Why you might move or be looking away from Mem?
Mem had a super start in the AI note-taking market, bursting onto the scene as one of the hot new apps. People loved the AI chat features and that first-to-market energy. But honestly? The landscape has changed. Hundreds of tools have popped up since then, all trying to help you solve note-taking together with AI.
The market is brutal now, way more competitive than it was even 18 months ago. That means more options and tools that can match (or beat) what Mem offered. Thing is, many users have been stuck waiting for updates that never came.
Here's why people are actively hunting for Mem replacements: First, the development pace. Mem hasn't shipped many features or meaningful updates in the last couple years, which is kind of a red flag in this fast-moving space. Second, AI customization is limited. You're locked into their AI provider, and for folks who want to use Claude or swap between models, that's frustrating. Third, core note-taking abilities feel thin. Mem was built around AI chat, but compared to tools like Tana or Capacities, the actual note organization and linking features feel pretty basic.
Let's dig into the better Mem alternatives on the market right now. The goal here is finding something similar that fixes these gaps while keeping what made Mem attractive in the first place.
How We Selected These Alternatives
We didn't just throw together a random list of note apps and call it a day. Each tool here was tested for at least two weeks of daily use, focusing on the features Mem users care about: AI integration, note capture speed, cross-linking abilities, and mobile experience.
Here's what mattered in our selection: AI chat capabilities that actually work with your notes as context (not just a generic chatbot bolted on), fast note capture because if it's slow to jot things down, you won't use it, bi-directional linking or similar organizational features to connect your thinking, cross-platform support since you're probably switching between devices, and active development because nobody wants to jump from one stagnant app to another.
We also looked hard at pricing. Mem was $8.33/month on the annual plan. Some alternatives are cheaper, some more expensive. We'll break down whether the price difference is worth it for what you get.
One more thing: we focused on tools that share Mem's philosophy of AI-native note-taking. You won't find Notion or Obsidian here, those are different beasts solving different problems. These are purpose-built for thinking with AI, not just storing information.
Kortex
Best for Second Brain: Kortex
Looking for something like Mem but with way more AI flexibility? Kortex has been gaining serious traction with second brain enthusiasts. Compared to Mem, they're cut from the same cloth: both let you chat with an AI model using your past notes as context.
But here's where Kortex pulls ahead. You can actually choose your AI model. Want to use Gemini? Go for it. Prefer Llama for local processing? That works too. This is huge if you were frustrated by Mem locking you into their AI provider with no way to switch.
Kortex lets you build connected notes using bi-directional links, the bread and butter of building your own personal knowledge garden. It feels more focused on deep thinking and idea development than Mem ever was. Where Mem felt like a chat interface with some notes attached, Kortex feels like a proper note-taking system with powerful AI bolted on.
The standout feature is Components. Think of them as templates you can reuse across your notes. Writing a book review? Create a component with fields for author, key takeaways, and quotes. Meeting notes? Build a component with attendees, action items, and decisions. This structure helps you develop actual systems around your thinking, not just dump everything into an unorganized pile.
Best for
Content creators using AI in their writing workflow. People building a Second Brain who need structured templates. Desktop-heavy users who do most thinking at their computer. Anyone frustrated by Mem's lack of customization.
Not ideal if
You capture most notes on your phone since there's no mobile app yet. You want something ready to use on all devices right now. The component system feels like overkill for simple note-taking. You need offline capabilities without internet.
Real-world example
A newsletter writer uses Kortex to manage content ideas. Each idea is a note with a custom component: headline, target audience, key points, and draft status. They chat with Claude to expand rough ideas into full outlines. When stuck on phrasing, they ask Gemini for alternatives. Everything lives in one system, and bi-directional links connect related topics across different newsletter issues.
Team fit
Built for solo knowledge workers and content creators (1-5 people max). Not designed for team collaboration. Works best for individuals who think deeply and create content regularly. Less suited for teams needing shared workspaces.
Onboarding reality
Easy. Most people are productive within a day. The component system takes a weekend to fully grasp, but you can start with simple notes immediately. Way easier than Tana or Capacities.
Pricing friction
Still in beta with evolving pricing. Early adopters got better deals. Expect a subscription model when it launches officially. The AI model flexibility means you might pay separately for API access to Claude or other models.
Integrations that matter
Multiple AI models (Gemini, Claude, Llama). Markdown export for portability. Desktop-only limits integration options compared to web-based tools. Dan Koe (one of the Kortex team) regularly shares his setup and how he uses it to crank out content with AI.
Evernote
Best for Cross Platform: Evernote
Yeah, Evernote. The OG note-taking app that everyone used before Notion existed. You might be thinking it's outdated, but hold up. Evernote has been aggressively adding AI features and honestly, it's becoming a solid Mem alternative if you want something more stable and established.
Evernote now does tasks, calendar integration, and a growing suite of AI tools. They're positioning themselves as the reliable foundation for AI-powered note-taking. You get AI grammar cleanup, AI transcription for voice notes, and they're actively testing AI chat features (though not fully rolled out as of 2026).
What's nice here is you're betting on a company that's clearly committed to development. They shipped a ton of updates in the past year, which is the opposite of Mem's radio silence. The $10.99/month price tag is higher than Mem was, but you're getting a much more complete package: note-taking, calendar, tasks, all in one place.
The cross-platform story is unbeatable. iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, web, you name it. If you were frustrated by having to pick and choose which devices you could use with other tools, Evernote just works everywhere. They've been doing this for 15+ years, so the sync is rock solid.
Best for
People who need rock-solid cross-platform sync across every device. Teams managing both individual and shared notes. Users who want tasks, calendar, and notes in one stable app. Anyone prioritizing reliability over cutting-edge AI features.
Not ideal if
You loved Mem's AI chat and want that exact experience. Budget is tight since the free plan is basically unusable (50 notes max). You need AI deeply integrated, not just helper features. You prefer minimalist apps over feature-complete suites.
Real-world example
A consultant uses Evernote to manage client projects. Each client gets a notebook. Meeting notes automatically pull in calendar events. After meetings, they use AI transcription to convert voice memos into searchable text. Tasks get extracted from notes and show up in the task view with due dates. When switching between their iPad, phone, and laptop throughout the day, everything syncs instantly without conflicts.
Team fit
Works for individuals and teams (1-100+ people). Popular with consultants, researchers, and business users. Enterprise features support larger organizations. Less appealing to startups wanting the latest AI-native tools.
Onboarding reality
Easy. Traditional note-taking structure means zero learning curve. Most people are productive immediately. The AI features are optional enhancements, not core to the experience.
Pricing friction
Free plan is a joke (50 notes and 1 notebook fills up in a week). Personal at $10.99/month is the real starting point. Professional at $14.17/month adds AI features and better collaboration. The pricing feels high compared to newer tools, but you're paying for stability and platform coverage.
Integrations that matter
Google Calendar and Outlook (event integration), Slack (note sharing), web clipper for saving articles, AI transcription for voice notes. The integrations are solid but not groundbreaking. Evernote focuses on being the hub, not connecting to everything.
Tana
Best for AI Workspaces: Tana
Tana is the AI note-taking app that productivity nerds won't shut up about. Millions are checking it out, and for good reason. It lets you capture notes lightning-fast, turn them into AI summaries, use voice capture, and even works as an AI meeting assistant that automatically grabs the important stuff from your calls.
Tana's journey has been wild. It started as this super niche tool for power users and has evolved into something that bridges the gap between hardcore PKM (personal knowledge management) systems and approachable note apps. That balance is tough to nail, but Tana's getting there.
Compared to Mem, Tana feels similar but more focused on the capture workflow. You know that thing where you're in a meeting and ideas are flying and you just need to get everything down? Tana excels at that. The structure and visual organization runs deeper than Mem ever did. Notes connect in more meaningful ways, and the AI feels baked into the workflow rather than tacked on.
Best for
People who live in meetings and need fast capture. Power users who want structured workflows and supertags. Anyone upgrading from basic note apps who's ready for more complexity. Teams needing AI meeting transcription built into their note system.
Not ideal if
You want conversational AI chat with your notes (Tana doesn't have this). Learning curves frustrate you since this takes 2+ weeks to master. You prefer simple, minimal interfaces over feature-rich tools. You loved Mem specifically for asking questions about your knowledge base.
Real-world example
A product manager uses Tana for all meeting notes. Tana joins their Zoom calls, transcribes everything, and auto-tags action items with supertags. After the meeting, they review the transcript, tag decisions with a custom supertag, and those automatically populate a "Decisions" view. Voice capture on commutes turns rough ideas into searchable notes that link to relevant projects. Everything connects through tags, no manual organization needed.
Team fit
Best for small teams and power users (1-20 people). Works for individuals willing to invest in learning. Less suited for teams wanting plug-and-play simplicity. Popular with consultants, researchers, and knowledge workers.
Onboarding reality
Heavy. Expect 2-3 weeks before things click. The supertag system is powerful but confusing at first. YouTube tutorials help. Some people bounce off immediately, others become obsessed once they get it.
Pricing friction
Free tier exists but limits AI features and storage. Pro starts around $10/month. The value is there for power users, but casual note-takers will feel the pricing is steep for what they actually use.
Integrations that matter
Zoom/Google Meet (AI meeting transcription), voice capture, Markdown export. Check out alternatives like Granola if AI meeting features are your primary need. Tana is actively shipping features and listening to users, which keeps the tool evolving.
Capacities
Best for AI Chats: Capacities
Want to actually chat with your notes? Capacities nails the AI chat feature that made Mem popular. It's newer on the scene but the AI chat implementation is rock solid. Unlike Mem, though, Capacities uses an object-based structure. Think templates for different types of notes.
Here's what that means in practice. Say you're taking notes about a person. Capacities gives you a People template with fields for contact info, relationship, last interaction, whatever you want. Meeting notes get a Meeting template with date, attendees, and decisions. Book notes get author, key quotes, rating. Each note type has its own structure instead of everything being a freeform blob.
If you felt Mem was too unstructured and your notes turned into a chaotic mess, Capacities fixes that. The organization happens automatically based on what type of note you're creating. No more manually tagging and hoping you remember where you put that brilliant idea from three months ago.
The AI chat works like Mem's did. You can chat with individual notes or across your entire knowledge base, and it uses your past notes as context. The cool part is you can save these AI chats for later reference. Had a great conversation with your AI about a project? Save it, come back to it, continue the thread.
Best for
Advanced note-takers who want structure without rigid hierarchies. People who loved Mem's AI chat but hated the chaotic organization. Users who take notes about specific types of things (people, projects, books, ideas). Anyone building a structured knowledge base with templates.
Not ideal if
You're not comfortable setting up an OpenAI API key when you hit AI limits. Object-based thinking feels too structured for freeform notes. You're a total beginner to note-taking apps. You want unlimited AI without worrying about usage bars.
Real-world example
A freelance designer uses Capacities to manage client projects. Each client is a Person object with contact details and project history. Each project is a Project object linked to that person, with timelines and deliverables. They chat with the AI asking "what projects are overdue?" and it pulls from their knowledge base. When brainstorming, they save AI chat threads as references for future conversations, building on previous ideas without starting from scratch.
Team fit
Built for individuals and small teams (1-10 people). Works best for solo knowledge workers who need structure. Not designed for large team collaboration. Popular with consultants, researchers, and writers.
Onboarding reality
Moderate. Object-based thinking takes a weekend to understand. Once you create your first few objects and see how they connect, it clicks. Expect 1-2 weeks before you're fully comfortable.
Pricing friction
Free plan is functional but limited. Pro at $8/month unlocks AI features but with usage limits. When you hit the AI limit, you need to add your own OpenAI API key, which is confusing for non-technical users and adds hidden costs.
Integrations that matter
OpenAI API (for extended AI usage), Markdown export for portability. The object structure is the main feature, not integrations. If you need deep integrations with other tools, look elsewhere.
Which Tool to Choose?
What is the best Mem alternative overall?
Okay, bottom line time. You need to pick one and move on with your life. Here's how we'd break it down based on what you actually need.
If you want the closest thing to Mem's AI chat: Capacities wins. The AI chat implementation is the most similar to what Mem offered. You can chat with your notes, get contextual responses based on your knowledge base, and save conversations for later. The object-based organization actually makes it better than Mem in some ways, though you do have to wrap your head around templates.
If you need mobile apps that actually work: Go with Tana or Evernote. Both have solid iPhone and Android apps. Tana's voice capture is clutch if you're the type who has ideas while walking the dog or commuting. Evernote is more traditional but the sync is bulletproof across every device you own.
If you're a content creator working on desktop: Kortex is the move. The Components system is perfect for building repeatable workflows, and being able to choose your AI model (Gemini, Llama, whatever) gives you flexibility Mem never had. Just know you're stuck on desktop until they ship mobile apps.
If you want something that just works without a learning curve: Honestly, Evernote. Yeah, it's not as flashy as the newer AI-native tools, but it's stable, cross-platform, and actively being developed. The AI features are coming along, and you won't spend two weeks figuring out how the app works.
If you miss Mem's automatic organization: Tana captures that vibe the best. The auto-tagging and workflow-based organization scratches the same itch Mem did. You dump your thoughts in, and the app helps you make sense of them without manual filing.
The wild card: If you're technical and comfortable with APIs, Capacities or Kortex give you the most power. You can plug in your own AI models, customize the hell out of everything, and really make the tool yours. If you just want to take notes and not become a productivity system engineer, stick with Evernote or Tana.
Real talk: There's no perfect Mem replacement because Mem was unique in how it balanced simplicity with AI power. These alternatives either go deeper (Tana, Capacities) or broader (Evernote) or more customizable (Kortex). Pick based on which compromise matters least to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
We get asked about Mem alternatives constantly. Here are the most common questions:
Is there a free Mem alternative? Evernote and Tana both have free tiers, though they're limited. Evernote caps you at 50 notes and 1 notebook on the free plan, which fills up fast. Tana's free plan is more generous but you'll hit AI usage limits. Capacities has a free plan too, but the AI features are pretty restricted. Honestly, if you were paying for Mem, expect to pay for these too if you want the full experience.
Can I import my Mem notes into these tools? Export options vary. Most of these tools can import markdown files, so if you can get your Mem notes out as markdown, you should be okay. Capacities and Tana both handle markdown imports decently. Evernote can be finicky with imports. Just know you'll lose some formatting and probably need to reorganize things manually.
Which Mem alternative has the best AI chat? Capacities and Kortex are the strongest here. Capacities feels most similar to Mem's implementation, where you can chat with individual notes or your whole knowledge base. Kortex gives you more control over which AI model you use. Tana weirdly doesn't have conversational AI chat, which might surprise you.
Do any of these work offline like Mem did? Sort of. Most of these are cloud-first, meaning you need internet for the AI features to work. Evernote has the best offline support for reading and editing notes, but you won't get AI functionality without a connection. The trade-off for better AI is usually worse offline performance.
What's the learning curve compared to Mem? Mem was pretty simple, so anything feels more complex. Evernote is probably easiest to pick up, it's just a traditional notes app. Capacities and Kortex have moderate learning curves (maybe a week to feel comfortable). Tana has the steepest curve, expect two weeks minimum before it clicks. Choose based on how much time you want to invest in learning.
Which works best on iPhone? Tana and Evernote both have solid iOS apps. Capacities' mobile app exists but feels like an afterthought compared to the desktop version. Kortex doesn't have mobile apps at all yet. If you're an iPhone-first user, Tana or Evernote are your best bets.
