The 11 Best Note-taking Apps 2023
Which one is your Favorite
I have tested and used each of these apps in my workflow. Each note taking app has its own advantages and drawbacks. Ultimately it is up to you as to which is best for you. This list is also not conclusive or exhaustive. There are new productivity apps coming along each and everyday it seems so it is hard to stay on top of the newest apps coming.
RemNote
RemNote not only enables you to take more effective notes and build a stronger learning foundation, but also to include other essential study aids like flashcards and the most effective contemporary learning strategies like active recall and spaced repetitions.
To add your Anki flashcards to RemNote you will need to Open RemNote to the Knowledge base you wish to import them into. Then go to Settings, and Click Import in the top left. Select Anki from the drop-down options.
Any media that is integrated directly into your RemNote notes is an embed. They can be image files, audio or video links, rems, or even entire textbooks worth of PDFs.
Workflowy
Users of Workflowy can build nested lists within lists to better organize or divide larger tasks or themes into more manageable sub-items. Users can apply colored tags to content to facilitate text search and rapid visual identification.
I use this one a lot, as I am currently rebuilding my house it is useful to keep notes on parts of the project along the way. Usually I use this for just keeping measurements handy and notes on what I need at the hardware store too. It is very handy and easy to use as the notes can be nested I can keep things under different subjects such as ‘windows’, ‘floor’, ‘kitchen’ or what have you. The mobile app is great.
Notion
A lot has already been written about Notion all over the place. You can find reviews of this app everywhere so I won’t go into much detail here. It is useful for more than just notes, btw.
Craft
Craft is a wiki and document creation tool hybrid. It resembles Google Docs and Notion merged. It’s ideal for bloggers, authors, and teams because you can take notes, publish and share articles, and create a collaborative wiki.
Craft Docs was established in 2019 and gained popularity among the Personal Knowledge Management community among Apple users rather quickly.
It is quick to setup. You could sync your all documents using iCloud, External third-party services or their default sync service. Craft provides you an option to write documents using Markdown. I personally did not both doing this. I was just looking for a simple way to take notes during a meeting, and Craft turned out to be good for that.
Obsidian
Taking notes requires flexibility because it requires you to put your thoughts into words, and everyone thinks differently. One of the most adaptable note-taking apps available is called Obsidian. In software, flexibility typically refers to a tool’s ability to conform to your needs, but it also implies that you may have to spend a lot of time modifying it.
There are several articles written on using Obsidian to write a book. Since there are several plugins you can use with Obsidian for just this purpose you might consider using this note taking app to write your next novel or organize for you next blog post.
Drafts
The link above is to a New York Times review of Drafts. If you want a different perspective on using Drafts.
Draft is a special writing tool that enables you to take notes, share and edit documents, and transcribe lengthy blocks of text. This app was created to help writers with their work.
I find it difficult to control the alterations that friends, editors, and other authors make when we share papers. It is incredibly difficult to locate earlier versions and see the changes. Nevertheless, since I’ve begun using Draft, I have total control over my work.
Bear
The majority of Bear’s functionality are contained in the free download it offers. Bear Pro offers cross-device sync (Bear is also free on macOS), app themes, and advanced file export. It costs $1.49 per month (with a one-week free trial), or $14.99 per year (with a one-month free trial).
The title, two lines of text, and various image thumbnails for each note are displayed in your notes list. A date is shown to the left of each note indicating the most recent time it was generated or edited.
You have a few options for sorting your notes list in Bear’s settings. It can be set to sort by title, creation date, or update date. Titles can be further sorted by A to Z or Z to A, while modification and creation dates can be further sorted by either oldest to newest or newest to oldest.
Scrivener
This is of course more well known as a novel writing application for professional writers and sometimes blog writers. It is certainly still that.
With no mobile version this is only applicable for desktop/laptop note taking of course. I personally find taking notes during a meeting keeps me more involved and that is how I use Scrivener. Sometimes during a meeting if I am note directly engaged my mind will wander and then I miss important points. Having an app make a recording and transcription for me seems not efficient. By taking my own notes I am more involved in what is happening and therefore more engaged in the outcome. So this application works for me in that manner.
Minimal
What I like about this app is the interface is very simple and straightforward. So taking notes when I’m at the store or elsewhere is a very fast no hassle workflow. Taking more complicated notes that need to be nested under a heading or organized in some way is not what this app is for.
I also like that I can share a list I have created as a webpage available to anyone who has the link. So if I’m making a list of things for the weekend I can send a link to my girlfriend and she can also see the list.
If you want to here direct from the developer you can read their post here.
Clover
So this is a useful app for taking notes and keeping track of your team. It feels somewhere between Asana and something like Drafts or Craft Docs to be honest.
It is kinda expensive to have as your number one notetaking app, so I think there are cheaper alternatives that are just as good. Clover does allow for teams which some of these apps do not. But if you are using Clover it is likely purchased by your company as your internal note sharing application.
Mem
Is the new kid on the block. I was part of the original beta test group for this app and I think it has done a lot, but of course can improve a lot too.
The one thing that I really like about this app is it can integrate with all of my calendars. Something like Craftdocs only integrates with one calendar, but Mem can integrate with each. For myself this is a boon.
Integrating with each of my calendars at once allows me to see in one app all my appointments for the day. It helps me to remain on schedule and organized during my workday. This is great.
Thank you for reading
If you are not a Medium member and you would like to gain unlimited access to the platform, consider using my referral link sign-up. It’s $5 a month and you get unlimited access to my articles and many others like mine. It is a good way to support all the writers on Medium
If you want to subscribe to my email list click here
My business site is here
