Best Note Taking Apps

Digital Planner
(4.9 out of 5 stars)
(4.9 out of 5 stars)
GoodNotes
(4.7 out of 5 stars)
(4.7 out of 5 stars)
Notability
(4.5 out of 5 stars)
(4.5 out of 5 stars)
Noteshelf
(4.3 out of 5 stars)
(4.3 out of 5 stars)
Artful Agenda
(4.1 out of 5 stars)
(4.1 out of 5 stars)
CollaNote
(3.8 out of 5 stars)
(3.8 out of 5 stars)
Apple Notes
(4.0 out of 5 stars)
(4.0 out of 5 stars)
LiquidText
(4.0 out of 5 stars)
(4.0 out of 5 stars)
Microsoft OneNote
(4.1 out of 5 stars)
(4.1 out of 5 stars)
Evernote
(4.2 out of 5 stars)
(4.2 out of 5 stars)
Nebo
(3.8 out of 5 stars)
(3.8 out of 5 stars)
Notepad+ Pro
(3.5 out of 5 stars)
(3.5 out of 5 stars)
Digital Planner GoodNotes Notability Noteshelf Artful Agenda CollaNote Apple Notes LiquidText Microsoft OneNote Evernote Nebo Notepad+ Pro
Overal rating:
Rating 4.9 4.7 4.5 4.3 4.1 3.8 4.0 4.0 4.1 4.2 3.8 3.5
Reviews 481 432 378 544 321 338 446 300 550 535 337 323
Predefined Content:
Templates 100+ 22 388 25 1 6+ 1 1 10+ 1 8
Stickers 2000+ 80+ 25+ 50
Covers 40+ 30 10+ 8
To Do List
Calendar
Platforms Support:
Windows
Android
Web
MacOS
IOS
Type of app Digital Planner & Calendar Handwriting note-taking PDF Reader Handwriting note-taking PDF Reader Handwriting note-taking PDF Reader Digital Planner & Calendar Note-taking App, PDF Editor, Whiteboard, Memo-App & Digital Planner Note-taking App Digital Planner & Calendar Notes, Ideas, Sketches Notes Organization System Note-Taking & Annotation App Notebook for Taking Notes
Interface:
Dark mode/another themes
Presentation mode
Page rotation
Bookmark pages
Custom fonts
Highlighting
Folders
Sorting
Search by note
Boards mode
Features:
Handwriting to text
Stylus Support
Drag & drop
Add photos
Add links
Add audio
Add video
Draw shapes
Note to date binding
Notes sharing
Synchronize & Backup:
Apple Calendar Support
Google Calendar Support
Microsoft Calendar Support
Backup to Cloud
Export notes to PDF
Couple work on a note
Digital Planner

Digital Planner

(4.9 out of 5 stars)

A powerful multi-platform planner with which the user can effectively organize his schedule and complete daily tasks. Has a beautiful and intuitive interface. In comparison with competitors supports the largest number of templates, stickers, fonts, and covers.

Easily leave notes and comfortably plan your day in a virtual format. Quickly track current affairs, mark completed tasks, and stay on top in any business, being a motivated and successful person. Be sure to test the capabilities of My Bookshelf on your device and appreciate the convenience of the app.

Pros
  • Export to PDF function;
  • Useful presentation mode;
  • Recognizes handwritten text;
  • Adding custom links and images;
  • The planner has no expiration date;
  • Sync with Apple, Microsoft and Google calendars;
  • Large predefined layout collection for any situation;
  • Convenient system of instant notifications.
Cons
  • Limited functionality of Apple Pencil.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
100+ 2000+ 40+ Win / Android / Web / Mac / IOS Google / Apple / Microsoft Evopaper LLC. Digital Planner & Calendar
GoodNotes

GoodNotes

(4.7 out of 5 stars)

GoodNotes will delight the user with multitasking and an impressive set of functions. There are many paper styles available for different sizes, you can sketch for an introduction, annotate your imported PDFs, and more.

There is a monthly planner. OCR support allows you to import paper materials into your digital notebook. It is enough to enable the use of the device's camera, take a photo of the paper, and the application will start scanning the contents.

Pros
  • Over 50 laptop covers;
  • Working with lists of notes;
  • Quick sorting materials into folders;
  • Well-implemented presentation mode for iPad Pro, iPad Air;
  • Import of paper information into a computerized notebook;
  • Changing the color and tone of the paper, inserting scenes.
Cons
  • No voice notes;
  • It is not very convenient to work with two-window mode.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
22 80+ 30 Mac / IOS - Time Base Technology Limited Handwriting note-taking PDF Reader
Notability

Notability

(4.5 out of 5 stars)

One of the best note-taking app with a great feature set to organize and categorize your notes. You can mark files and folders with colored tags, change the order of directories, protect them with passwords. The text editor has all the options you need to work comfortably, including a magnifier, eraser, smart selection, drawing tools, etc.

You can add audio recordings to your notes. You can also record audio notes at different speeds. The program supports syncing with iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, and other storage.

Pros
  • Fast text formatting;
  • Creating to-do lists;
  • Handwritten note editor;
  • Selecting the paper type;
  • Upload PDF files as notes;
  • Excellent stylus sensitivity;
  • Built-in tools to fine-tune text parameters.
Cons
  • Quite a high price tag;
  • No option to scan documents.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
388 Mac / IOS - Time Base Technology Limited Handwriting note-taking PDF Reader
Noteshelf

Noteshelf

(4.3 out of 5 stars)

It belongs to the most popular notetaking apps at the moment. Includes many handwriting tools such as a pen, marker, calligraphy pencils, and so on. The virtual pen and highlighter are resizable and come in several color tones. Available export to Evernote and Dropbox, sending to email or direct printing of materials.

Pros
  • Good store with templates;
  • Extensive export opportunities;
  • Adding tags and background images;
  • Built-in protection against accidental touches;
  • Customizing the cover and template for the inner pages;
  • Search for notes on pages by typing text on the keyboard.
Cons
  • Not the best zoom;
  • Impossible to draw with two fingers at the same time;
  • The interface slows down on outdated tablets and smartphones.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
25 25+ 10+ Android / Mac / IOS - Time Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd. Handwriting note-taking PDF Reader
Artful Agenda

Artful Agenda

(4.1 out of 5 stars)

Helps you plan tasks efficiently and stay organized any day of the week. The planner has an intuitive menu, conveniently expands to full screen, letting you comfortably keep track of to-do lists and take notes. The function of transferring your affairs to the desired date in the calendar has been implemented.

Pros
  • Automatic reminders;
  • Binding events to dates;
  • Recording goals for the week ahead;
  • Beautiful visualization, convenient menu;
  • A dedicated field for quick notes, ideas, quotes, or thanks.
Cons
  • Multiple tabs cannot be opened in one window;
  • Problems with landscape mode on Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
1 50 8 Win / Android / Mac / IOS Google / Apple / Microsoft Artful Agenda Digital Planner
CollaNote

CollaNote

(3.8 out of 5 stars)

Multifunctional software that combines note-taking tools, PDF editor, digital planner, and virtual task board. Supports imitation of a physical pencil, thanks to which you can simply and easily write text and draw.

You can work alone or in the company of several users in real-time. Inserting photos and stickers are available. The Image Trace option allows you to convert a pencil sketch on paper to a vector image.

Pros
  • Audio recording option;
  • Autosave user changes;
  • Lots of designs and templates;
  • Invite others to read your notes;
  • Tools for creating geometric shapes;
  • Board for news, recommendations, online training.
Cons
  • The handwriting scanner takes a long time to load;
  • Problems may occur when turning on landscape orientation.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
6+ + + Mac / IOS - Quoc Huy Nguyen Note-taking App, PDF Editor, Whiteboard, Memo-App & Digital Planner
Apple Notes

Apple Notes

(4.0 out of 5 stars)

It occupies a high position among the popular standard applications for iOS. Closely integrated with the system, it allows you to view notes in the form of a gallery or a list. 

Data can be accessed through a widget on the desktop. It is possible to add tables. You can store notes both on the device and in iCloud. Also, you can use the Siri voice assistant to control the app.

Pros

View your notes offline;
The presence of a night mode;
Option to convert table to text;
Low consumption of mobile phone battery;
Synchronization with the iCloud platform.
 

Cons
  • Few features compared to peers.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
1 + - Mac / IOS Apple Apple Note-taking App
LiquidText

LiquidText

(4.0 out of 5 stars)

The LiquidText functionality is responsible for quickly viewing, collecting, and organizing information about your documents. The preparation of reports and highlighting key facts with annotations are available. Commenting on pages by highlighting the main goals and ideas is supported.

It is possible to scan and recognize handwritten text. Import an unlimited number of documents into a project, add personal notes, organize groups of notes, combine them into mind maps, compare several pages at once on a separate whiteboard, etc.

Pros
  • Data backup;
  • Supports freehand drawing;
  • Displays all synced devices;
  • Importing content from browser web pages;
  • Ability to save a project to PDF or Word file;
  • Integration with email and cloud services;
  • Using a desktop or tablet as secondary screens.
     
Cons
  • No software version for Android;
  • Rare crashes when opening PowerPoint documents.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
1 - - Win / Mac / IOS - LiquidText, Inc. Annotate, Note-taking, PDF Reader
Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote

(4.1 out of 5 stars)

Basic program from Microsoft for creating quick notes and organizing personal information. It works on different devices and easily synchronizes data across them. Note app can work independently or integrated with MS Office.

You can create multiple notebooks, write down goals and prioritize them. Each notebook can be divided into sections, which can also be divided into pages and even subpages. This approach helps to comfortably work with individual projects, keep personal records, track the progress of tasks, and more.

Pros
  • Large workspace;
  • Convenient toolbar;
  • Screenshot function;
  • Creation of multiple notebooks;
  • Regular software updates from developers;
  • Integration with other MS Office programs.
Cons
  • A notebook cannot be saved as a document;
  • Requires a paid subscription to expand functionality.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
1 + - Win / Android / Mac / IOS + Microsoft Corp. Notes, Ideas, Sketches
Evernote

Evernote

(4.2 out of 5 stars)

Offers a quality approach to creating and managing your notes. You can add pictures, audio, and links to text documents. It is worth noting the convenience of storing content, which, regardless of the number of files, will be displayed in an understandable tree structure, similar to the method of storing files on a hard disk.

Pros
  • Data storage on microsd card;
  • Efficient ordering of records;
  • Many features in the free version;
  • Co-editing of notes is available;
  • Opening different document formats;
  • Sharing notes with friends and colleagues;
  • Compatible with phones running Android and iOS.
Cons
  • Difficult to delete account;
  • Inconvenient to work with tags.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
10+ + - Win / Android / Web / Mac / IOS Google Evernote Notes Organization System
Nebo

Nebo

(3.8 out of 5 stars)

Taking notes in Nebo is quick and easy. Helpful tools are built-in for accurately searching for data in the library. Gestures are supported for simple text formatting so that the user is not distracted from the main process. You can create titles, lists, and tags, add photos, formulas, diagrams, and sketches.

Finished files are saved in PNG, PDF, SVG, Word, or PowerPoint formats and contain custom annotations. Created materials can be shared on social networks or sent links with limited access to certain people.

Pros
  • Voice input supported;
  • Create unlimited notepads;
  • Add pictures and sketches;
  • Sync the library with the cloud;
  • Move, copy, delete and resize content;
  • Add emoji and symbols with the stylus;
  • Coloring tools, lasso, pen, eraser, marker, etc.
Cons
  • PDF cannot be printed;
  • Can't add blank pages to PDF files.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
1 - - Win / Android / Mac / IOS - MyScript Note-Taking & Annotation App
Notepad+ Pro

Notepad+ Pro

(3.5 out of 5 stars)

A creative app for organizing your notes quickly and easily. Allows you to use a variety of colors, backgrounds, and tags for your content. One touch is enough to create a new note both handwriting and voice input are supported. The latter function will be really useful in cases where you need to take a quick note at a business meeting or seminar, but there is no time for manual typing.

The program will automatically continue editing content from the point where you stopped, even if you accidentally quit the application or reboot the device. There is an option to protect confidential data with a passcode.

Pros
  • High-quality scaling;
  • Preview in a separate tab;
  • Hiding sensitive content (blur option);
  • Supporting Smart Keyboard for iPad Pro;
  • Replacing a note template with one click;
  • Nice interface design, convenient main menu;
  • Good optimization with OS, low RAM consumption.
Cons
  • Not very convenient to draw;
  • More than one template cannot be used in a document.

Product details

No. of templates No. of stickers No. of covers Platforms Calendars Developer Type of app
8 + - IOS - Apalon Apps Notebook for Taking Notes

Conclusion

In the selection above, you have seen some of the best note-taking apps. Digital Planner is a great choice for both advanced users and newbies. The software offers an optimal balance of powerful functionality and usability. You can comfortably plan to-do lists, check dates with events in the calendar, track the progress of existing tasks, and much more. The app is compatible with computer and mobile operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Digital Planner can help you get organized, focus on key goals, prioritize and effectively handle tasks of any complexity, successfully achieving what you want out of life.

GoodNotes, Notability, and Noteshelf are popular note-taking apps. Each of the programs is good in its own way and boasts an impressive user base. All of them have a powerful text editor with a wide range of tools for working with text, also they allow you to open, annotate and edit PDF files. Close integration with cloud storage is noteworthy. The advantage of GoodNotes is its multitasking capability. Notability is distinguished by advanced means of cataloging and organizing data. Noteshelf provides highly customizable handwriting tools that are very easy to use on the touchscreen.

LiquidText and CollaNote are both steadily gaining popularity and showing good headway in a sphere in text note writing and PDF reading/annotation. LiquidText helps you quickly highlight key thoughts and ideas from a large amount of content. Provides tools to compare pages, with the help of which you can easily find the content of interest. CollaNote is a universal program that combines most of the options from analogs. Knows how to create voice notes and synchronize them with your handwriting. Provides a means to share tasks with other users. The application works only with devices running iOS 14.0 and higher, so owners of outdated iPhones and iPads will not be able to use it.

Artful Agenda is a wonderful app for organizing your to-do lists. It features a beautiful interface, extremely easy to operate. Helps you not to forget about important tasks, upcoming meetings, and any other business with a helpful alert system. The closest competitor is the stylish and user-friendly Notepad + Pro, which contains all the features you need to create note-taking to-do lists.

Apple Notes and Nebo are targeted at an audience of iOS users. The apps are convenient for taking quick notes and browsing the library with your materials. Available creating titles, add images, and tables.

Evernote can be used as a web service and software at the same time. Co-creation and editing of notes are supported, as well as the exchange of information with friends and colleagues through various social networks and e-mail. Microsoft OneNote also lets you create and share digital notebooks via the Internet. You can highlight the most important notes with tags, make audio notes, insert videos and add different files.