorporate multimedia elements like images, audio recordings, and videos into their notes, while some require advanced mathematical notation or coding capabilities. Digital alternatives that will help you stay organized across devices Taking notes with pen and paper works just fine for some, but if you have a smartphone or tablet, using an app designed for note-taking can truly change the way you get things done. Here are 10 of the best to consider, whether you're using a Windows or Mac computer, an Android device, iOS, Chrome OS, or another operating system. Works with most popular platforms and devices.

Text notes only; no images or other media. 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. With a fine-grained organizational structure, a generous free version, and an abundance of features, OneNote is a superbly versatile and complete note-taking app. Joplin is the ideal note-taking app for users who value simplicity, local storage capabilities, and dedicated apps on every major platform. Evernote is a powerful note-taking app with advanced AI features, best-in-class tools for jotting down your thoughts, and an exceptionally clear design, though it comes at a premium price. Obsidian is a highly adaptable and free note-taking app for power users who don't need collaboration features.

Evernote truly is awesome, but it’s web clipper has had repeated issues over the years, as well as image display in notes (pics come out strange in the desktop versions sometimes). Most annoying: the note-size limit is extremely bad. As a “premium” subscriber, I expect larger note-size limits. The greatest thing I love about Evernote is the ease of which I can scrawl a note on regular paper, take a pic, and (if I wrote legibly) be able to search that text. Mind blowingly cool. Very very useful for songwriting or creative writing.

Whilst Google Keep doesn’t have a Windows desktop client you can create a shortcut to the Chrome App version that runs within Chrome if you have it installed. Create a desktop shortcut with this command line “C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe” –new-window –app=https://keep.google.com/ Expert reviews of the best note-taking and knowledge management apps. Compare Notion, Obsidian, Roam Research, and more. Updated for 2025.

Note-taking apps are essential for capturing ideas, organizing knowledge, and building a personal or team knowledge base. The right tool becomes a trusted second brain that helps you remember everything, connect ideas, and share knowledge effectively. We've tested and reviewed 10 leading note-taking and knowledge management tools based on features, ease of use, organization capabilities, collaboration, and value. Whether you need simple text notes or a complex networked knowledge base, you'll find the right solution here. Quick picks: Notion for all-in-one workspace, Obsidian for privacy and linking, Apple Notes for simple Apple integration, Logseq for free Roam alternative, and Simplenote for minimalism. Best For: Comprehensive workspace and wikis

Finding the right note-taking app can make a big difference in how you organize your life, whether you’re in school, at work, or just keeping track of personal ideas. Some people may need a simple way to jot down their thoughts, while others may want only the best note taking app that can be used across all their devices. This guide highlights 10 of the best note-taking apps for students, professionals, iPad owners, iOS and Android users. We tested 21 different apps, including every major windows app and mobile option, and narrowed them to the ones that performed best for speed, layout, and reliability. Each note taking application here gives you the tools you need to help you organize projects, class notes, and work tasks. Many support cloud storage, allow you to handwrite or doodle, and include stuff like rich text editing, AI features, and integration with Microsoft Teams or Google Drive for action items, collaboration, and project management.

Microsoft OneNote is a flexible note-taking app and one of the best app choices for students and professionals. A favorite app of many a diligent note-taker, it combines typed notes, images, and sketches, making it a great way to take notes and keep them organized. A powerful knowledge base that works on local Markdown files, featuring bi-directional linking and graph visualization. You jot down ideas during a Zoom call. Scribble a reminder on your phone between errands. Save a voice note while walking your dog.

Then when it’s time to find that brilliant insight or important meeting detail… It’s gone. Buried in digital clutter or lost in a forgotten app. That’s why note-taking apps are evolving. In 2025, the best note-taking tools don’t just help you store information. They help you make sense of it. They turn chaos into clarity.

With smarter organization, AI-powered insights, and context-aware reminders, modern apps are built to actually think the way you do. Here’s what I looked for when testing tools:

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