Best Note Taking App
The 10 best note-taking apps for 2026, ranked by organization, sync, and features.
Top 10 Picks
Obsidian
Markdown notes with linked thinking.
- Markdown
- Linked notes
- Local storage
- Plugins
- Free
- No free sync
Notion
All-in-one workspace with databases.
- Free tier
- Database views
- Team collab
- Flexible
- Learning curve
Evernote
Classic note app with web clipping.
- Web clipper
- OCR
- Established
- Cross-platform
- Expensive
- Limited free
Apple Notes
Free iOS/Mac notes app.
- Free
- Apple ecosystem
- Clean UI
- Sketch
- Apple only
Microsoft OneNote
Free digital notebook with sections.
- Free
- Sections
- Inking
- Office integration
- Sync slow
Google Keep
Quick sticky notes for Google users.
- Free
- Quick
- Google sync
- Voice notes
- Basic
Bear
Apple-only markdown notes app.
- Beautiful UI
- Markdown
- Apple ecosystem
- Tags
- Apple only
- Paid sync
Roam Research
Bi-directional linking for researchers.
- Bi-directional links
- Research focused
- Daily notes
- Expensive
- Learning curve
Joplin
Open-source markdown notes.
- Open-source
- Markdown
- Free sync
- Self-host
- UI basic
Simplenote
Ultra-simple plain text notes.
- Free
- Simple
- Fast sync
- Lightweight
- Basic
Comparison Table
| # | Name | Brand | Resolution | Panel | Refresh | Ports | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Obsidian | Obsidian | — | — | — | — | 4.7/5
★★★★★ | $0 |
| 2 | Notion | Notion | — | — | — | — | 4.8/5
★★★★★ | $0 |
| 3 | Evernote | Evernote | — | — | — | — | 4.2/5
★★★★☆ | $14 |
| 4 | Apple Notes | Apple | — | — | — | — | 4.4/5
★★★★☆ | $0 |
| 5 | Microsoft OneNote | Microsoft | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5
★★★★★ | $0 |
| 6 | Google Keep | — | — | — | — | 4.3/5
★★★★☆ | $0 | |
| 7 | Bear | Bear | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5
★★★★★ | $3 |
| 8 | Roam Research | Roam | — | — | — | — | 4.3/5
★★★★☆ | $9 |
| 9 | Joplin | Joplin | — | — | — | — | 4.3/5
★★★★☆ | $0 |
| 10 | Simplenote | Automattic | — | — | — | — | 4.1/5
★★★★☆ | $0 |
Pros & Cons Summary
Obsidian
Notion
Evernote
Apple Notes
Microsoft OneNote
Google Keep
Bear
Roam Research
Joplin
Simplenote
FAQ
What is the best note-taking app?
Obsidian at $0 is best for markdown and linked notes. Notion at $0 is best for all-in-one workspace with databases.
Obsidian or Notion?
Obsidian is for personal knowledge management with local markdown files. Notion is for teams needing databases, projects, and collaboration.
Are free note apps good enough?
Yes, Obsidian, Notion, Apple Notes, and OneNote are free and excellent. Paid apps add sync, OCR, or advanced features.
Which note app syncs across devices?
Notion, Apple Notes, OneNote, Google Keep, and Simplenote sync free. Obsidian sync requires a paid subscription.
Is Evernote still worth it?
Evernote is expensive at $14/month but offers OCR and web clipper. For most users, free Notion or OneNote is better value.
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