3 Best Student Note-Taking Apps: For Better Class Notes

Why Take Notes in Class?

Note-taking is one of the best practices that students simply enough students don’t get into when joining college or university.

Note-taking is a practice that in itself will save time when it comes to referencing information but help build a successful habit that in the long-term can lead into more job opportunities and impress future bosses.

Here's our biggest recommendations:

3 Best Note-Taking Apps for Students

Microsoft OneNote

Note-taking and organising app perfect for students, academics and general notes.

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Best For

Beginner Note-Taking

Availability

Web

iOS

Android

Windows

Mac

Pricing

$

Type of Tool

Note-Taking AppsAI Tools

Evernote

A general all-around note-taking app, including light tasks and calendar abilities.

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Best For

Traditional Note-Taking

Availability

Web

iOS

Android

Windows

Linux

Mac

Chrome Extension

Pricing

$

$

$

Type of Tool

To-Do List AppsNote-Taking AppsAI Tools

GoodNotes

A fantastic, pencil based note-taking application with handwriting abilities.

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Best For

Handwritten Note-Taking

Availability

iOS

Windows

Mac

Android

Pricing

$

Type of Tool

Note-Taking Apps

The Best Types of Note-Taking Apps

There are so many different types of note-taking apps for students. Some more specialist tools like RemNote and Obsidian — but for this article, we’re going to help you find the best all-round note-taking tools, we believe those do the following to help you and your brain navigate classes, your thoughts and everything in the way:

• Structured folder system
• Easy-to-use capture for documents and ideas
• Clear ways to edit and annotate for the future

Evernote and OneNote - Our Top Picks

Both of these are the best all-round note-taking applications.

Evernote and Microsoft OneNote are the OGs of the notes space but offer a wide variety of features.They both have good abilities with folder structure and collecting things on the go. Evernote with one of the best in-class OCT scanning for documents that might end on your lap in class.

Whilst OneNote offers a great connection to the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, which you may likely use post-college, or university. This is not something you should ignore as it will save you a lot of money as a student when seeking a note-taking app.

Got a New iPad for University/College?

Well, GoodNotes comes as one of the best recommendations, alongside Notability too, for managing your notes and visually creating them on the go.

Capturing notes can be easy and one of the fan favourite features of GoodNotes allow you to take a PPT from Microsoft and bring them into editing mode - perfect for capturing all the key points from a lecture or class that is Powerpoint led.

GoodNotes also comes with a whole host of features and tools for the iPad pencil. One of our most trusted channels for exploring tools in iPad student realm, Paperless X, explores this well in their video of how to use GoodNotes.

Which Notes App Is For Student Productivity?

We recommend Evernote or Microsoft OneNote for all-round use, those who just want a solid note-taking application that presents a wide variety of features, whilst GoodNotes is much better for those who have an iPad, take lots of visual notes and like to express themselves in that way.

Don’t get us wrong, OneNote and Evernote also have features that allow you to annotate images and sketch, but no where near the level that GoodNotes offer.

Recommend too is exploring both of these tools inside Tool Finder here.