Apps Like Evernote: 12 Better Note-Taking Alternatives
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About Evernote
Founded
2007
USA
Ships to
Worldwide (web and apps)
Editor-reviewed
Every recommendation read and refined by hand
Honest tradeoffs
Drawbacks listed, not hidden
No paid placements
Brands cannot pay to be ranked
Evernote earned its loyalty by being the first app that actually felt like a second brain. The green elephant lived in your menu bar, the web clipper grabbed entire articles with formatting intact, and the search could find that one phrase from a PDF you scanned three years ago. For a long stretch, no competitor came close to that specific combination of capture, sync, and recall — and millions of researchers, lawyers, and students built their working memory on top of it.
The app didn't lose that race so much as the race changed around it. Notion turned notes into databases, Obsidian turned them into a graph you own as plain files, Bear made markdown beautiful, and Apple Notes quietly absorbed the basics for free on every device you already own. Meanwhile Evernote got bought by Bending Spoons, hiked the price past most competitors, and capped free accounts at fifty notes — a number that turns the product from a second brain into a demo. The brands below are the ones that filled the space Evernote used to define, each occupying a different corner of what "a place to put everything" now means.
The right replacement depends entirely on whether you're leaving for the price, the performance, or the philosophy.
The app didn't lose that race so much as the race changed around it. Notion turned notes into databases, Obsidian turned them into a graph you own as plain files, Bear made markdown beautiful, and Apple Notes quietly absorbed the basics for free on every device you already own. Meanwhile Evernote got bought by Bending Spoons, hiked the price past most competitors, and capped free accounts at fifty notes — a number that turns the product from a second brain into a demo. The brands below are the ones that filled the space Evernote used to define, each occupying a different corner of what "a place to put everything" now means.
The right replacement depends entirely on whether you're leaving for the price, the performance, or the philosophy.
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The 12 Best Alternatives to Evernote
1
Notion
Est. 2016
San Francisco, USA
$
cheaper
Knowledge workers who want notes, tasks, wikis, and lightweight project management in a single app
Captures the same "everything in one place" promise Evernote built its reputation on, but extends it with databases, relations, and shared workspaces. Web clipper is solid, search is fast, and the free tier is generous for individuals.
Pros
- Generous free tier with unlimited blocks for personal use
- Databases turn notes into structured, filterable collections
- Strong web clipper and mobile capture
- Excellent for collaborative wikis and team docs
Cons
- Offline mode is still weak compared to Evernote
- Can feel slow on large workspaces
- Learning curve is steeper than a plain notes app
Visit Notion
Full guide: Apps Like Notion
2
Obsidian
Est. 2020
Remote (founded by Shida Li and Erica Xu)
$
cheaper
Researchers and writers who want to own their files and build a long-term personal knowledge base
Replicates Evernote's role as a long-term knowledge archive, but stores notes as plain markdown files on your own machine. Backlinks and graph view turn your archive into a connected web instead of a flat list.
Pros
- Free for personal use, forever
- Notes are local markdown files you fully own
- Massive plugin ecosystem for customization
- Backlinks and graph view for connected thinking
Cons
- No native real-time collaboration
- Sync is a paid add-on or DIY
- Requires setup to get a polished workflow
3
Apple Notes
Est. 2007
Cupertino, USA
$
cheaper
Apple-only users who want zero-friction capture without paying for a separate notes app
Quietly absorbed most of what casual Evernote users actually needed: fast capture, decent search, scanned documents, handwriting, and seamless sync across Apple devices. Free, no account juggling, no upsell.
Pros
- Completely free and pre-installed
- iCloud sync just works across Apple devices
- Fast handwriting, scanning, and sketching on iPad
- Quick Note from anywhere on macOS
Cons
- Apple ecosystem only — no real Windows or Android story
- No web clipper as powerful as Evernote's
- Organization tops out at folders and tags
4
Microsoft OneNote
Est. 2003
Redmond, USA
$
cheaper
Students and Office users who want a free, unlimited Evernote-style notebook
The closest structural twin to classic Evernote: notebooks, sections, pages, and a free-form canvas where you can drop anything anywhere. Includes a web clipper, OCR on images, and unlimited notes at no cost.
Pros
- Free with no note limits
- Free-form canvas — type or draw anywhere
- Strong handwriting and stylus support
- Tight integration with Outlook, Teams, and Office
Cons
- Search is decent but slower than Evernote's at scale
- Sync occasionally hiccups across platforms
- UI feels heavier than newer alternatives
5
Bear
Est. 2016
Italy
$
cheaper
Writers and journalers on Apple devices who want a beautiful markdown notebook
For Evernote users who mainly wrote in it, Bear delivers the same calm, distraction-free writing experience with a far prettier interface. Tags replace notebooks, and markdown stays out of the way until you need it.
Pros
- Genuinely beautiful typography and themes
- Fast, nested tag system instead of rigid folders
- Markdown-native but hidden when you don't need it
- Affordable Pro plan unlocks sync and export
Cons
- Apple ecosystem only
- No collaboration features
- Web clipper is functional but limited
6
Joplin
Est. 2017
France
$
cheaper
Privacy-minded users who want to import their entire Evernote archive and own it
Built specifically as an open-source Evernote replacement, with a direct .enex import tool. Markdown-based, syncs through whatever cloud you choose, and includes a web clipper that mirrors Evernote's behavior.
Pros
- Open-source and free at the core
- Direct Evernote import including attachments and tags
- Bring-your-own-sync (Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, Joplin Cloud)
- End-to-end encryption available
Cons
- Interface is functional rather than polished
- Mobile apps lag behind desktop
- Sync setup can be fiddly for non-technical users
7
Logseq
Est. 2020
Remote
$
cheaper
Daily journalers and researchers who think in bullet points and backlinks
Outliner-first knowledge tool that, like Obsidian, stores notes as local markdown or org-mode files. Daily journal, backlinks, and block references make it a strong fit for thinkers who lived inside Evernote's search.
Pros
- Free and open-source
- Local-first with plain-text files you own
- Powerful outliner with block-level linking
- Strong daily-notes workflow
Cons
- Outliner format isn't for everyone
- Mobile experience is improving but not best-in-class
- Sync requires Logseq Sync or third-party tools
8
Craft
Est. 2019
Budapest, Hungary
≈
similar
Apple users who want presentation-ready notes and docs without Notion's sluggishness
Treats notes as documents you'd actually be proud to share. Blocks, backlinks, and beautiful defaults give Evernote refugees the polish of Notion with the speed of a native app.
Pros
- Fast, native apps with beautiful design
- Documents look great when shared as web links
- Block-based with backlinks and daily notes
- Strong offline support
Cons
- Best experience is Apple-first
- Free tier is limited
- Smaller ecosystem than Notion or Obsidian
9
UpNote
Est. 2020
USA
$
cheaper
Long-time Evernote users who want the same workflow without the subscription
The most direct spiritual successor to old Evernote: notebooks, nested folders, fast search, web clipper, and a clean interface — but with a one-time lifetime payment instead of an annual squeeze.
Pros
- One-time lifetime purchase option
- Familiar notebook/note structure for Evernote refugees
- Works across Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux
- Fast search and markdown support
Cons
- Smaller team than the major players
- Fewer integrations than Notion or OneNote
- No true collaboration features
10
Capacities
Est. 2022
Germany
≈
similar
Researchers and PKM enthusiasts who want structure beyond pages and tags
Object-based note app where everything — people, books, meetings, ideas — is a typed entity you can link and query. For Evernote users whose archive was really a personal database in disguise.
Pros
- Object-based model gives structure without coding databases
- Daily notes and backlinks built in
- Clean, modern interface
- Thoughtful approach to long-term knowledge
Cons
- Newer product still building out features
- Less mature mobile experience
- No real collaboration yet
11
Anytype
Est. 2019
Berlin, Germany
$
cheaper
Privacy-first users who want Notion-level structure with full data ownership
Local-first, end-to-end encrypted, and object-based — like a private, open Notion. Strong choice for Evernote users who want power-user features without giving their data to a vendor.
Pros
- End-to-end encrypted and local-first
- Object types and relations like Notion
- Generous free tier
- Actively open-sourcing the codebase
Cons
- Still maturing — occasional rough edges
- Smaller template and integration ecosystem
- No web app yet (desktop and mobile only)
12
Google Keep
Est. 2013
Mountain View, USA
$
cheaper
Anyone whose "note-taking" is really quick capture, reminders, and shopping lists
For Evernote users who realize they mostly used it for quick lists, reminders, and snapshots. Free, instant, searchable, and tied to the Google account you already have.
Pros
- Completely free with no note limits
- Instant capture from any device or browser
- Good OCR on photos and decent search
- Works anywhere Google does
Cons
- No nested folders or notebooks
- Weak for long-form writing
- Formatting options are minimal
Best free Evernote replacements
If the fifty-note free cap is what pushed you out the door, four apps give you a genuinely unlimited free tier without time bombs. OneNote is the most direct structural match — notebooks, sections, pages, and a web clipper, all free forever. Apple Notes is the no-brainer if you live in the Apple ecosystem. Obsidian is free for personal use and stores everything locally as markdown. Google Keep handles quick capture for anyone whose "notes" are really lists and reminders.
Closest to classic Evernote workflow
For users who want the same notebook-and-note rhythm without relearning everything, UpNote is the closest spiritual successor — same structure, lifetime pricing option, cross-platform. OneNote mirrors the notebook/section/page hierarchy almost exactly. Joplin goes further: it has a dedicated Evernote .enex importer, so your entire archive can move over with notebooks, tags, and attachments intact.
Best for privacy and data ownership
If part of the reason you're leaving is unease about Bending Spoons sitting on your archive, three options put your data back under your control. Obsidian and Logseq both store notes as plain markdown files on your own disk — no proprietary format, no vendor lock-in. Anytype is end-to-end encrypted and local-first, with the structural power of Notion but none of the cloud dependency. All three are free for personal use.Which Alternative Is Right for You?
If you're leaving Evernote purely because of the price hike and fifty-note cap, OneNote and Apple Notes are the obvious free landing spots — OneNote if you need cross-platform, Apple Notes if you don't. If you mostly used Evernote as a writing app, Bear and Craft are the upgrades; both are faster, prettier, and cheaper. If you used Evernote as a long-term research archive, Obsidian, Logseq, and Joplin let you own your files as plain markdown forever, with Joplin offering the smoothest import path for an existing Evernote library. If your notes were really a personal database — tagged contacts, books, meeting notes, project trackers — Notion, Capacities, and Anytype each handle that better than Evernote ever did, with Notion winning on ecosystem and Anytype winning on privacy. And if you want the closest possible feel to classic Evernote with one-time pricing and zero learning curve, UpNote is the quiet answer most refugees end up at. Frequently Asked Questions
QWhy are so many people leaving Evernote in 2024?
Three things compounded: Bending Spoons acquired Evernote and raised prices significantly, the free plan was capped at fifty total notes, and performance complaints (slow sync, heavy app, sluggish search at scale) gave long-time users a reason to finally try alternatives they'd been eyeing for years.
QWhat's the easiest way to export my Evernote notes to another app?
Export your notebooks as .enex files from Evernote's desktop app, then import them into Joplin, Notion, Obsidian (via plugin), or UpNote — all of which support .enex directly. Joplin has the most complete importer, preserving notebooks, tags, attachments, and timestamps.
QWhich Evernote alternative is best for students?
OneNote is the strongest pick for most students: it's free with no note limits, included in Microsoft 365 (which many schools provide), supports handwriting and stylus input well, and the free-form canvas works for class notes, equations, and sketches. Notion is the runner-up for students who also want to manage assignments and group projects.
QIs Notion really a good replacement for Evernote, or are they different products?
They overlap in capture and search but diverge after that. Notion is better for structured, database-style notes and team collaboration; Evernote was better for fast, messy, atomic capture from anywhere. If you mostly wrote and clipped, Notion works. If you relied heavily on offline capture and the web clipper, pair Notion with Apple Notes or OneNote for quick capture.
QWhich Evernote alternative has the best web clipper?
Notion, Joplin, and OneNote all have strong web clippers that get close to Evernote's. Notion's is the most polished for clipping articles into structured pages, Joplin's is the closest behavioral match for Evernote refugees, and OneNote's wins for clipping into a free-form canvas. Obsidian relies on community clippers, which work well but require setup.
Our Verdict
The Best Evernote Alternative For You
If you're leaving Evernote purely because of the price hike and fifty-note cap, OneNote and Apple Notes are the obvious free landing spots — OneNote if you need cross-platform, Apple Notes if you don't. If you mostly used Evernote as a writing app, Bear and Craft are the upgrades; both are faster, prettier, and cheaper. If you used Evernote as a long-term research archive, Obsidian, Logseq, and Joplin let you own your files as plain markdown forever, with Joplin offering the smoothest import path for an existing Evernote library. If your notes were really a personal database — tagged contacts, books, meeting notes, project trackers — Notion, Capacities, and Anytype each handle that better than Evernote ever did, with Notion winning on ecosystem and Anytype winning on privacy. And if you want the closest possible feel to classic Evernote with one-time pricing and zero learning curve, UpNote is the quiet answer most refugees end up at.