The 13 Best Note-Taking Apps in 2022

Taking notes is something most people do. The best note-taking app is essential, no matter where you are at work, in class, or researching a topic, There are a lot of note-taking apps out there, but not all of them are created equal. 

Whether you’re a student, teacher, professional, journalist, or anyone who takes notes regularly, it’s essential to have the right tools. 

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the best note-taking apps available in 2022. Whatever your needs are, there is likely to be an app that meets them, whether you are looking for something lightweight and simple or more sophisticated and powerful. 

Let’s get started.

Why Note-Taking Apps Are Necessary

Here are some of the benefits of using note-taking apps:

• Provide a convenient way to store and organize your notes. 
• Allow you to share your notes with others easily. 
• Offer features that make it easy to find and use your notes.
• Handy for students and professionals who need to take notes frequently.
• Collaborate with others on a project

Best Note-Taking Apps in 2022

1. Evernote

As a note-taking and task management application, the Evernote Corporation was developed by Evernote Corporation in Redwood City, California. It is intended to archive and create notes that include photos, audio files, and saved web content.

Evernote is undoubtedly ahead of its competitors and enjoys growing popularity as a OneNote alternative. As for clarity, text formatting, and multimedia, Evernote is comparable to Microsoft’s OneNote.

Platforms: Evernote is available on Android, iOS, macOS, and Microsoft Windows, as well as a web client.

• Multi-Device Note Sync: With Evernote, your notes are synchronized across all your devices and available anytime. 
• Advanced Search: With Advanced Search, you can find notes based on their title, keywords, dates, or the type of content they contain (audio, images, etc.).
• Evernote Web Clipper: Using Evernote Web Clipper, you can capture full-page articles, images, selections of text, important emails and any web pages that inspire you.

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Cons

• Not suitable for short Notes: Evernote may not be appropriate if your tasks are concise.
• No Markdown support: In Evernote, you will not find support for Markdown if you typically use it to speed up your writing process. 

2. Notion

The notion is a project management solution and note-taking software that helps members of a company or organization coordinate deadlines, objectives, and assignments. 

With it, you can take notes, create to-do lists, and track your progress on projects. The app also lets you collaborate with other users and share files. 

Platforms: Notion is available for web, macOS, Windows, iOS and android.

• All-in-one solution: As an all-in-one solution, Notion software serves more than just the purpose of taking notes.
• User-friendly: A user-friendly interface is provided by Notion.
• Hierarchical organization: You probably are tired of it, but Notion supports this. You can even make a dropdown available for non-immediate information to be rolled up so that it is easier to access when needed.

• Set-up Time: When it comes to team collaboration, it takes time to set up.
• Navigation: The search and navigation system needs to be improved.

3. Bear

Bear is a note-taking app that lets you jot down your thoughts, ideas, and to-do lists. It’s simple yet powerful enough to capture your ideas and turn them into actionable items. Bear has several features that make it an excellent choice for taking notes.

It can link notes together to build a body of work, organize your thoughts using hashtags, and protect sensitive notes using Face/Touch ID.

Platforms: iOS, Mac

• User-friendly interface: The interface is user-friendly, and you can quickly start taking notes.
• Quick, easy setup: Bear is easy to set up and start.
• Supports markdown formatting: Bear formats your Markdown text as you type, so you do not have to imagine how it will look once you have finished writing it.

• No Android version: Android users can not use the Bear note-taking app.
• No web-based interface: There is no web-based interface for the bear note-taking app.
• No third-party integration: While keeping it simple, there is a trade-off with advanced features like third-party integration.
• Limited organization: Despite its simplicity, it has some limitations in terms of organization. I began encountering limitations in Bear’s organization system after a few weeks of using it. 

4. Apple Notes

In 2011, Apple Inc. released Apple Notes as part of the OS X 10.7 Lion operating system, which became available for iOS devices running iOS 9 or later. 

The app allows users to create and sync notes with iCloud and offers many features such as text formatting, image insertion etc. 

Platforms: iOS, Mac

• Hierarchical Structure: Apple Notes allows you to create folders within folders, i.e. hierarchical structure.
• Good Organizational Structure: Apple Notes provide an excellent organizational structure.
• Online Integration: You can store your notes in several different ways. But the preferred way is to use apple’s iCloud service so that you can access all of the features. You can also store your notes in google drive, limiting the features. You can also store your notes locally on your device.
• Good-enough formatting tools: The usual bolding, italicizing, and fonts are present in Apple notes.

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Cons

• Poor exporting options: PDF can be exported, but not in bulk, and it is not a native format that can be recovered quickly.
• Page sizes: There are no distinct sizes for the pages

5. Google Keep

Developed to help with productivity and organization, Google Keep is a free note-taking application that gives it an advantage over many other note-taking applications.

It offers a variety of features that allow users to create and manage their notes, such as adding images, voice recordings, and checklists. Google Keep also integrates with other Google products, such as Calendar and Gmail, making it a versatile tool for managing tasks and information.

Platforms: Android, iOS, Web

• Easy to use: Google Keep is not only easy to use but also provides some advanced features. Google Keep resembles a wall of sticky notes. The notes can be captured, edited, shared and collaborated using any device, anywhere.

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Cons

• Organizational features: Google Keep is simple to use and looks like a wall of sticky notes. However, it does not provide enough organizational features.
• No Rich Text Formatting: You cannot even format rich text. Lists are completely inflexible, except for indentation for pseudo-subtasks.

6. Standard Notes

Taking notes with Standard Notes is free and open-source, focusing on privacy and security. 

It offers a variety of features, including end-to-end encryption, Markdown support, and the ability to sync your notes across devices. Standard notes is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

Platforms: Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, Windows, Web

• Organization: The ability to create unlimited folders almost instantly makes sorting easier. Tags can be applied to files for easy access, sorting, and searching. 
• Easy to share: Computers have simple share screens that can be used to share notes instantly rather than copying and scanning. 
• Advanced Search: Besides custom tags that can be nested infinitely, custom searches based on different criteria can also be defined and saved.

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Cons

• No In-app Image support: It does not support in-app image hosting. You must save your images elsewhere before saving them in the app.
• Formatting: Formatting is enabled only as an extension for money.

7. Microsoft OneNote

In OneNote, you can keep all your notes, research, plans, and information in one place for managing your daily life at home, work, and school. 

OneNote for Windows 10 and Windows 10 will reach their end-of-life phase on October 14, 2025. Microsoft will not issue any patches for the app, but it may still work.

Platforms: Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Web

• User-friendly interface: The interface of OneNote is quite simple. You will just set up an account and start taking your notes.
• Good Organization of Notes: Organizes your notes by creating separate tabs and sub-tabs.
• Online and Offline availability: Once synced to the computer, the information is accessible online and offline.

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Cons

• Formatting: There is a lack of formatting options, like headers, dark mode, and some organizing features included in the desktop app.
• Integration: It doesn’t have Integration with Google calendar & Google drive.

8. Notability

Notability is an iOS and macOS app that allows you to create notes, record audio, and draw sketches. It was developed by Ginger Labs and was first released in 2010. Notability has received positive reviews for its intuitive design and user-friendly interface. 

A full-featured note-taking app for iOS, Notability, allows students to take notes they will want to review, revisit, and actively use

Platforms: iOS, Mac

• Better exporting options: Notability is better for exporting your notes.
• File management system: Notability’s file management system allows documents to be arranged into folders quickly and efficiently.
• Back up: As well as backing up your notes to Apple’s iCloud, Notability also supports automatic backups to third-party storage systems, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive.

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Cons

• Not available for Android: Notability runs natively on Macs with Apple’s M1 chip, so it is not available for android users.

9. Roam Research

Roam Research is a note-taking application that helps you easily capture and connect your ideas. It provides an intuitive way to take notes, make connections between ideas, and see the relationships between your thoughts.

Furthermore, it makes it easy to find and review your notes, making it a valuable tool for students, researchers, and professionals. You can connect notes via a feature known as “networked thought.”.

Platforms: Mac, Linux, Windows, Web

• Excellent writing experience: Roam Research supports Markdown. Once you open the application, you can immediately begin writing.
• Networked thought: The networked thought feature presents the connections between your notes as a web. This is an exciting alternative to the hierarchical view.
• Good Integration Of Image And Video: It is easy to integrate images and videos into the app. Add an image or video by dragging and dropping it into the note.

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Cons

• No support for pdf and Docx: There are only four export options offered by Roam Research: Markdown, Flat Markdown, JSON, and EDN, which are less commonly used file types. Why aren’t PDFs and Docxs supported?
• No web clipper: Roam Research does not have a web clipper. Many people like me will be disappointed if they learn about this limitation.

10. Typora

Typora is a note-taking app that allows you to create and edit rich text documents. A user-friendly interface makes it easy to use.

Typora supports markdown syntax, which makes it ideal for creating documentation or taking notes. Your documents can also be exported, so you can easily share them.

In addition to providing excellent Markdown support, Typora is an excellent tool for students and professionals who need to write essays and reports.

Platforms: Linux, Mac, Windows

• Themes: You can customise several themes using CSS – a language that allows you to specify exactly how you want your content to appear.
• Better export Options: Typora gives you many options for exporting files.
• Minimalistic design: Typora has a minimalistic design that makes it easy to focus on your writing.

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Cons

• Formatting: Typora does not have a toolbar with commonly used formatting options. This can be frustrating for users accustomed to having these options readily available.
• Spell Checker: Typora also lacks a spell checker, which can be a problem for users who want to ensure that their document is free of spelling errors.
• No image support: Typora doesn’t support images, files, or other media. Typora also doesn’t allow for easy note-taking collaboration like other apps do. 

11. Ulysses

Designed for Mac, iPad, and iPhone, Ulysses is a writing tool that makes writing simple and elegant. It’s the perfect tool for writers, from students to journalists to novelists.

Ulysses is a note-taking app that helps you collect and organize your thoughts. This application has a simple, clean interface that makes it easy to use. You can create notes by typing or using the built-in voice Recognition feature. Ulysses also supports markdown so you can format your notes the way you want.

Platforms: iOS, Mac

• Featured writing app: It has a lot of features that can be helpful for writers, such as the ability to set goals, track progress, and export to different formats.
• Design: The app is very well designed and easy to use. With Ulysses, you can choose from various themes, including Dark Mode, markup styles and publishing formats. It is genuinely a flexible tool.
• Publishing feature: The Ulysses app allows me to upload images, tags, categories, and meta-data directly after I have written, edited, and formatted a blog post within it, eliminating the need to log into my WordPress dashboard.

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Cons

• No web-based interface: The app is designed for offline use. This means that you can always access your content, even if you don’t have an internet connection.
• For Apple users only: The Ulysses app is only available on Apple devices, similar to Bear. 

12. Obsidian

Obsidian is a note-taking app that allows you to create and manage your notes in a simple, efficient way. It is based on the concept of a wiki, which allows you to easily link your notes together to create a robust knowledge base.

Obsidian is a note-taking app that allows you to create and manage your notes in a simple and efficient way. The app has various features that make it easy to use and navigate, as well as an intuitive interface that makes it easy to find and edit your notes.

Platforms: Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, Windows

• Organizational features: In addition to allowing you to link between pages, Obsidian also allows you to view the connections between your notes on a graph (similar to Roam).
• Offline work: Obsidian works offline and does not require an internet connection since all your data is stored locally. The app doesn’t even require an account.

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Cons

• Less Image Support: Embedding images within your notes is possible, but you must use Markdown syntax. 
• Text-based: Obsidian is a text-based note-taking app focused on privacy and security. It offers end-to-end encryption for all your notes, meaning only you can decrypt and read them.

13. Good Notes

GoodNotes is an iOS app that allows users to create digital notes and organize them into notebooks. Goodnotes also offers a variety of features that make it an excellent tool for students, teachers, and professionals. 

GoodNotes also offers a variety of features that make it easy to find and edit notes, including searchable text, ink colours, and templates.

Moreover, it includes the ability to create notes with text, images, and audio; insert hyperlinks and attachments.

Platforms: iOS, Mac

• Annotation: It allows you to annotate Word, PowerPoint, and PDF files.
• Organization: There is no limit to the number of folders and subfolders you can create. It is easy to find your notes, PDFs, and other files, regardless of how many you have.
• Notes sharing: Multiple people can work on the same notebook. Using Shared Documents, you can collaborate from anywhere with a shareable link.

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Cons

• No voice recording function: You will not observe the voice recording function in good Notes.
• Page lock: It does not automatically lock the pages to the screen’s width.

Conclusion

So, there you have it – the thirteen best note-taking apps to choose from. What’s the best one for you? Your needs and preferences will determine what’s best for you. 

If you need a lot of features and are willing to pay for them, Evernote is probably your best bet. But if you want something free and versatile, try One Note or Bear. Ultimately, the most important thing is to find an app that works well for you and stick with it.