There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.
Mar 04, 2021 Most of the apps listed here are free, giving you access to their basic note-taking attributes. The apps also offer premium accounts, where all its features are unlocked for you to experience the full capabilities of the app. And now, without further delay, I present the best note-taking apps.
Sip 1 1 3 – simple color picker for developers. Do you want to keep track of all pieces of information to keep your life running smoothly?
Do you need a systematic way to handle data and maximize your efficiency in the workplace?
- Obsidian is the best note-taking app that you've never heard of. As someone who is a bit too obsessed with the world of productivity apps, including the best to-do apps, it feels like there's.
- Students need note-taking options outside of academics, such as for a workout checklist. Google Keep offers a quick sticky note style program for visual organizers who write in shorter formats. Similar to Google Docs, this program exists within the cloud for all your on the go needs.
Do you need a smarter way to store notes and recall lectures and course content without being overwhelmed with all the information?
Whichever of the above describes your needs, a note-taking app can give you the much-needed repository of all the important information you need in life.
However, with so many apps competing for our attention, how will you which ones are a cut above the rest?
Today, we feature the 15 best note taking apps for 2021. We’ve carefully curated this list to help you choose from the top-performing apps for your specific note-taking and productivity needs.
So whether you’re a family with a jam-packed weekly schedule, a student studying for major exams, or the team leader of your company’s latest project, an app that can organize everything you need is a big help to your success.
The most ideal app should be capable of intuiting your needs when it comes to note-taking. It’s a marvelous bonus if it is also designed to be pleasing to the eyes.
It is also great if the app is available cross-platform. This way, you have access to your notes in all your gadgets.
The bells and whistles, voice to text conversion, offline access, searchable entries, and cloud-saving capabilities are also wonderful features worth having.
Most of the apps listed here are free, giving you access to their basic note-taking attributes. The apps also offer premium accounts, where all its features are unlocked for you to experience the full capabilities of the app.
And now, without further delay, I present the best note-taking apps.
(Side note: Another positive way to improve your life is to read and learn something new every day. A great tool to do this is to join over 1 million others and start your day with the latest FREE, informative news from this website.)
What You Will Learn
![Best Note Taking App Best Note Taking App](https://icdn.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/bear-notetaking-app-1500x1000.jpg)
1. Cozi
Are you a busy mom or dad running a household of active kids? Do you need a way to keep track of all practice and game schedules?
You’re going to will love this app. It is an extremely useful collaboration tool for helping the household stay on top of all activities and schedules.
Notes can be shared among members of the family so it's easier for everyone to collaborate on creating their weekly calendar so nothing is missed.
The color-coding feature can be used to assign a color corresponding to each family member so it's easier to identify to whom an activity or appointment belongs (e.g., a dentist's appointment for dad or hockey practice on Friday for the eldest).
2. Evernote
As one of the pioneering productivity tools, Evernote has earned the respect of many users. This app helps you keep track of your priorities and organize your life.
Bursts of inspiration happen any time and you can easily capture them with the note-taking feature. With this app, you can find your memos, schedules, project details, shopping lists, and meeting minutes all in one place.
3. OneNote
This app increases your productivity. OneNote allows you to multitask while in multi-window mode. Your notes are organized into sectioned notebooks.
If you're a student, you can use the app for recording audio, perfect for class lectures where you need to double-check what the professor had said.
4. Todoist
If you want to create short reminders that you can expand on later, this app is perfect for the job. It has a simple functionality that works in your favor. The real strength of Todoist, however, comes from creating, managing and tracking tasks to accomplish. This makes it one of the single best productivity apps.
Todoist helps you manage your time effectively. This way you can focus on the things that truly matter.
Check out this post if you want to learn how to use this app and more.
5. Google Keep
This app is very versatile. People use it for creating to-do lists, ideas boards, and digital bullet journals.
Google Keep makes it to this list because it is also great for taking notes.
You can embed images and audio as necessary to help capture your thoughts better. You can also set location-based reminders for your notes (ideal to prompt you on a necessary brainstorm session for a project).
This way, all the essential info you need is in one place so you never miss a thing.
6. Nebo
Some people prefer writing their notes rather than using the keypad to key in their entries. This app allows you to scribble your notes and store them in digital format.
Nebo users rave about the fast response of its stylus, with no lag time in their strokes. It also possesses a text recognition and conversion feature that deserves mention for its accuracy.
7. Notion
Brainstorm with your team for new ideas on a project, create a tasks list, put in a reminder for that surprise birthday party you're planning for your favorite aunt. Notion can be the one place where you can keep all these pieces of information.
Templates are available for the various purposes of your notes. Drag and drop priorities and tasks with ease.
Tag people in a collaborative project and edit notes simultaneously with any member of your team. It's no wonder Notion's categorized as one of the “pros” in the note-taking app department.
8. Zoho Notebook
Level up your organizing skills with this note taking app. Zoho Notebook offers several ways of capturing your brainwaves.
You can record class lectures. The app allows you to create handwritten diagrams and notes during meetings and digitize these notes easier storage and access.
It enables you to keep mementos of a special moment with a photo note. Moreover, you can organize your notes in different notebooks, create note stacks, and sync your note across all your digital devices.
9. Notability
This app is great for taking down notes in class. Not only does it allow for handwritten note-taking, but the Notability app also allows you to overlay a recording of the lecture as you take notes.
The same features can be applied in the boardroom for capturing essential details of a meeting.
10. Dropbox Paper
This app is a favorite among groups for its collaborative features. Dropbox Paper allows you to remotely edit a project proposal in real-time and organize the results of your team's meetings and brainstorming sessions.
You get a heads up if someone's reading or working on a document, and which part. All your tasks can be consolidated, automatically updating the document when you've ticked off a completed task.
11. Noteledge
Whether you are a student, someone working in the corporate world, or a professional needing the perfect tool to help you stay organized, this app is perfect for you. Aside from the basic note-taking features seen in other apps, Noteledge allows you to present your ideas in beautiful ways.
You can highlight and make annotations on PDF files to emphasize essential points (useful for studying). You can collect information from numerous sources and integrate all of them into this app.
12. Simplenote
When you want no-frills note-taking, this app fits the bill. It is an easy and efficient way to capture your thoughts and keep your ideas. Simplenote also allows for collaboration and sharing of your notes.
The notes you write are automatically stored in the cloud so you can access it at any time on any device.
13. Workflowy
The presentation of this app is very simple, yet it belies the power it holds as a tool that helps you to organize your notes. When you make notes with this app, every item is searchable.
Workflowy also utilizes hashtags for better recall of important entries. You can keep your notes better organized with bulleted entries.
Want to feel accomplished? This app sends you an e-mail to remind you of the tasks you have completed for the day.
14. Joplin
As an open-source note-taking app, Joplin is very powerful. Joplin can handle a large volume of notes that you can organize into notebooks, for better searchability and quick access.
You can import files from Evernote. Imported formatted content will be converted to Markdown.
You can also synchronize your notes through different platforms, including DropBox and OneDrive. It also features a web clipper, enabling to save screenshots of webpages.
15. SynapBook
This app allows you to organize your notes as you would when making a mind map (tree structure). SynapBook has text highlighting features that allow you to quickly see important notes and reminders.
You can use the memo features even while in offline mode. The developers are currently working on added features such as collaboration, to share your notes with others, and image capturing.
Final Words
So, which note taking app is your favorite?
Is there an app that will be the perfect tool for your needs among the ones featured today? Share your thoughts in the comments. We love hearing from you!
If you’re looking for other ways to boost your productivity in the workplace, head over to this post to discover 36 workplace habits that help you build a successful career.
Also, check out the suggestions in this post on how the Pomodoro Technique can help you manage your time more effectively.
I wish you all the best in reaching your goals this year.
Finally, if you want another positive way to improve your life, then read and learn something new every day. A great tool to do this is to join over 1 million others and start your day with the latest FREE, informative news from this website.
So many things to do with so little time. Or maybe it just seems that way because we’re accustomed to our daily to-do lists, and the sticky notes on our work desk to remind us to buy apples for the kid’s lunches, pick up the dry cleaning after work, and of the presentation we need to finalize before Thursday’s meeting.
Truth be told, a cluttered desk indicates a cluttered mind. What to do with all of your information? I can only recommend using note apps for both your personal and professional life. A few perks of using note apps as opposed to paper notebooks are that they are useful for taking notes on-the-go, environmentally-friendly, and bundle all of your information in a central location.
Don’t get me wrong, notebooks and bullet journals are as effective as ever, if that’s your personal preference. But in the digital age, why not go digital? Hyperlinks, copy & paste, and file sharing are actions your favorite fountain pen simply cannot replicate.
We’ve compiled a list of our top 10 note apps to help you find a note app suited to your needs and workflow.
What is note-taking and why do we take notes?
Note-taking is the practice of recording information from different sources. What each note looks like and what notes are written down, stored, and organized are dependent on the user’s interests and requirements.
For example, notes taken when writing academic papers differ from what most people quickly jot down on a sticky note or calendar. Nevertheless, whether you are writing down information from a webinar, a reminder to water the houseplants, or daily to-do list, note-taking is the process of obtaining and compiling information.
There is no singular method or technique for taking notes. Although the format may be restricted due to the material or tool you use, whether a digital app or classic pen and paper, you have the freedom to choose form and function. In general, notes can be in one of three forms: summary, paraphrase, or direct quotation.
The phenomenon of note apps: legit noteworthy or just hype?
Generally the more information we consume, the more knowledge we have, right? Well, we may learn more information, but do we remember it?
Educator Edgar Dale developed the Cone of Experience, a model associating learning activities with learning outcomes. The Cone of Experience compares the learning experience (whether by doing, hearing, reading, or observing) with the memory retention of an individual.
According to Dale, a person remembers 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear, 30% of what they see, 50% of what they see and hear, 70% of what they say and write, and 90% of what they do.
Considering how much information we forget after two weeks, a credited conclusion from Ebbinghaus’s forgetting curve, note apps can serve as a beneficial resource to collect and store important information. With next-level note apps bringing additional features to the growing market, the trend and necessity for note apps is climbing.
Note apps for everyone: who is the target audience?
Safe to say note apps are for everyone, which calls for a happy dance. But not everyone takes notes the same way nor has the same requirements. That is exactly why most things are purposefully created or executed with a particular target audience in mind.
The needs of students and scholars vary from those of professionals and business collaborators. Creatives, for example, are more interested in having diverse formatting options and templates that allow them to visually work on projects. Writers, on the other hand, value features such as footnotes, color-coding, rich text and markdown, above integration and collaboration requirements.
Not solely tied to the professional sphere, digital tools are also great for personal knowledge management. Sometimes a simple feature can make a huge difference in the usability of an app. Structure and features can make hoarding information easier but your files can still be cluttered without an organization system. On the flip side, your digital file closet could finally look as organized as your personal wardrobe.
List of apps
It can be overwhelming figuring out which note app is best. Ultimately, the choice comes down to personal requirements and preference.
To give you a headstart to finding your favorite note app, we’ve collected a list of the top note apps of 2021. We provide the options, you merely have to make the choice!
1 Hypernotes
Hypernotes is a note app focusing on knowledge management. As a tool with the purpose of being more than just a digital notebook, the features of Hypernotes such as bi-directional linking and a semantic graph help users intuitively connect ideas and information within the app. Built to address the needs of many different note-takers, the app enables the creation of a knowledge database following the Zettelkasten method, a type of note-taking system. Diverse integration options as well as with other productivity apps in the Zenkit Suite grant users flexibility and the freedom for personalized configuration.
2 Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft invented OneNote as a note-taking app for everyone. OneNote enables users to organize notes, convert them into to-do lists, share them with friends or colleagues, and upload files through the web clipper function. OneNote works offline and can be combined with every Office product. New notes can be created and revised using your keyboard, a text marker or pen.
3 Evernote
Best Note Taking App For Mac
Evernote is one of the most versatile options when it comes to note apps. The app includes features that can accommodate the needs of casual note takers as well as power users. Document scanning, formatting options you can personalize, and an intuitive search function are all noteworthy Evernote features. The vast integration and collaboration functions are also worth mentioning.
4 StandardNotes
StandardNotes is a free, open-source, and encrypted note app. Created to support and encourage writers in their element, StandardNotes offers users unlimited notes and supports offline access. For users who enjoy more flexibility, the premium version Extended is packed with additional templates, formatting options, and markdown. Automated backups, infinite undo, and unlimited notes are key reasons we included this app on our list.
5 Google Keep
Google Keep, the note app from Google, has the look and feel of Google Docs. Devoted Drive users have the benefit of keeping their files centralized. Color-coded notes, checklists, tags, pinned notes, and handwritten notes give the app a scrapbook-like feel. Although ideal for taking notes on-the-go, Google Keep isn’t recommended for writing prose.
6 Apple Notes
Similar to Google Keep, Apple Notes operates on the company product ecosystem enabling users access to their files from all devices. The use of folders makes organizing easier in Apple Notes. Shortcuts such as pinning notes, marking favorites or creating a note from the lock screen are the main reasons why the app is on our list.
7 GoodNote
GoodNotes turns every handwritten note into a digital paper. Notes can easily be found using the search function or the folder structure. The app allows editing PDF files and turning handwritten notes into digital letters. The flash card feature is especially useful for learning facts or practicing knowledge retention.
8 Notability
Notability is a note app to capture your thoughts, whether in written or graphical form. Users can experiment with different tools to create hand-crafted notes or sketches. Collaborative through device synchronization and PDF annotation, Notability helps bring projects to life.
9 Agenda
Agenda is all about date-focused note-taking for planning and documenting projects. Notes are organized in a project timeline while projects can be grouped into categories. Timely reminders and calendar synchronization make sure you never miss a deadline or forget to buy flowers for mother’s day.
10 Nimbus Note
Best Note Taking App For Windows
Nimbus Note combines note-taking with task management. With templates for wikis, databases, and task lists, the app helps teams stay organized. The business/team account allows teams to work on personal and company projects simultaneously. For quick feedback loops or content revisions, Nimbus Note helps to ease the workflow of any professional.
Note apps are great tools, whether for online or offline use. Selecting a note app doesn’t have to be an either-or situation. You can use multiple tools, like me, depending on the purpose or requirement. The main point is, whichever tool you use should help you be more creative and productive by taking on the onus of ‘remembering’ information for you.
If your goal is to get from point A to point B, any car or public transportation should do. And if we’re being honest, most have spent the home office lockdown working in comfortable clothes rather than their elegant business attire. So choose what fits best according to your requirements, usability, and personality.
Image credits from Markus Spiske, PngAAA and Giphy.
Have a particular favorite that didn’t make it into our list? We’re also curious to find out how and what you use your note app for. Let us know in the comments!
Fans of pen and paper are welcome in our circle too. Our team uses digital tools as well as notebooks in staff meetings. We recommend you test tools out nonetheless, as in the end, it’s all about finding what helps you be most effective and productive.
Cheers,
Jessica and the Zenkit Team
Was this article helpful? Please rate it!Jessica and the Zenkit Team
[Total: 4 Average: 2.8/5]