Evernote alternatives
Top Note-taking & Knowledge Bases like Evernote
The most popular alternative to Evernote is Notion, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to Evernote are Microsoft OneNote, Obsidian, Joplin, and UpNote.
Most alternatives to Evernote are in the Note-taking & Knowledge Bases category, compared here by price, platform and features.
All Evernote alternatives
Notion combines notes, documents, databases and project management in a flexible block-based workspace, with an integrated AI assistant.
17 Notion alternativesPros
- Docs, wikis and databases combined in one flexible workspace
- Large template gallery for roadmaps, trackers and wikis
- Real-time collaboration with comments, mentions and an API
Cons
- Databases and relations take time to master
- Offline access is limited compared with local-first apps
- Large workspaces can feel slow to load
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesMicrosoft OneNote is a free digital notebook that organizes notes into notebooks, sections and pages, where text, images, drawings and handwriting can be placed anywhere on the page. It syncs through OneDrive, supports shared notebooks for classes and teams, and works closely with Outlook, Teams and the rest of Microsoft 365.
9 Microsoft OneNote alternativesPros
- Freeform pages for text, drawings and handwriting anywhere
- Free, with OneDrive sync on all major platforms
- Works closely with Outlook, Teams and Microsoft 365
Cons
- The freeform layout gets messy and is hard to export
- Sync can lag or conflict with large notebooks
- No native app for Linux desktops
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesObsidian stores notes as plain Markdown files on your device, links them into a knowledge graph and extends with a large plugin ecosystem.
17 Obsidian alternativesPros
- Notes are plain Markdown files stored on your device
- Large ecosystem of community plugins and themes
- Graph view and backlinks for connected notes
Cons
- Official sync and publishing are paid add-ons
- Plugin-heavy setups take time to configure and maintain
- No real-time collaboration on notes
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesJoplin is an open source note-taking app with Markdown notes, notebooks, end-to-end encrypted sync and a web clipper.
11 Joplin alternativesPros
- Open source, with Markdown notes stored in an open format
- End-to-end encrypted sync via Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV or Joplin Cloud
- Web clipper and plugins extend the core app
Cons
- Interface feels dated next to newer note apps
- Sync setup takes more effort than turnkey services
- No web app for reaching your notes from a browser
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesUpNote is a note-taking app with a clean editor, notebooks, tags and links between notes, available on the web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android. Notes are stored locally for offline use and synced across devices, with a web clipper and Markdown shortcuts. The free version is capped at a small number of notes, and Premium can be bought once or as a subscription.
11 UpNote alternativesPros
- Clean editor with notebooks, tags and links between notes
- Apps on every platform, including Linux and the web
- Premium is available as a one-time purchase
Cons
- The free version is capped at a small number of notes
- No shared notebooks or real-time collaboration
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesApple Notes is the free notes app included with iPhone, iPad and Mac, synced through iCloud and also reachable on the web at iCloud.com. It handles checklists, tables, Apple Pencil sketches, document scanning and searchable text in images, plus shared notes and folders, tags, smart folders and locked notes.
9 Apple Notes alternativesPros
- Free and built into every iPhone, iPad and Mac
- Document scanning, Pencil sketches and text search inside images
- Shared notes and folders with real-time collaboration
Cons
- No native apps for Windows or Android, only iCloud.com
- Fewer organization options than dedicated knowledge tools
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesGoogle Keep is a free note app for quick thoughts, checklists, voice memos and photos, shown as colorful cards that can be pinned, labeled and shared. Reminders can be tied to a time or a place, text can be extracted from images, and notes are available from Gmail, Google Docs and Android devices.
8 Google Keep alternativesPros
- Fast capture of notes, checklists, voice memos and photos
- Reminders tied to a time or a place
- Integrated with Gmail, Google Docs and Android
Cons
- No desktop app outside the browser
- Limited formatting makes it a poor fit for long documents
- Organization relies on labels only, with no folders or nesting
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryPlatformsNotesnook is an open source note-taking app that encrypts every note end to end on your device before syncing it. It offers notebooks, tags, rich text with Markdown shortcuts, an app lock, a private vault and a web clipper, on the web, desktop and mobile. A free plan is available, and the sync server can also be self-hosted.
9 Notesnook alternativesPros
- Every note is end-to-end encrypted on your device before syncing
- Open source apps on web, desktop and mobile
- The sync server can be self-hosted
Cons
- Fewer integrations and plugins than mainstream note apps
- Some features are limited on the free plan
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesBear is a writing and note-taking app for Mac, iPhone and iPad from Shiny Frog, built on Markdown with nested tags, links between notes and a choice of themes. The app is free to use on a single device, while Bear Pro adds iCloud sync across devices, OCR search in images and PDFs, and more export formats.
12 Bear alternativesPros
- Elegant Markdown editor with a choice of themes
- Nested tags and note links keep things organized without folders
- Native, fast apps designed for Mac, iPhone and iPad
Cons
- Apple only, with no Windows, Android or web version
- Sync across devices requires the Pro subscription
- No shared notes or real-time collaboration
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesCraft is a document and note-taking app with a native, polished design on Mac, iPhone and iPad, also available on Windows and the web. Notes are built from blocks and nested pages with backlinks, can be shared as public web pages or edited together in real time, and include AI writing help, tasks and daily notes.
12 Craft alternativesPros
- Polished native design on Mac, iPhone and iPad
- Block-based pages can be shared as public web pages
- Real-time collaboration plus built-in AI writing help
Cons
- The experience is best on Apple devices, other platforms feel secondary
- Advanced features and AI usage are reserved for paid plans
- Less suited to large databases than Notion-style tools
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryStandard Notes is an open source note-taking app focused on privacy, with end-to-end encryption for every note and file and apps on all major platforms. Notes work offline and sync across devices, and paid plans add rich editors, file storage and longer revision history. The company became part of Proton in 2024, and the sync server can be self-hosted.
9 Standard Notes alternativesPros
- End-to-end encryption for every note and file
- Open source apps on all major platforms
- The sync server can be self-hosted
Cons
- Rich editors, file storage and longer history need a paid plan
- Collaboration features are minimal compared with mainstream apps
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourceCategoriesCapacities is a note-taking app that organizes knowledge as objects such as people, books, meetings and ideas, each with its own properties and templates, instead of folders. Objects link to each other through backlinks and a graph, daily notes collect everyday thoughts, and the Pro plan adds an AI assistant. It is developed by a small team in Germany.
8 Capacities alternativesPros
- Object types like people, books and meetings give notes structure
- Backlinks, graph view and daily notes connect ideas
- Available on web, desktop and mobile with sync
Cons
- The object-based approach takes time to get used to
- The AI assistant and some features need the Pro plan
- Cloud-based storage gives less control than local-first apps
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategories
Evernote vs its alternatives at a glance
Pricing, platforms and the key features of Evernote, compared with its most popular alternatives.
| App | Pricing | Platforms | AI assistant | Cross-device sync | OCR | Offline mode | Templates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Evernote | Freemium | Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, Browser extension | |||||
 Notion | Freemium | Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android | |||||
 Microsoft OneNote | Free | Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, Browser extension | |||||
 Obsidian | Freemium | Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android | |||||
 Joplin | FreemiumOpen source | Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android | |||||
 UpNote | Freemium | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android |
Evernote alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Evernote?
The most popular alternative to Evernote is Notion: Connected workspace for docs, wikis and projects. Other great alternatives are Microsoft OneNote, Obsidian, Joplin, and UpNote.
Is there a free alternative to Evernote?
Yes, 12 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including Notion, Microsoft OneNote, Obsidian, and Joplin.
Is there an open source alternative to Evernote?
Yes, 3 open source alternatives are listed, including Joplin, Notesnook, and Standard Notes.
Is Evernote free?
Evernote has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.
Compare Evernote with its alternatives
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