University of Kwazulu-Natal

Top 11 Note Taking Apps You Need To Try In 2026

Bonisiwe Shabane
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top 11 note taking apps you need to try in 2026

The idea of note-taking varies from one individual to another. For some, it is a simple & quick capture of ideas, while for others it is a full-fledged documentation with attached images, files, and links to create a knowledge management system. And some professionals use notes to create a to-do list of tasks and expect task management and collaboration capabilities directly from notes. That’s why you often see note-taking apps as one of the most functionally diverse categorizations. And any app that lets you capture quick notes qualifies as a note-taking app, even if it is not designed primarily for note-taking. For clarity, in this post, I am going to cover the note-taking apps primarily from three points of view:

I have shortlisted the 11 note-taking apps and defined the category for which each app is the best. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to choose the right app for your workflow, whether for personal organization or team collaboration. 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. One of the fastest ways to remember something is write it down. That's why millions of people every single day note-take. Bringing their ideas down to paper, or quick capturing something on their app. Practices like GTD (Getting Things Done) by David Allen and Second Brain by Tiago Forte have influenced many people into using it to organize their mind. There's many benefits that you can tailor for your own lifestyle, but here are some common ones:

Checklists - holiday pack lists, present ideas, house move priority items and much more. Ideas - business ideas, project concepts, ways of doing things or even reflections on how you might have done something better next time. When it comes to to-do and note-taking apps, I’ve always had a hard time choosing the right one for my needs. I want it all after all; A minimal and modern app that can handle all my notes, ideas, projects, and clients, while providing team sharing and co-working compatibilities, and all of that in a... But that sounds more like a dream rather than reality, or isn’t it? In one of my latest blog posts, I talked about the number of installed apps that we are using, all of which are basically doing the same thing.

One of my current goals is to lower the number of apps and software I am using as a method to reduce the digital clutter that is making my everyday routine a whole more... I’ve been using a different app for my to-do lists and tasks, another for keeping all my ideas organized, and another for managing my clients and where I left off with each of them. I wanted to find a note-taking app that could manage all of this in a single environment that is designed for both simple and more complex pages with checklists, reminders, notes, attachments, etc. Here’s what I was able to find out: what was my top and final choice, and the pros and cons of the 18 best and most popular to-do and note-taking apps in the world. Note-taking apps could as easily be categorized into three different sections; At first, we have simple to-do apps that are easy to use, fast, and without many options. Then we have the classic note-taking apps, most of them providing more features and ways of organizing our notes and to-do lists using tags and folders.

Looking for the best note-taking apps in 2026? Notion is the best overall for flexibility and organization. PlanWiz offers the most powerful free features with template-based planning, while GoodNotes and Notability deliver the best handwriting experience on iPad. Whether you’re a student managing lectures, a professional managing complex projects, or someone who just wants to capture ideas quickly, the right note-taking app transforms how you work. This comprehensive guide compares 15 apps with real testing data, detailed feature breakdowns, and honest recommendations to help you choose the perfect tool, free or paid, for your specific needs. To ensure accurate, reliable, and unbiased recommendations, I conducted extensive and systematic testing across a wide range of criteria, including functionality, performance, usability, cross-device compatibility, collaboration features, offline access, and real-world workflows, covering both...

All apps were tested under real-world conditions to see how they perform in daily workflows. We focused on both speed and reliability, tracking how well each app handled notes, media, and syncing across devices. This approach ensured that our recommendations reflect practical usage, not just feature lists. Meetings don’t end with notes anymore. They end with summaries, action items, and a follow-up email written by your AI note taker before you’ve even left Zoom. Somewhere between your goodbye wave and “see you next week,” an algorithm has already captured every word, tagged every decision, and turned your chaos into clarity.

The age of frantic typing is over. Evernote walked so Notion, and now Sybill could run. The best AI note taking apps in 2026 don’t just record what’s said. They understand what’s meant. They detect tone, intent, even hesitation. Your AI is no longer your assistant.

It’s your second brain. And that second brain doesn’t just live in apps. Digital note takers like the reMarkable 2, iPad Pro, and Boox Tab Ultra now think as fast as you write. You can sketch, speak, or brainstorm out loud, and your AI audio note taker quietly turns it all into searchable, structured insights in a jiffy. That’s why this guide cuts through the noise to reveal the best AI note taking apps and devices in 2026. You’ll see what actually works for students, professionals, and hybrid teams, and what’s just hype.

By the end, you’ll know exactly which AI recorder note taker deserves a spot in your workflow. In 2026, note-taking has officially crossed into workflow automation territory. More than 75% of professionals now rely on AI-assisted note-taking for work, study, or creative projects. The reason is simple: it saves time, reduces errors, and keeps you focused on listening instead of typing. Capture all your ideas with the best note taking apps for your smartphone When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Here’s how it works. Having one of the best note-taking apps at your disposal is a no-brainer. Inspiration can strike at any time, and when it does you'll naturally turn to a device that's close at hand. Be it a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Sure almost all of your devices will have their own default note-taking app. Those are fantastic, and can be incredibly useful, but third party offerings have features and capabilities that will be a major boon to your productivity.

Things like handwriting support for phones with styluses, AI tools that can neatly arrange or summarize your thoughts, and more. Whether you're taking shorthand, whipping a to-do list or just jotting down a reminder, there's an app out there that can meet your note-taking criteria. These are the best apps for note-taking that we've found for mobile devices. Stop Drowning in Tools. Start Mastering Productivity. Get Your FREE ICOR® Journey Starter Kit Now!

In 2024, we witnessed the most significant shift in the SaaS landscape to date—organizations reduced their SaaS tool stacks by an astonishing 53%. This wasn’t a minor trim. It was a wave of consolidation, with entire categories of apps getting wiped out. For anyone building their digital workflows on top of unstable software, the warning couldn’t be clearer: survival isn’t guaranteed. The note-taking and Personal Knowledge Management space is especially vulnerable. Once-popular apps like Wunderlist, Dark Sky, and Evernote have either disappeared or become shadows of their former selves.

And the truth is harsh—92% of SaaS startups fail within three years. That’s not a statistic; it’s a reality check for anyone building a productivity stack. The collapse of a note-taking app doesn’t just mean losing access to an app. It means losing months—or even years—of system design, customization, and refined workflows. For Busy Professionals who’ve invested in building knowledge systems, the damage goes far beyond data loss. It disrupts muscle memory, established workflows, and even the clarity of your thought process.

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