The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Best Note Taking App in 2024
In a world overflowing with information, the ability to capture, organize, and retrieve your thoughts quickly is a superpower. Whether you're a student juggling lecture notes, a professional managing project details, or a creative brainstorming your next big idea, the best note taking app can transform chaos into clarity. But with hundreds of options available, how do you choose the right one?
This comprehensive guide breaks down the top contenders, comparing pricing, features, pros, and cons. By the end, you'll have a clear winner for your specific needs—and a few affiliate recommendations to get started.
What Makes the Best Note Taking App?
Before diving into reviews, let's define the criteria. The best note taking app should offer:
- Cross-platform syncing – Access notes on your phone, tablet, and computer.
- Organization tools – Folders, tags, or databases to keep things tidy.
- Search functionality – Instantly find any note, even handwritten ones.
- Rich formatting – Support for text, images, audio, and attachments.
- Offline access – Work without internet and sync later.
- Collaboration – Share and edit notes with others.
Now, let's compare the market leaders.
1. Notion – The All-in-One Workspace
Notion has exploded in popularity, and for good reason. It's not just a note taking app; it's a project management tool, wiki, and database rolled into one.
Pricing
- Free plan: Unlimited notes, 5MB file uploads, 7-day page history
- Plus plan: $10/month (billed annually) – Unlimited file uploads, 30-day page history
- Business plan: $18/month per user – Advanced permissions, team collaboration
Key Features
- Customizable databases (tables, boards, calendars, galleries)
- Markdown support with drag-and-drop blocks
- Templates for meeting notes, project tracking, and personal dashboards
- Real-time collaboration with comments and mentions
- Powerful search across all content
Pros
- Extremely flexible – can be tailored for any workflow
- Beautiful, modern interface
- Excellent for team collaboration
Cons
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Occasional performance slowdowns with large databases
- No built-in handwriting or OCR support
Best for: Teams, power users, and anyone who wants a single hub for notes and projects.
2. Evernote – The Veteran Organizer
Evernote has been a staple in the note taking world for over a decade. It remains a top contender for its robust organization and web clipping capabilities.
Pricing
- Free plan: 60MB monthly uploads, syncs 2 devices
- Personal plan: $14.99/month – 10GB uploads, unlimited devices, PDF annotation
- Professional plan: $17.99/month – 20GB uploads, AI-powered search, task management
Key Features
- Powerful web clipper – save entire articles, screenshots, or bookmarks
- Notebooks and tags for hierarchical organization
- Handwriting recognition (search handwritten notes)
- Audio recording with playback
- Integration with Google Drive, Outlook, Slack
Pros
- Excellent search – even finds text in images and PDFs
- Reliable cross-platform sync
- Mature feature set with extensive integrations
Cons
- Free plan is very limited
- Can feel bloated and slow
- Formatting options are basic compared to Notion
Best for: Researchers, web clippers, and users who need powerful search across large archives.
3. Microsoft OneNote – The Free Powerhouse
OneNote is often overlooked, but it's arguably the best note taking app for Windows users and students—especially since it's completely free.
Pricing
- Free: Unlimited notes, 5GB storage via OneDrive (more storage with Microsoft 365 subscription, starting at $6.99/month)
- Microsoft 365: 1TB storage, desktop apps, and Office suite
Key Features
- Freeform canvas – click anywhere to type, draw, or insert media
- Handwriting and drawing support (great for tablets)
- Notebooks, sections, and pages for deep hierarchy
- Audio recording synced to your typed notes
- Collaboration with real-time co-authoring
Pros
- Completely free with generous storage
- Excellent for handwritten notes (especially on iPad or Surface)
- Deep integration with Windows and Office apps
Cons
- Desktop app can be clunky
- Limited tagging and search compared to Evernote
- No public API for third-party integrations
Best for: Students, artists, and Windows users who want a free, full-featured option.
4. Obsidian – The Knowledge Base for Thinkers
Obsidian takes a unique approach: it uses local Markdown files and a graph view to create a personal knowledge base. It's beloved by developers, writers, and researchers.
Pricing
- Free: Local-only notes, all core features
- Sync: $5/month – Encrypted sync across devices
- Publish: $10/month – Host a public knowledge base
- Commercial use: $50/user/year
Key Features
- Local-first – your notes are plain Markdown files on your device
- Graph view – visualize connections between notes
- Extensive plugin library (community-built)
- Backlinks and bidirectional linking
- Canvas for visual brainstorming
Pros
- Fast and lightweight
- Complete privacy (your data never leaves your device)
- Highly customizable with plugins
Cons
- No built-in collaboration
- Requires some technical setup for sync
- No web clipper or mobile OCR
Best for: Privacy-conscious users, researchers, and those building a "second brain."
5. Apple Notes – The Underrated Default
If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, don't overlook Apple Notes. It has evolved into a surprisingly powerful app that's often the best note taking app for iPhone and Mac users.
Pricing
- Free with all Apple devices
- iCloud storage (5GB free, additional storage from $0.99/month)
Key Features
- Quick notes – swipe from corner on iPad or use hotkey on Mac
- Handwriting and drawing with Apple Pencil
- Scan documents with built-in camera
- Tags and smart folders
- Collaboration with iCloud sharing
Pros
- Seamless integration across Apple devices
- Excellent for quick capture
- No extra cost
Cons
- Limited to Apple ecosystem
- No web version (iCloud.com is basic)
- Fewer formatting options than competitors
Best for: Apple users who want a simple, reliable, and