The thing with ideas is that they can come to you at any time and any place, be it listening to your favorite song or just doing your night scrolling on Instagram new features. Not all ideas are amazing and out of the box but sometimes you might get a million-dollar idea that you would like to note down at that very moment.
The stock Notes app that comes with Mac OS itself, is actually not that bad.
We have listed below ⬇️ best ? 14 Note taking apps available on (iOS, Android, Mac, iPad & Windows) to deliver a productive way of taking notes, maintaining lists, and penning down ideas. Best note taking app should have smooth UI, offer excellent user experience, features like syncing, sharing, and backup. SimpleNote ZohoNotebook Boostnote Colornote Notion Milanote GoogleKeep Bear Quip.
App developer Ginger Labs recently launched a companion app for the Mac ($10; OS X 10.9 or later), where you can sync your notes via iCloud across devices. If you're not a Mac user, you can still. Here we'll look at the best in note-taking apps currently available. Making it easy to keep track of notes. It is available for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux, with data synced.
Would you rather frantically search for a pen and paper to write down the idea or make some quick memo notes? Or you can simply open an awesome and effective note taking app on your mobile device. The latter sounds like a great option as our smartphones are something we like to conveniently place near ourselves at all times.
Now that we have talked about the need of the note taking apps and note taking tools, let’s further discuss the things that simplify the process of taking a note easy and making note taking application amazing.
What Makes an Awesome Note Taking App?
When it comes to finding top-notch mobile apps in a particular category there are some standards that have to be met by the applications. For instance, the app should have a great UI (User Interface), the app should offer the option of multitasking to the user, the app should provide the user with additional tools and much more. In addition to this, factors like price i.e. subscription fee and user experience are equally important.
Keeping the above-mentioned factors in mind, we have shortlisted a list featuring the best note taking apps for smartphones, including both Android and iOS.
List of 20 Top Note Taking Apps For 2020
Keeping the above-mentioned factors in mind, we have shortlisted a list featuring the best 20 note taking apps for smartphones, including both Android and iOS devices:
1. SimpleNote - Best Note Taking App
As the name suggests, Simplenote is an app that is here to offer its users the ease to take note by being one of the simplest note taking apps on the market. The Simplenote note taking app delivers an easy way to maintain notes, lists, and ideas.
One can also say that its core user experience is all about providing speed and efficiency to the end-user. These features have made this simple notepad application land among the best note taking apps for iPad Pro and iPhones that are free of cost.
Pros of SimpleNote: Skype for business web app plug-in not working on mac.
It has a very simple and clean interface.
Geared towards fast usage
'Time machine' style revision control on the notes
Collaborative features
Works offline
Users can export your data
Cons of SimpleNote:
Save-to-disk feature is poor
No reminders
Search is limited to one tag
No integrated social media sharing
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
2. Bear - Best Note Taking App
Bear is a digital note taking application for just iOS and macOS devices. This Apple-only app supports the Markdown formatting instead of displaying an excess of menu options.
In addition to this, Bear also allows its users to work with fully viewable inline images while offering a focus mode that eliminates unnecessary elements from your view. Although Bear is not available for Android, you can find many memo app alternatives for Android on this list.
Pros of Bear:
Easy tagging
Flawless sync
Lots of export formats
Hashtag support
Simple to back up and export the entire note database
Beautiful User Interface (UI)
Cons of Bear:
It's only subscription-based
No Tabs - can only view 1 note at a time
No inline editing and markup of pictures
Sometimes there are sync problems between iOS and macOS
Download this note taking app for iOS
3. Quip - Best Note Taking App
Check out:Detailed Quip App Review
Even though Quip isn't a typical note taking mobile app, rather it is more like a word processing or spreadsheet application with collaboration tools. This online note taking application lets the users work with others on their best notes, spreadsheets, and other documents while discussing the tasks in the same place.
One can also state that it is similar to Google Docs in many ways, in terms of collaborators' remarks, questions, suggested changes in real-time, etc.
Pros of Quip:
A wide range of collaboration tools
Clean and user-friendly interface.
Various commenting and accessibility features
Easy to use even for the first time
0 delay in collaboration
It consists of efficient mini apps for documents
Good integration of comments with a chat function
Cons of Quip:
No internal task delegation or planning features
No report building feature
It requires more than one step just to access the folders
Should have more editing ability
Still, it lacks some basic features
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
4. Microsoft OneNote - Best Note Taking App
Are you looking for a great sticky notes app for your Android devices? Then check out the Microsoft OneNote application, which is basically a fully featured note taking app that can do a lot more in comparison to any other note taking mobile app. Here, the user can create a new note and can click anywhere on the page to add content to that position.
Along with that, users can also choose a background for their sticky notes app to look like textured paper or opt for different types of templates.
The Microsoft OneNote note taking app also offers the classic binder functionality with notebooks, sections, tabs, etc as different options to organize notes. A large percentage of people consider the OneNote application as one of the best note taking apps with stylus support.
Pros of Microsoft OneNote:
Offers flexible encryption
Stylus and digitizer pen support
Sharing and collaboration
Comprehensive organizational methods
Converts handwriting to text on Windows version
Powerful table editor and outline application
Cons of Microsoft OneNote:
An uninspired and bland user interface
Requires a Microsoft account
It may seem too complex for some
Sync option isn't stable
Menu/ribbon can feel packed
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
5. Evernote - Best Note Taking App
Check out:Detailed Evernote App Review
From iOS to Android, Evernote application is one of those note taking apps that have been in the race for quite some time now and are effective at taking notes. It offers highly capable services to its users such as supporting a wide range of note types including text, images, audio memo applications, sketches, scanned documents, checklists, clipped web pages and much more.
Apart from that, the Evernote note taking app also consists of an array of excellent tools for organizing and searching your iPhone/iPad notes as well as other documents on Android devices.
Pros of Evernote:
Powerful note formatting
A focused and uncluttered user interface
Powerful features for organizing your notes
Flexible image manipulation
Evernote application is synchronized
OCR functionality to convert images into searchable text
Cons of Evernote:
Free version limited to 2 devices
Bloated and complex
Poor text formatting abilities
Security issues
It lacks search and replacement capabilities
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
6. Zoho Notebook - Best Note Taking App
Next in the list of the best note taking apps for students as well as professionals is the Zoho Notebook app, which is a free note taking application that you can easily find on the internet. This app provides its users with a wide range of features and is also available on a majority of platforms.
After creating an account, you can start writing down notes and uploading images right away. The Zoho Notebook app also allows you to lock your notes, add time and set reminders in your documents, making it one of the best notepad apps for Android and iOS devices.
Pros of Zoho Notebook:
Completely free and ad-free with unlimited device support
Provides ease of use
Pre-built checklist and audio notes
Cloud sync option
Great User Interface
Affordable subscription plans
Cons of Zoho Notebook:
Lacks some basic functionality
More features could be added
Weak support community in comparison
No text formatting option
Monthly bandwidth limit
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
7. Standard Notes - Best Note Taking App
Standard Notes is a free and open-source note taking application where users can write and sync their notes across multiple devices, such as iPhone, Android, iPad, Mac, etc. On this note taking apps, your notes here are end-to-end encrypted, so only the user can read their own notes.
So if you are looking for a top-notch notes app for your iPhone or iPad Pro and pick Standard Notes as it is one of the best notes applications for iOS devices.
Pros of Standard Notes:
Markdown support
Cross-platform support
Has offline support
Global search and tag feature
A wide range of themes
Cons of Standard Notes:
Syncing issues with the notepad
Need for third-party tools for editing notes
Consistency issues with features
Additional steps are involved in setting up procedure
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
8. ColorNote - Best Note Taking App
The ColorNote application is a simple yet efficient free notepad app for Android devices including a wide range of tablets and smartphones. With the help of this free Android notes app, users can easily create their own sticky notes, checklists, memo notes, and note reminders while maintaining their online notepad for free.
As the name of this note sharing app, the UI (User Interface) of ColorNote app is designed neatly and allows the app users to create their notes in a variety of different colors.
Pros of ColorNote:
It is an online notepad with a lock and master password
Integrated calendar
Consists of a built-in sharing option which includes SMS, Bluetooth, email, etc
Provides support for sync and data backup
Notes can be searched via the voice search tool
Transfer your sticky notes to the archive section
Cons of ColorNote:
Do not support the iOS platform
Lack of searching options for multiple notes at once
Chrome extension is also not available
The app lacks some basic functionalities
Download this note taking app for Android
9. Notion - Best Note Taking App
If you are searching for a not so 'basic' note taking app then Notion might be the one that will suit your preference. This note tasking application gives you the best of both worlds by bringing together advance notability capabilities for Android and iOS platforms with an array of highly productive functionalities.
Some of the main functionalities it includes are a simple text editor, integrated calendar and various other spreadsheet functions.
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
10. MyScript - Best Note Taking App
The MyScript Nebo is not a traditional note taking app but rather a digital one, this is mainly because it uses impressive technologies like digital ink and handwriting recognition. Along with this, MyScript app comes packed with multiple features that further allow the end-users to draw sketches and diagrams that are relatively easy.
Another worth-mentioning point about this notes app is that it supports more than 50 languages for handwriting recognition and some of them are French, Spanish and English.
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
11. Dropbox Paper - Best Note Taking App
Check out:Detailed Dropbox Paper App Review
Next in the queue is the Dropbox Paper application which is more like a collaboration software that is perfect to use in a workspace or professional setting.
From essential note taking features to high-level task management tools, this app is here to provide its users with everything and that too in real-time. Here, users also have the option to add audio, pictures, and even videos in their notes and other documents.
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
12. Ulysses - Best Note Taking App
Also featured in:Best Writing Apps
The Ulysses application is more like a task management app than a note taking app which is only available for iPhone, iPad Pro, and other macOS devices.
Being an effective workspace notes app, Ulysses also includes additional features for its end-users to assist them in personalizing their notes with a style that suits their preferences. Some of its functionalities are keyboard navigation, markup-based text editor, automatic backup, etc.
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13. Google Keep - Best Note Taking App
The Google Keep notes application is yet another quite famous note taking app that provides its users with a comprehensive note taking software with an advanced inbuilt array of features.
This notes app also offers other functionalities such as image collection, notes preview option without even completely opening a document or a note, specific location reminders, to-do checklists, transferring documents to Google Docs, pinboard feature, keep notes, audio transcriptions, multi-device sharing, etc.
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
14. Any.do - Best Note Taking App
Any.DO is another all-in-app task management application with a wide range of impressive note-taking features that will help the users in simplifying the maintenance process of their do-to list. How to check missing app list in mac. In addition to this, Google Keep also provides the users with functionalities like customizable recurring tasks, location-based reminders, unlimited collaboration and so much more.
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
15. Notability - Best Note Taking App
Notes App For Mac
Notability is a well-known note taking app from Ginger Labs that is only available on iTunes that means it only provides support for the iPhone and iPad Pro.
Apart from this, the Notability application is highly recognized by Apple as the Best Selling Paid Productivity app for four consecutive years. So go ahead and try out this app to sync written notes with audio recordings and annotating documents.
Download this note taking app for iOS
16. SomNote - Best Note Taking App
SomNote is basically a cloud-based application for taking notes with around 100 MB of free cloud storage provided to each user account. With this app, users can easily draw sketches as well as graphs while utilizing different themes and fonts for their documents.
Along with this, SomNote also lets you sync your notes to any device, create multi-colored folders, use password protection, access view modes, conduct a faster keyword search, and many other options.
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
17. GoodNotes - Best Note Taking App
The GoodNotes app may not be the only note taking application for iOS out there, but it surely is a good one. This notes application offers its users the option to search their important notes and also organize their different types of documents.
Although, we have to admit that the UI (User Interface) provided by the app is amazing and takes the user experience to another level. In short, the GoodNotes application is a simple yet classic note taking app, perfect for your iPhone and iPad.
Open shared calendar on mac. Download this note taking app for iOS
18. Coda - Best Note Taking App
The next we have Coda in the list of the best note taking apps. It can be referred to as a new resource that basically combines the document creation functionality with various interactive tools such as gantt, kanban, tables etc.
Many users also claim that this notes app is a combination of other applications like Dropbox Paper and Evernote. Currently, its user base is constantly growing, making it an efficient place to store notes and documents.
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
Best Note Taking App Mac Reddit App
19. Drafts - Best Note Taking App
Also featured in:Best Writing Apps
With every version update, Drafts has improved itself while perfecting the services it provides to its users. If you compare the latest version with the original version of the app, you will see that the improvement is impressive.
In other words, we can say that Drafts is a note taking application that is mainly designed to be a top-notch digital version of a blank sheet.
Download this note taking app for iOS
20. Diaro - Best Note Taking App
Last but not least, we have Diaro in our list of best notes apps which is one of those precious few note taking apps that conveniently categories all your notes into highly organized daily records. This further makes it super easy to use especially to keep track of daily tasks.
This note taking app also replicates the experience of keeping a journal while giving a modern twist to it.
Download this note taking app for Android and iOS
MAD Recommendation: Our Favorite Note Taking App
Let’s start by getting a quick overview of the list of best note taking apps:
What are the Best Note Taking Apps for Android?
Microsoft OneNote
Evernote
ColorNote
Note Taking App For Iphone
What are the Best Note Taking Apps for iPhone And iPad Pro?
Best Note Taking App For Ipad
Dropbox Paper
Simplenote
MyScript
What are the Best Note Taking Apps for Mac?
Bear
Microsoft OneNote
Quip
What are The Best Note Taking Apps For Windows?
ColorNote
Zoho Notebook
Simplenote
After doing an in-depth review of the pros and cons offered by these top note taking apps for iPhone and Android smartphones, we have to go with the Evernote note taking application. This is because Evernote is not just a note taking app, it is a productivity application that is highly useful for professionals.
Best Note Taking App For Windows 10
However, in a clash of productivity apps like Google Keep and Evernote, the competition is pretty close. But Evernote is a feature-rich application allows the users to customize almost everything and takes the lead in this list of best note taking mobile apps.
Written By
Vikram is an experienced wunderkind, who embraced technology at a very early age, and today he is at the helm of it. Mobile apps are something that excites him the most, and now he is up to give this vertical the best shot. He routinely catches up with the new apps and comes up with the top apps that can excite you to the core.