10 Best Note Taking Apps of 2026

1. 1

   Notion

   A workspace that combines pages, databases, wikis and an AI agent for personal and team notes.

   8.9overall

   A workspace that combines pages, databases, wikis and an AI agent for personal and team notes.

   Best forteams that keep notes, wikis and projects in one place

   Adoption data

   100 millionNotion said in September 2024 that it had passed 100 million users across its product.

   Notion, 100 Million of You (2024): “Last month, Notion passed 100M users!”

   Notion treats a note as a page that can hold text, tables, embedded files and full databases, so the same workspace can be a personal journal, a team wiki and a project tracker. Its pricing page lists four plans: Free, Plus, Business and Enterprise. Even the Free plan includes databases with subtasks, dependencies and custom properties, basic forms, basic sites and Notion Calendar. Plus adds custom forms, charts and collaborative blocks for small teams. The full AI set sits on Business: Notion Agent, which completes multi-step tasks with context from Notion and connected apps, AI Meeting Notes without a bot, and Enterprise Search in beta. Free and Plus get only a trial of Notion AI. Notion reported passing 100 million users in 2024, the strongest adoption signal among the apps we compared. The tradeoff is depth: people who want quick capture may find a page and database model heavier than they need. From our location the pricing page showed euros, so the USD price is pending.

   Strengths

   • +Largest published user count on this list at 100 million
   • +Free plan includes databases and basic forms
   • +Notes, wikis and project tracking share one workspace

   Limitations

   • −Free and Plus plans only include a trial of Notion AI
   • −Pricing page showed euros from our location, so the USD price is pending
   • −Database-heavy pages take longer to learn than a plain notes app

   SummaryNotion is the best note-taking app for teams in 2026 because one workspace covers notes, wikis and databases and 100 million people have signed up. Solo writers who want fast plain capture can pay less with Bear or UpNote.

2. 2

   Microsoft OneNote

   Microsoft's free-form digital notebook, bundled with Microsoft 365 and extended with Copilot.

   8.8overall

   Microsoft's free-form digital notebook, bundled with Microsoft 365 and extended with Copilot.

   Best forpeople already paying for Microsoft 365

   Adoption data

   89.0 millionMicrosoft reported 89.0 million Microsoft 365 Consumer subscribers in its fiscal 2025 fourth quarter; the subscription includes OneNote, so this is a bundle figure rather than OneNote users alone.

   Microsoft, Productivity and Business Processes Performance, FY25 Q4 (2025): “Microsoft 365 Consumer cloud revenue grew 11% driven by Microsoft 365 Consumer subscriber growth of 8% to 89.0 million”

   OneNote organizes notes like a physical binder: notebooks, sections and pages, with content placed anywhere on the page. Microsoft's OneNote page positions it as a place to capture ideas, organize projects and keep everything across devices, and it adds Copilot in OneNote, which drafts plans, generates ideas, creates lists and organizes information from a prompt. The paid route is Microsoft 365 Personal at $9.99 per month on the US page, which also includes the Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook desktop apps for one person on up to 5 devices, and Microsoft offers a one-month free trial. That bundle is why OneNote scores well on value: the notes app is one part of a subscription many households already carry. Microsoft reported 89.0 million Microsoft 365 Consumer subscribers in fiscal 2025, though that counts the bundle rather than OneNote use. The binder model is less suited to heavily linked notes, where Obsidian and Roam Research are stronger.

   Strengths

   • +Verified US price of $9.99 per month includes the full Microsoft 365 suite
   • +Backed by 89.0 million Microsoft 365 Consumer subscribers
   • +Copilot works inside the notebook

   Limitations

   • −Adoption figure covers the Microsoft 365 bundle, not OneNote alone
   • −Notebook and section model is less suited to linked notes than Obsidian or Roam
   • −Best features assume a Microsoft account and ecosystem

   SummaryMicrosoft OneNote is the best choice for Microsoft 365 households because $9.99 per month buys the notebook, Copilot and the full Office suite. People who want linked plain-text notes should look at Obsidian.

3. 3

   Obsidian

   A free local-first notes app that stores Markdown files on your device, with paid Sync and Publish add-ons.

   8.6overall

   A free local-first notes app that stores Markdown files on your device, with paid Sync and Publish add-ons.

   Best forpeople who want private, linked notes in open files

   Adoption data

   5M+Obsidian's Android app showed more than 5 million downloads on Google Play in November 2026.

   Google Play, Obsidian on Google Play (2026): “5M+ Downloads”

   Obsidian stores notes as files on your own device, so they open offline and remain readable in any text editor. Its homepage says no one else can read them, including the company, and that open file formats keep the knowledge portable. The app itself is free with no sign-up, and Obsidian sells optional services instead: Sync at $4 per user per month billed annually or $5 monthly, with end-to-end encryption, version history and shared vaults, and Publish at $8 per site per month billed annually for putting notes on the web. Businesses can buy a Commercial license at $50 per user per year. Thousands of community plugins and themes let people shape the app into a task manager, a journal or a research graph. Obsidian does not publish a user count; its Android app shows more than 5 million downloads on Google Play. The cost of that flexibility is setup time, and real-time team editing is weaker than in Notion.

   Strengths

   • +Core app is free with no sign-up required
   • +Sync costs $4 per user per month billed annually
   • +Open file formats avoid lock-in

   Limitations

   • −Sync between devices is a paid add-on
   • −No published user count; adoption relies on app store downloads
   • −Plugin setup takes time compared with a ready-made app

   SummaryObsidian is the best note-taking app for privacy-minded individuals because the app is free and notes stay as files on your device. Teams that need live co-editing will find Notion easier.

4. 4

   Goodnotes

   A handwriting-first notes app for tablets with PDF markup, whiteboards, typed documents and AI.

   8.5overall

   A handwriting-first notes app for tablets with PDF markup, whiteboards, typed documents and AI.

   Best fortablet users who write by hand and annotate PDFs

   Adoption data

   469KGoodnotes had 469,000 ratings on the US App Store in November 2026, with an average of 4.7 out of 5.

   Apple App Store, Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF (2026): “4.7 out of 5 469K Ratings”

   Goodnotes is built for writing by hand on a tablet, then adds PDF annotation, an infinite whiteboard, typed documents and audio recording. The pricing page lists a Free plan limited to 3 files and 20 minutes of audio, Essential at $11.99 per year with unlimited files, unlimited audio recording and limited AI, and Pro at $35.99 per year, which adds Drive integration, private link sharing, real-time collaboration and sync across devices. Full AI is a separate AI Pass at $9.99 per month, and Teams costs $120 per seat per year with SAML SSO. Both Essential and Pro carry a 7-day free trial. On adoption, the iOS app shows 469,000 ratings at 4.7 out of 5 on the US App Store, the most of any app we checked there. Goodnotes is less suited to people who type most notes or want linked databases; Notion and Obsidian fit that pattern better.

   Strengths

   • +Essential costs $11.99 per year, the lowest paid tier here
   • +469,000 US App Store ratings at 4.7 out of 5
   • +7-day free trial on Essential and Pro

   Limitations

   • −Free plan is limited to 3 files
   • −Full AI needs the $9.99 per month AI Pass
   • −Built around a tablet and stylus rather than a keyboard

   SummaryGoodnotes is the best note-taking app for handwritten notes because Essential costs $11.99 per year and the app has 469,000 US App Store ratings. Keyboard-first users should pick Obsidian or Bear.

5. 5

   Bear

   A Markdown notes and journaling app for iPhone, iPad and Mac.

   8.0overall

   A Markdown notes and journaling app for iPhone, iPad and Mac.

   Best forApple users who write in Markdown

   Adoption data

   6.9KBear had 6,900 ratings on the US App Store in November 2026, with an average of 4.7 out of 5.

   Apple App Store, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal (2026): “4.7 out of 5 6.9K Ratings”

   Bear is a Markdown writing app for Apple devices that hides formatting marks so notes read cleanly while staying plain text underneath. Its App Store listing describes nested tags, WikiLinks that connect notes into a personal wiki, tasks inside notes, sketching on iPad with Apple Pencil, web clipping and dictation from Apple Watch. Bear Pro, sold in the App Store at $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year with a 14-day free trial, adds exports such as HTML, DocX, PDF and ePub, search inside images and PDFs, and more than 30 themes. You can start writing without creating an account. Bear won a 2017 Apple Design Award, and the iOS app shows 6,900 ratings at 4.7 out of 5 on the US App Store. Its limits are clear: there is no Windows or Android app and no shared team workspace, so mixed-device teams should look at Notion or UpNote.

   Strengths

   • +Bear Pro costs $2.99 per month with a 14-day free trial
   • +No signup or account needed to start
   • +2017 Apple Design Award and Editors' Choice listing

   Limitations

   • −Apple platforms only; no Windows or Android app
   • −No team workspace or databases
   • −Sync across devices needs Bear Pro

   SummaryBear is the best note-taking app for Apple users who write in Markdown because Bear Pro costs $2.99 per month and needs no account to start. Anyone on Windows or Android should choose UpNote instead.

6. 6

   Evernote

   A long-running notes app with notebooks, tasks, calendar, web clipping and AI features.

   7.9overall

   A long-running notes app with notebooks, tasks, calendar, web clipping and AI features.

   Best forpeople with large archives of clipped and scanned notes

   Adoption data

   78KEvernote had 78,000 ratings on the US App Store in November 2026, with an average of 4.4 out of 5.

   Apple App Store, Evernote: AI Notes & Notebook (2026): “4.4 out of 5 78K Ratings”

   Evernote remains one of the most complete capture tools, with notebooks, spaces, tags, tasks, a built-in calendar, document scanning and a web clipper. Its plan comparison lists Free, Starter, Advanced, Flexible and Unlimited. Limits are tight at the bottom: Free allows 50 notes, 1 notebook and 1 device, while Starter allows 1,000 notes, 20 notebooks and 3 devices. Higher plans remove those caps. The AI set includes an AI Assistant that works from a chat, Semantic Search, AI Transcribe for meetings and AI Edit, and Evernote now lets users connect notes to Claude, ChatGPT and other MCP tools. Advanced search supports Boolean, geographic and filtered queries, which helps with large archives. The iOS app shows 78,000 ratings at 4.4 out of 5 on the US App Store. Evernote scores lowest on value here because the free tier is small; the USD price check is pending because the plan page did not show prices from our location.

   Strengths

   • +Advanced search with Boolean, geographic and filtered queries
   • +Apps for iOS, Android, Web, Windows and Mac
   • +AI tools and MCP connection are listed on the plan comparison

   Limitations

   • −Free plan allows only 50 notes, 1 notebook and 1 device
   • −Starter caps notes at 1,000 and devices at 3
   • −Pricing page did not show USD from our location, so the price is pending

   SummaryEvernote is the best choice for people with large clipped and scanned archives because it combines advanced Boolean search, a web clipper and AI search. Light users will hit the 50-note Free cap quickly.

7. 7

   Craft

   A document and notes app with daily notes, tasks, shared spaces and web publishing.

   7.8overall

   A document and notes app with daily notes, tasks, shared spaces and web publishing.

   Best forindividuals and small teams who publish polished docs

   Adoption data

   6.6KCraft had 6,600 ratings on the US App Store in November 2026, with an average of 4.8 out of 5.

   Apple App Store, Craft: Notes, Documents, AI Task, Schedule & Reminder (2026): “4.8 out of 5 6.6K Ratings”

   Craft sits between a notes app and a document editor: pages are built from blocks, daily notes and tasks live alongside documents, and finished pages can be published to the web. Craft's pricing page lists Free, Plus, Family, Team and Enterprise. The Free plan allows up to 1,500 blocks across all documents and 1 GB of storage. Plus removes those limits and, in the US App Store, costs $9.99 per month or $95.99 per year. Family covers up to 6 members, and Team costs $5 per member per month with a minimum of 3 members, adding shared team spaces. Smart Search offers natural-language semantic search across a space. The iOS app shows 6,600 ratings at 4.8 out of 5 on the US App Store, the highest average rating on this list. The free tier fills quickly for heavy writers, and teams that need single sign-on will not find it on the Team plan.

   Strengths

   • +Highest App Store rating here at 4.8 out of 5
   • +Team plan priced at $5 per member per month
   • +Web publishing included

   Limitations

   • −Free plan stops at 1,500 blocks
   • −Plus costs $9.99 per month in the App Store, more than Bear or UpNote
   • −SSO is not included on Team

   SummaryCraft is the best choice for people who turn notes into polished, shareable documents because web publishing and daily notes come in one app rated 4.8 out of 5. Heavy free users will outgrow the 1,500-block limit.

8. 8

   UpNote

   A cross-platform notes app with notebooks, tags, web clipping and offline sync.

   7.7overall

   A cross-platform notes app with notebooks, tags, web clipping and offline sync.

   Best forbudget users on mixed devices

   Adoption data

   500K+UpNote's Android app showed more than 500,000 downloads on Google Play in November 2026.

   Google Play, UpNote on Google Play (2026): “500K+ Downloads”

   UpNote is a straightforward notes app that runs on Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android and syncs automatically while still working offline. Notes can be organized with hashtags, nested notebooks, pinning and Quick Access, and the editor supports rich text, Markdown, attachments, code blocks and highlights. Its homepage also lists web clipper extensions for Chrome, Safari and Firefox, automatic backup and version history, a passcode lock, internal links between notes, spaces and templates. The free version allows up to 50 notes. UpNote Premium is bought in the iOS, Android or Mac app at $1.99 per month or $39.99 for a lifetime license, the lowest monthly price among the apps we compared. The Android app shows more than 500,000 downloads on Google Play. UpNote lists no AI features and no team workspace, so it suits individuals who want a low-cost, cross-platform notebook rather than a shared knowledge base.

   Strengths

   • +Premium costs $1.99 per month or $39.99 once
   • +Runs on Linux as well as Windows, Mac, iOS and Android
   • +Works offline and syncs automatically

   Limitations

   • −Free version stops at 50 notes
   • −No team workspace or AI features listed
   • −Smaller adoption footprint than the leaders

   SummaryUpNote is the best note-taking app on a budget because Premium costs $1.99 per month or $39.99 once and runs on five platforms. Teams and AI users should look elsewhere.

9. 9

   Capacities

   An object-based notes app where people, books, meetings and ideas are typed objects you can link.

   7.5overall

   An object-based notes app where people, books, meetings and ideas are typed objects you can link.

   Best forpersonal knowledge management with structured note types

   Adoption data

   50,000Capacities says on its homepage that more than 50,000 active knowledge workers use it.

   Capacities, Capacities homepage (2026): “Trusted by 50,000+ active knowledge workers”

   Capacities organizes notes as typed objects, such as a person, a book or a meeting, and links them together, which gives a personal knowledge base structure without building databases by hand. The pricing page promises that the core product stays free: the Basic plan includes unlimited spaces, objects and blocks, sync across devices, unlimited custom object types and full import support. Capacities Pro costs $9.99 per month in USD and adds an AI assistant, whiteboards, task management, smart queries, calendar integration and analysis of images, PDFs and web links. Pro includes a light AI budget, and a Plus add-on at $8.33 per month billed annually covers regular AI use. A Believer tier from $12.49 per month adds beta access. Capacities says more than 50,000 active knowledge workers use it, a much smaller base than Notion or Obsidian. It is aimed at individuals; there is no shared team workspace on Pro.

   Strengths

   • +Free Basic plan has no cap on objects or blocks
   • +Pro price of $9.99 per month is shown in USD
   • +Typed objects give structure without building databases

   Limitations

   • −Smallest published user figure among apps with one, 50,000
   • −Regular AI use needs a paid add-on
   • −No team workspace on Pro

   SummaryCapacities is the best choice for structured personal knowledge bases because its free Basic plan has unlimited objects and custom types. Teams should pick Notion or Craft.

10. 10

    Roam Research

    An outliner for networked thought built around daily notes and bidirectional links.

    6.6overall

    An outliner for networked thought built around daily notes and bidirectional links.

    Best forresearchers who think in linked outlines

    Roam Research describes itself as a note-taking tool for networked thought: an outliner where every block can link to any page and backlinks appear automatically, which suits research that builds up over months. Its site lists a single Pro plan at $15 per month, or $165 per year, with unlimited private or public graphs, unlimited collaborators, and API access and apps. A Believer plan costs $500 for 5 years and adds early access to new features. New accounts get a trial and are charged after 31 days. Roam also offers a Roam Reader extension for Chrome and a macOS desktop app. There is no free plan, and Roam publishes no user or download figure, so its adoption score is conservative. For the same linked-notes approach, Obsidian is free and Capacities has a free tier, which is why Roam ranks last on value.

    Strengths

    • +Bidirectional links built into every block
    • +Unlimited collaborators on Pro
    • +31-day trial before the first charge

    Limitations

    • −No free plan
    • −Pro costs $15 per month, the highest monthly price here
    • −No published user or download figure

    SummaryRoam Research is the best choice for researchers committed to linked outlines because every block supports bidirectional links and Pro includes unlimited collaborators. Most buyers will get similar linking free in Obsidian.

Questions or corrections: editorial@statlyst.com · Disclosure