It’s time to take your notes to the next level
Let’s face it. Evernote is not what it used to be. For many people, that’s a good thing, but for others, it has become bloated, busy, and more complex than it needs to be.
Thankfully, there are plenty of Evernote alternatives. So, if you are looking for a cross-platform note-taking tool that lets you organize and share your notes, here are five apps you should look at.
1. Microsoft OneNote
OneNote is a free, powerful note-taking app from Microsoft. It’s been around since 2002, and it gets regular updates to hone it into one of the most effective cross-platform note-taking apps around.
One of the biggest benefits of OneNote is its integration with the rest of Microsoft’s Office suite. However, it’s available as a free, standalone app. No features are locked behind a paywall, and no subscriptions are required. All you need is a Microsoft account.
OneNote also offers robust note-taking features, including the ability to embed multimedia and capture notes with a digital ink. It also has a web clipper that can go toe to toe with Evernote.
Learn more: onenote.com
2. Standard Notes
Standard Notes is a free, open-source note-taking app that prioritizes privacy and security. Standard Notes encrypts all of your notes so that only you can access them.
The app also offers a simple, minimalist interface that makes it easy to keep track of your notes and organize them in folders. It’s versatile too because it lets you create notes as simple text, rich text, spreadsheets, checklists, markdown, passwords and more.
If you’re looking for an affordable, private alternative to Evernote, Standard Notes is worth checking out. Free and paid plans are available, but sadly no web clipper.
Learn more: standardnotes.com
3. Joplin
Joplin is another open-source note-taking app that offers a simple, clean interface and robust note-taking features.
Joplin is completely free to use, although there is a small charge for Joplin Cloud, which will sync your notes between all of your devices using the app’s built-in sync feature.
Joplin supports a variety of note formats, including plain text, Markdown, and more. Images, videos, PDFs, and audio files are also supported, as is the ability to create mathematical expressions.
Joplin uses end-to-end encryption to secure your notes, and has a web clipper for Firefox, Chrome, and Edge browsers.
Learn more: joplinapp.org
4. Obsidian
Obsidian is a note-taking app for Mac, Windows, and Linux that is designed for people who are looking for a more powerful note-taking experience.
Obsidian uses a graph-based approach to note-taking that allows you to easily connect related notes and create a web of interconnected thoughts. The app is perfect for people who are looking for a more structured way to take notes and organize their thoughts.
Obsidian has a passionate fan base and its community has created extensions to make it even more useful. There are over 800 plugins that do everything from adding emoji or interactive maps to overlaying a full text to speech model.
With Obsidian, you don’t have to worry about cloud services shutting down because all your notes are stored locally as plain text files. It also works completely offline. No internet is required but, like Joplin, an encrypted sync service is available if you need it.
Learn more: obsidian.md
5. Google Keep
Keep is a free note-taking app from Google that is another popular Evernote alternative.
If you feel the need for a more minimal feature-set, then Google Keep is for you. It’s designed to be quick and easy to use, with a simple interface that makes it easy to capture notes, create to-do lists, and keep track of reminders.
If you live in a Google world, this app makes a lot of sense. The app is fully integrated with other Google apps, including Gmail, Docs and Google Calendar, so you can easily access your notes and lists from anywhere.
It’s customizable, has a great search tool, and is always in sync with the rest of your devices. Google Keep is also completely free to use. It has a great web clipper and has a few unique features like the ability to extract text from an image.
Learn more: google.com/keep
Bonus Pick: Craft Docs
Craft Docs is a fantastic note-taking app that is fast, clean, and modern. Few apps are capable of making your notes look this good with so little effort, thanks to its intuitive card-based approach.
Craft supports blocks, tables, Markdown, subpages, cards and bidirectional linking. It also has a template gallery that is packed full of useful frameworks you can use to help organize your notes.
Craft has apps for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows & Web. However, the Windows app doesn’t quite reach the heights of the native Apple apps, at least for now. It’s missing some features and functionality, but Craft hope to add that in the coming months.
The free plan has everything you need to get started, and if you need more, the Personal Pro Plan (free for teachers and students!) starts at $5 a month.
Learn more: craft.do
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