Best Evernote Alternatives for 2025

Evernote is one of the most outstanding note-taking applications on the market, and it’s got an incredibly valuable brand to it.

For over 15 years, Evernote has been one of the most prominent note apps on the market. But many people have seen over the last few years, since their acquisition from Bending Spoons, things have changed. The application has pivoted their focus towards being more revenue-focused, something that Evernote struggled quite a lot on as being a unicorn company.

What makes a good Evernote alternative?

For our criteria, we chose apps that met these values when seeking out options:

• Reliable - Good-standing tools on the market

• Feature-rich - Ones that had good, well-updated features

• Resources - Provides plenty of resources & community help to learn the tool

1. Obsidian

Best for Cross-Platform

Obsidian is one of the best free Evernote alternatives on the market.

It provides many people an offline-first experience, allowing them to download it on their device and start note-taking immediately. Many people like Obsidian because it's a PKM application, also referred to as Personal Knowledge Management. The idea behind that is to bring your notes together, connect them, and start building relationships you can bring to life on a graph view.

Many people like Obsidian because it's offline and has a security element. Your notes are stored locally and on-device, allowing you to bring together all of your notes without the worry of the application taking your notes away and naturally not having any encryption.

Reasons to consider

Here's some of the many reasons to consider Obsidian:

Cheaper pricing plans

• Obsidian is free, but does have a cheaper pricing model starting at $4 per month for sync between devices and E2E, making it a lot cheaper than Evernote.

More powerful note editor

• Obsidian is a better note editing experience. It comes with themes, markdown, text replacements, styling, modification, and tonnes more features for more editor-based note-takers. It has backlinks, block references, and on-device storage of your notes, which Evernote doesn't do as effectively as Obsidian.

Includes canvas mode

• Obsidian has a feature called Canvas for visual note-taking. This is perfect for visual thinkers who want to combine images, with text or video clips in a mind-map, open canvas feel.

• This allows you to visualize your notes, which are perfect for thoughts, ideas, and those you want to bring together in one place.

• This is something Evernote currently doesn't offer.

Includes powerful graph views

• Evernote isn't know for the graph view, but Obsidian is. Everything in Obsidian can be linked together, meaning you can visualize all your notes and nodes in a graph view.

• This helps to create a tree of knowledge and a visual brain of how all your notes connect.

Good for note security

• The application is excellent because if you upgrade to the premium syncing options, you can use end-to-end encryption to store and securely manage your notes between devices.

• There's also version history, which allows you to see the version history for every note for one year. Also, if you want to work on team notes, there is a shared file with private data.

2. Notion

Best for Customization

Notion is one of the most well-known tools to move to.

It’s hard to argue with value. It offers unlimited note-taking and block management that can help you put in good stead for taking notes across the day. Over the last few years, Notion’s got much stronger, providing more database abilities, AI functionality for chatting with your notes, and a more reformed speed to their application.

It also has a web clipper, better mobile apps, and no limit to how many notes you can take, whichever it currently has in place. So this makes it a good all-round planner and management experience. It has become one of the most popular note-taking tools on the market thanks to its no-code approach, which allows users to create customized workspaces just by learning the application.

You can use Notion not just for notes, but for tasks, projects, calendar and even soon, email. It can also be used as a team wiki app for teams, but many people have already shifted to Notion as a good Evernote alternative for various reasons.

Reasons to consider

Here's some of the many reasons to consider Notion:

There's no limits on note-taking

• On the basic plan, you get unlimited blocks.

• Notion only limits access to certain features under its personal and team pricing tiers, which you can explore below. Evernote have locked this down as of recent, making it a primary reason people have left.

• Many people start using Notion as a journal or a note-taking application, leveraging a feature called databases, which can be customized to your liking. For example, once you learn databases, you can create a note database with a visual appeal, like a gallery view, which many people prefer when organizing their notes.

Easier AI abilities

• If you're considering Notion as an Evernote alternative because Evernote doesn't provide the AI capabilities you need, Notion offers several ways to get started. The Notion AI extension costs $8 per user monthly, allowing you to use generative AI across your Notion account.

• There's even a feature called Ask Notion, which lets you scan across your entire account, asking natural language questions to get answers based on your content—something that Evernote offers through its Search feature. Still, Notion makes it more accessible without requiring a premium subscription.

More project & planning powers

• Notion is also well known for its project and planning capabilities, allowing you to use or import templates from others to build the perfect planning environments.

• This means you're not limited to notes, tasks, or calendars; you can create entire workspaces, including Kanban boards and various project management views, suitable for individual and team use. These project and planning abilities have made Notion very popular, with many users sharing tutorials on YouTube about the different ways to use it.

Craft your own set-ups

• Notion is one of the most popular applications because of its high level of customization. You can build almost anything you want, although Notion does take some time to learn compared to Evernote.

• Once you get started, it becomes a powerful resource with virtually unlimited potential due to its no-code, block-based setup that has become incredibly popular.

3. Microsoft OneNote

Best for Easy, Free Alternative

Microsoft OneNote is one of the better free alternatives to Evernote.

While Microsoft develops it, it continues to receive updates and is naturally more focused on Windows devices. Its impressive annotation capabilities and features make it a strong contender as an Evernote alternative. Although it may not be as complex and powerful as Evernote in some respects, it still offers great features that can save you money and possibly make you more AI-focused.

Reasons to consider

Here's some of the many reasons to consider OneNote:

Cheaper pricing & free plan

• Microsoft OneNote is a free tool, which is great news for those looking to save money. It has a similar appearance to Evernote but with a slightly dated feel. However, being free makes it a very attractive option, especially for those leaving Evernote due to cost.

• Thanks to its well-developed ecosystem, OneNote also integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products. It includes Microsoft Loop components, allowing you to connect with Microsoft Loop and Teams, and it integrates well with Microsoft 365 to extend OneNote’s capabilities.

Works with Microsoft

• That said, OneNote does come with some limitations.

• As part of your OneDrive storage, you get 5GB for free, which might be sufficient for most users. For those needing more storage, there are options to upgrade to 1TB with corresponding pricing plans. Despite these limitations, many users, especially students, will find OneNote a good fit.

More suitable for students

• It’s particularly well-suited for students due to its freeform handwriting, sketching, OCR (optical character recognition), reminders, tags, image upload, collaboration abilities, and audio notes, all contributing to an excellent user experience.

• Additionally, many students receive OneDrive as part of their Microsoft package at university or college, making it easier to maximize the OneNote experience at no cost for as long as possible.

Coming with Co-Pilot

• Microsoft OneNote also benefits from the power of Copilot, which is part of the broader Microsoft ecosystem. For users interested in AI, Copilot could be one of the best ways to incorporate AI into note-taking.

• Like Google Gemini, Copilot is an assistant to your notes, allowing you to ask questions and expand on your notes using generative AI.

4. NotePlan

Best for Bullet Journal & Markdown

NotePlan is an exciting alternative to Evernote, offering similar features like tasks, notes, and calendar integration, all in one place. Although it may not be as visually appealing as Evernote, it is available on several Apple-focused devices, including Mac, iPhone, iPad, and the web.

It offers a solid combination of personal knowledge management (PKM) and note-taking features, making it an attractive option for users seeking this blend.

Reasons to consider

Here's some of the many reasons to consider NotePlan:

Better for Markdown

• One of NotePlan’s standout features is its support for Markdown in tasks and notes. This allows users to create structured, exportable content that can easily be transferred to another Markdown-based application.

• This feature mainly benefits those transitioning from Evernote, where exporting and structuring pages can be challenging. Markdown in NotePlan is user-friendly and enables seamless formatting and linking of notes and tasks without leaving the keyboard.

A bullet journal feel

• Unlike Evernote, NotePlan markets itself as a digital bullet journal. Its mobile apps, especially the iOS version, excel at daily note-taking. Users can also create weekly, monthly, and yearly notes, making setting goals easy and breaking them into manageable daily tasks.

• Combined with a task filter, this unique functionality enhances task management—something not commonly found in other note-taking applications. The application can resemble a traditional bullet journal, following the technique developed by Ryder Carroll in the book “Bullet Journal.”

Good for time blocking

• NotePlan’s calendar capabilities also support time blocking. This allows users to drag tasks into specific time slots and set reminders, all while integrating with Apple Calendar. This helps users refine their focus for the day and manage their schedule.

• However, unlike Evernote, NotePlan does not integrate with Google Calendar, though it does connect with the native iOS and Mac calendars, enabling users to view upcoming meetings and tasks in one place. The calendar isn’t the most visually appealing, but it effectively shows what’s planned and completed for the day, including a helpful seven-day view.

Better local-first offering

• Another key feature of NotePlan is its “local-first” approach, meaning all data is stored on the device. This is a big draw for users who prefer not to sync their data with third-party applications.

• NotePlan also offers CloudKit Sync, which uses iCloud Sync across devices, allowing for secure collaboration without compromising privacy. Despite its offline-first approach, users can still sync their local Markdown files when needed.

5. Reflect Notes

Best for Security & PKM

Reflect Notes is a modern application that combines a personal knowledge management (PKM) app with a traditional note-taking tool. It boasts a distinctive, impressive design that many users find appealing.

Positioned as a premium option, Reflect Notes is priced similarly to Evernote, but slightly cheaper. If you’re searching for a high-end alternative to Evernote, Reflect Notes is worth considering, though it comes with its own set of features that set it apart—some of which might not appeal to everyone.

Reasons to consider

Here's some of the many reasons to consider Reflect:

More security focus

• One of Reflect Notes’ standout features is its focus on security. Each note is end-to-end encrypted, ensuring your data remains secure while using the app. This strong emphasis on encryption is central to Reflect Notes’ marketing and provides peace of mind for users concerned about privacy.

• This level of security is present in apps like Obsidian Sync but still lacking in Evernote, making Reflect Notes an attractive option for users who prioritize data security in their note-taking.

Great for Kindle & Readwise use

• Reflect Notes also appeals to those who frequently capture content from other services. It includes a Kindle Highlight Sync feature, allowing users to sync their Kindle highlights securely into Reflect Notes. This is particularly useful for expanding on ideas captured while reading.

• The app offers offline sync, a web clipper for Chrome and Safari, and the ability to save reading highlights from services like Readwise.

• These features make Reflect Notes a strong contender for avid readers and note-takers who want seamless integration with their reading tools—something that Evernote requires additional integrations to achieve.

Better AI features

• Reflect Notes also aggressively uses artificial intelligence. The app offers features like human-level accuracy in transcribing voice notes, generating key takeaways and action items from meeting notes, and creating article outlines from content imported via Readwise.

• Meeting notes can be synced with events from Outlook or Google Calendar, making managing and reviewing meeting-related content easier.

• The ability to save custom prompts adds further versatility, positioning Reflect Notes ahead of Evernote in the AI space despite Evernote’s association with Bending Spoons, a leading AI development company. While Evernote may eventually catch up, Reflect Notes holds a strong lead in this area.

Useful Graph views

• Finally, Reflect Notes includes a graph view, a tool popular in the PKM space. This feature allows users to visualize their ideas in a brain-like structure, making it easier to see connections between notes. Reflect Notes’ implementation of this graph is user-friendly and more accessible than similar views in other applications.

• It adds to its appeal for users who prefer a more intuitive way to organize and connect their ideas.

6. Capacities

Best for Object Based Note-Taking

Capacities is an intriguing alternative to Evernote, blending elements of both Evernote and Notion.

It features a design reminiscent of Notion but with a playful touch that’s popular in apps like Evernote. Although Capacities doesn’t have dedicated task management or calendar integration, it offers powerful note-taking capabilities that set it apart.

Reasons to consider

Here's some of the many reasons to consider Capacities:

Better organization structure

• The organizational structure in Capacities differs significantly from Evernote. In Evernote, everything you create is a note organized into notebooks and folders.

• However, in Capacities, everything is structured around “objects.” An object acts as a template for your notes, allowing you to categorize your content based on what it represents. For instance, an object could be a meeting, a person, or even a book.

• This is a helpful system that Evernote does not offer.

Great for AI chat features

• Capacities are also expanding their functionality with artificial intelligence (AI).

• While some AI features are limited to premium users, the app offers AI chat functions that enable you to expand on the objects or notes you’ve created. This generative AI leverages the context of your notes and objects to help you develop ideas further—something currently unavailable in Evernote.

• Each AI chat is saved as a separate element, allowing you to revisit and reference these discussions in the future. This combination of AI and object-based organization makes Capacities particularly innovative.

More visually attractive to use

• Visually, Capacities is minimalistic but strongly emphasizes images. The app includes features like queries and collections, which help group related ideas.

• One of the standout features is the Calendar view, where you can see your day, three-day, week, and month views. This calendar displays all your daily notes and any content you’ve created for a specific day, making it ideal for those who want to build a journal or keep track of daily tasks.

• Although the task management capabilities are basic, they add a useful layer of functionality that many users appreciate.

7. mymind

Best for Visual Bookmarks

mymind is a compelling alternative to Evernote, especially if you’re a visual thinker. It functions as a visual note-taking application, allowing you to capture images, videos, and files all in one place, making it easier to search and find them later.

While it offers some traditional note management features, mymind emphasizes finding notes through AI and unique methodologies.

Removes folders structure

• One of the critical reasons mymind might be better than Evernote is its folder-free approach. The concept behind mymind is to help you find your notes without needing folders by using AI for image tagging, text clipping, and image text recognition.

• The advanced search capabilities let you efficiently search across all your notes, ensuring you capture everything perfectly. Additionally, mymind is designed with privacy in mind, meaning it doesn’t track your activity or display ads across any AI-generated content.

Visual thinkers & bookmarking

• mymind allows you to create clean-looking notes effortlessly within your mymind account. It’s also popular for bookmarking, making it ideal for visual thinkers who frequently save ideas, whether outfits, home designs, or other inspirations.

• Unlike Evernote, mymind excels at bringing all your ideas together and automatically tagging them to save time when searching later.

Privacy focused company

• For those who like to save text clippings from articles, mymind offers a browser extension. The premium version also includes an article analyzer highlighting key points and providing a smooth reading experience.

• mymind’s focus on security sets it apart from other apps, as it doesn’t include social features, vanity metrics, tracking, collaboration, or ads. Instead, it’s designed to be your mind, helping you capture bookmarks and ideas with minimal distraction.

• In many ways, mymind is like Pinterest but in note-taking form, offering a frictionless experience for organizing your ideas. Privacy is a priority, evident in every message the company communicates. Like a manifesto, they fight for.

8. Bear Notes

Best for Basic Use

Bear Notes is a lovely alternative to Evernote, particularly if you want something more straightforward and cost-effective. This application is much cheaper than many other options on the market and offers a solid experience for Apple devices.

It’s important to note that Bear Notes is primarily focused on Apple users, but it serves as a great markdown-native alternative to Evernote. Let’s explore some reasons why you should consider it.

Much cheaper pricing

• As mentioned, Bear Notes is a much cheaper alternative to Evernote.

• While pricing details will be listed below, it’s worth noting that Evernote can be three to four times more expensive per month compared to Bear Notes.

Markdown, a native macOS app

• Although Bear Notes is simpler and lacks features like task and calendar management, which are available in Evernote, it offers high-quality, well-built note-taking systems. The app includes an excellent markdown editor, wholly rebuilt in Bear Notes 2, which is functional, fast, and easy to use.

• Focusing on the native application, Bear Notes has robust and reliable macOS and iOS apps that also use markdown. You’ll notice the speed and functionality of these apps on Apple devices.

• While Evernote has improved its reliability, Bear Notes still stands out for its speed and ease of use on Apple platforms. Despite being limited to iOS and macOS systems, Bear Notes offers features like iCloud sync and local access to notes, making these functionalities very helpful.

• One thing to note is that iCloud sync is only available with Bear Notes Pro, the app's premium version. This means, similar to Obsidian, that you can only access Bear Notes on one device in the free version. However, Bear Notes excels in attention to detail. The app is very well built and offers a variety of export options, making it easy to switch to another app if Bear Notes doesn’t suit your needs.

More themes & customization

• Finally, Bear Notes Pro offers 28 themes and 15 app icons, with the number of options growing. While the free account still includes a generous selection of themes, the customization options in the Pro account are especially appealing for those who want something simple, easy to use, and a bit more personalized.

9. Amplenote

Best for Planner Abilities

Amplenote is a compelling alternative to Evernote if you’re looking for something GTD (Getting Things Done)-focused.

While Amplenote may not be the most visually appealing option compared to others on this list—much like Noteplan, it doesn’t boast a highly polished design—it does offer the functionality and form needed to replicate many of Evernote’s features.

Like NotePlan, it combines notes, tasks, and calendar functions in one cohesive experience. The application is easy to use and comes with a range of features. For example, connecting with Google Calendar and Outlook is straightforward, like in Evernote. Let’s explore some reasons why you might consider Amplenote.

Much more cost-effective

• Amplenote is significantly more cost-effective.

• The personal plan is about three times cheaper than Evernote, and while there is an unlimited version with additional features, it isn’t necessarily essential.

• The app offers many features that Evernote provides, so if budget is a concern, Amplenote’s blend of functionality at a lower cost is worth considering.

More task focus & filtering

• One of Amplenote’s standout features is its task management system. A key feature here is “Task Score,” which integrates with the calendar and allows you to add tasks as usual. However, the prioritization function is what sets it apart.

• When you add a task, Amplenote asks you to input various attributes or properties, which it then uses to generate a “Task Score”—a small algorithm that helps determine the task’s importance. Evernote lacks a similar feature.

• While Evernote allows you to add and organize tasks, Amplenote’s task filtering and prioritization capabilities make it particularly useful for those who struggle with prioritization and want their note-taking app to double as a task management system.

More embedded calendar

• The calendar feature within Amplenote is also easy to use, connecting seamlessly with Google Calendar and Outlook. It’s simple but effective, allowing you to manage work and personal calendars and time-block tasks. A great feature is dragging tasks into your calendar, enabling you to time block effectively.

• This feature has been available for some time and is a valuable tool for managing your time efficiently. It connects relevant notes to calendar and task items.

• This integration allows you to base your scheduling on your Task Score, most recent tasks, or whichever tasks are most important.

10. Anytype

Best for Objects

Anytype is an Evernote alternative on the list, but it should not be regarded as the least option. In fact, Anytype is an interesting choice for replacing Evernote, particularly if you’re looking for a PKM focused application.

Similar to Obsidian, Reflect Notes, and other tools on this list, Anytype emphasizes object-based note management, allowing you to organize your account structure more effectively. Much like Capacities, it seeks to transform your ideas into objects, building upon them from there.

Local-first & open code

• A key aspect of Anytype is its strong ethos, evident throughout the application. First and foremost, it’s a local-first app, meaning your data is stored on your device. The company also emphasizes open code and peer-to-peer networking, enhancing security and note-taking. This ethos is deeply embedded in their branding and website.

• Anytype is an open-source, markdown-based application that positions itself as an “everything” app. It helps you organize your notes into various elements.

• It even includes project management features like databases, allowing you to consolidate whatever you need based on your ideas. As an Evernote alternative, it handles tasks and notes well but lacks structured calendar features. For example, you can’t connect to Google Calendar or Outlook as you can in Evernote. However, you can visualize databases as a calendar, which requires creating your own setup.

More structured organization

• If you’re interested in object-based note-taking, Anytype is similar to Capacities but differs significantly from Evernote.

• Evernote relies on a traditional structure of notebooks, which is helpful for systems like Second Brain. However, if you’re seeking something unique, object-based note-taking might be a better fit. Anytype offers robust organization and, unlike Capacities, includes a task management system, allowing you to create tasks as part of an object—a feature Capacities has yet to implement.

More community-driven

• Switching to Anytype from Evernote might be a significant change, but it’s worth exploring if you’re open to new options.

• They have a highly community-driven, with a supportive community and plenty of resources to help you get started. The application is user-friendly, with helpful tutorials available online, and there’s always someone to assist you with organizing your structures.

• While some features, like sets and collections, may need improvement, these aspects are less critical for former Evernote users.

Very cost-effective

• Anytype is also cost-effective, offering a generous free plan that provides one gigabyte of storage at the time of writing. Even the premium pricing is worth considering, as it’s significantly cheaper per year than Evernote’s options.

• If you’re looking to go beyond note-taking and manage your planning within the app, Anytype also offers these capabilities. With its strong focus on being local-first, open code, and open-source, Anytype prioritizes security, making it a solid choice for those seeking a secure and comprehensive Evernote alternative.

What are the best Evernote alternatives?

Time to find which one is best suited for you and which one to replace Evernote with. The best way to do that is look at the use cases that you might use this new note-taking tool for:

Best for Reliability

• All of these Evernote alternatives are known for being good quality tools, hence our selection.

• OneNote is one of the tools that Microsoft develop and known for stability, so this might be one of the best choices for everyday use and one that you know would work well offline and online.

Best for Like for Like

• Those who want something close to Evernote, without the huge costs.

• Your best recommendations would be OneNote and Amplenote, good for all-round use.

• Amplenote is one of the better like for like alternatives to Evernote and one that we'd recommend in a lot of use cases. It has planner, to-do's and note-taking all in one and comes at much less cost than running Evernote monthly.

Best for Visual Note-Taking

• Evernote allows you to do some great things, but for many people visual note-taking - whether that be sketches, or a canvas to organize ideas is something that helps even more.

• We'd recommend a few alternatives to Evernote, like Obsidian or Scrintal that might be more suited. Obsidian is a more all-round Evernote alternative with canvas mode for visual note-taking, but Scrintal is another that focuses all-in on visual note-taking, with a canvas mode, perfect for researchers.

Best for Student Productivity

• Students want low-cost, helpful note-taking tools.

• Maybe Evernote might not be affordable anymore, or lack the abilities for note-taking that you need. We'd likely recommend low-cost, student-focused note-takers. These can be ones that include a way to connect notes, visualize your notes and, or, use flashcards too to help organize.

• We'd recommend RemNote, Notion or Bear Notes. These note-takers have unique selling points, but the best all-round alternative to Evernote is RemNote, probably better suited to a longer term student (eg. 3 plus years).

Best for Markdown

• Markdown has become a popular way of note-taking in the last few years. Our recommendations for a markdown editor alternative to Evernote would be NotePlan or Bear Notes. Both do a super job for markdown.

• NotePlan is the most extensive note-taker for markdown with markdown task management embedded in notes, but only works with iOS, web or macOS systems. For more markdown editors across all devices, do explore our list.

Best Free Alternative

• Maybe the boost in pricing was a big turnoff, or you want to go free. If price is your worry, we'd recommend the following tools. Have a look at Obsidian or Notion, both are free and allow unlimited note-taking.

• The biggest limits in Obsidian is the device limits, you need either iCloud Sync or the $4 per month sync to get access on all your devices, but with Notion, there's no limits either way on any devices.

Why people are moving from Evernote?

Why is everyone speaking about leaving or moving to an Evernote alternative?

Well, Bending Spoons, the new owners of Evernote, have just laid off 98 staff from the Evernote company. This isn't the first layoffs since the announcement that Bending Spoons has acquired Evernote in January 2023, early in 2023 they laid of 120+ employees.

Many are concerned that the round of layoffs at Evernote has seen all the remaining team disappear, and ownership has been fully transferred to the Bending Spoons development company, Making Evernote fully European in base.

A few weeks earlier, Bending Spoons also announced changes to subscriptions - almost increasing 50% total price rise now sat at $14.99 and $17.99 for Evernote Professional. For many Evernote users a shock and in a cost of living crisis globally, something that many cannot afford coming from the former Evernote pricing starting from $7.99 per month.

Of course, Evernote continues to have a free platform.

All this information is important to note before we begin. This gives you context for why Evernote is being talked about on Twitter and all places on the web as a jump-ship scenario and will help you understand the context for your decision-making process as we move on.