12 Best PKM Apps in 2025
05 May 2025
Personal knowledge management apps are note-taking apps on steroids. They increase the way you can link notes together using networked thought, create backlinks and commonly have a graph view. Let's unpack the best ones for PKM in 2024.
PKM apps are basically posh versions of note-taking apps.
They have become trendy recently and stand for personal knowledge management apps. Many people have turned to this as a way to handle the following things better:
- Connect and build relationships between notes
- Visualize your notes in a graph-like structure
- Go deeper with the research collection and recall of notes
PKM apps have become a better way to extract more from your note-taking by allowing you to connect notes using backlinks, create graphs of how notes are connected, and resurface notes for later adoption in practices like Second Brain.
Our video review
What is a PKM app?
PKM apps are like advanced note-taking apps that connect notes.
This is called networked thought in the PKM world and helps to connect notes and build a graph view for exploring note relationships. PKM apps can help improve your knowledge management process.
PKM stands for Personal Knowledge Management and is a note-taking style. It is an advanced knowledge management system that many people look to as a way to organize and structure their notes better and use them more effectively in the future.
Best PKM Apps for Note-Taking
Here are all of the best recommendations for PKM apps for 2025:
1. Obsidian
Obsidian is a note-taking application that focuses on helping you connect notes using backlinks, graph view, and networked thought. It comes with plenty of features for PKM, like graph view that you can search within using Obsidian's chosen node-based search, powerful backlink, and block referencing abilities that allow you to reference blocks across your account within notes that exist, and a canvas mode that has been added to help you bring ideas in your Obsidian account onto a canvas view to help you reorganize them, Obsidian might not be for everyone, so there are a wide variety of alternatives to Obsidian, many on this list.
Obsidian is the best free PKM solution on the market. If you're on one device, Obsidian is free forever, meaning you can use it and store those PKM notes on your device without worrying about upgrading.
There is a $4 monthly upgrade to link with the cloud and store your notes on one account across devices. If you're budget-conscious, focus on the desktop, and want your notes stored on a device, Obsidian is a healthy choice. With a good free plan and packed with features for PKM, Obsidian is the best PKM app overall.
Pros:
- Comes with PKM abilities
- Powerful graph view for networked notes
- Obsidian adds new features fairly regularly
- You can switch on and off features
- Free & easy access
Cons:
- Lacks project management
- Does not have database abilities
Pricing:
Obsidian is free to use with no limits; there is a $4 per month pricing for E2E notes & sync.
Free Buyer's Guide to Note-Taking Apps
Get the free PDF and report on how to pick the best note-taking apps for 2025 and beyond. Unlock insights from note-taking tool expert Francesco D'Alessio with over 10+ years of insight into one PDF.
Download Free PDF2. Tana
Tana is one of the more advanced PKM tools and has many powers. Tana is a note-taking app focused on system-based organization. It comes with powerful features like supertags, AI abilities & a growing community of users.
Features like graph view, superstars, and AI abilities help you better organize PKM notes in one place. Supertags are a unique system in Tana that allows you to apply the power of templates to each of the notes you take. They allow you to add critical metadata to notes that you can reuse, which makes things easier with search.
Many people already use the concept of supertags in apps like Capacities; they are object-like tags that help you reuse certain types of notes for powerful resurfacing.
Tana Pros:
- Powerful abilities
- Suitable for individuals & teams
- Designed for PKM
Tana Cons:
- Could be difficult to learn
Tana Pricing:
- Tana is free, pricing starts from $8 per month, per user.
3. Logseq
Logseq is a popular PKM tool as it offers great free access & powerful features. Logseq is a note-taking app focused on connecting notes. It has features like whiteboards, flashcards, and powerful networked thought abilities.
It allows you to take notes, connect them up, and see them within a graph view. People also like that Logseq also has a powerful way to see your notes as flashcards, perfect for students and researchers. Features like whiteboards allow users to bring ideas together in one and daily notes allow users to journal within the app to express ideas.
If you're hunting for a similar tool to Obsidian, whiteboards as part of the experience, and a powerful way to connect up notes, then this is an interesting option. Logseq also has flashcards, which don't work as well as RemNote, but it does offer an additional thing that Obsidian does not have natively.
Pros:
- Powerful PKM application
- Comes with whiteboards for visual thinkers
- Perfect for students making flashcards
- Well-built too that works offline
Cons:
- Can be difficult to learn and implement
Pricing:
Logseq is free to use with no announced pricing.
Free Buyer's Guide to Note-Taking Apps
Get the free PDF and report on how to pick the best note-taking apps for 2025 and beyond. Unlock insights from note-taking tool expert Francesco D'Alessio with over 10+ years of insight into one PDF.
Download Free PDF4. Reflect Notes
Reflect Notes is a note-taking app that handles notes and tasks and organizes your upcoming meetings from Google Calendar as notes for agendas and more. It is also focused on secure note-taking with E2E encryption.
Reflect Notes integrates artificial intelligence to streamline the management of notes, meeting notes, and ideas, making it a smart companion for those seeking efficiency.
Its user-friendly design makes the integration of AI into everyday knowledge management seamless and approachable. The AI's ability to provide smart summaries and insights is a game-changer, allowing users to save time while enhancing the overall productivity of their knowledge management efforts.
As a PKM tool, Reflect Notes sits between a traditional tool and a PKM app, allowing you to have the traditional feel of Evernote but the power of Obsidian.
Pros:
- Balanced design between PKM & note-taking app
- Always adding new features and AI abilities
- Designed for busy professionals
- A much better focus on security
Cons:
- Much pricier option
- Can be overwhelming for more basic note-takers
Pricing:
Reflect Notes is $10 per month, billed annually. No free plan.
5.Heptabase
Heptabase is a visual note-taking app designed to help you bring ideas together in a canvas view. It allows you to add and link notes, which is popular with researchers and students.
Heptabase is perfect for visual thinkers & those who want to get into PKM.
It balances both worlds very well by having a canvas mode that allows you to add ideas by dragging them together much like apps like Miro and Milanote. Hetpabase even has some project management abilities like Kanban views which people will like if they want more structured ways to manage all their knowledge base. It makes for a different, yet great PKM for visual thinkers and those who like open-plan ways of bringing ideas together.
If you're a researcher, student, or visual thinker, Heptabase is a must-try. The application perfectly bridges the gap between handling notes in a PKM style whilst still being able to express them in a whiteboard fashion.
Pros:
- Good abilities for visual thinkers
- The desktop and mobile app work well
- Works well for connecting notes
Cons:
- Can be overwhelming
- Not suitable for everyone
Pricing:
Heptabase is priced at $11.99 per month, with cheaper annual pricing. There is no free plan.
Free Buyer's Guide to Note-Taking Apps
Get the free PDF and report on how to pick the best note-taking apps for 2025 and beyond. Unlock insights from note-taking tool expert Francesco D'Alessio with over 10+ years of insight into one PDF.
Download Free PDF6. Roam Research
Roam Research offers a more traditional and structured way to connect ideas and notes, emphasizing networked thought strongly. Its bi-directional linking feature creates a deep, interconnected web of knowledge, catering to users who prefer a systematic approach to organizing their thoughts.
Roam Research's methodical and thorough knowledge organization style is particularly well-suited for users who seek a meticulous and interconnected system for their ideas and information.
Roam Research is less attractive than many of the options on this list but still is very functional and powerful for PKM management. If you're wallet-conscious, Roam is still one of the more expensive note-taking apps on the market.
Pros:
- Comes on all devices
- Powerful block references
- Supportive community
Cons:
- Might be a bit heavy for some
7. Capacities
Capacities is a note-taking tool for PKM that uses object types to organize how you structure your knowledge base. It is popular with busy professionals and those who want to manage their notes using this system.
Capacities introduce an innovative object-based approach to note-taking and PKM, organizing information around distinct knowledge units or 'objects'. This approach allows for a more flexible and intuitive way of handling data, appealing to many knowledge workers.
Capacities' integrated knowledge framework supports a more holistic view of personal and professional knowledge, making it an ideal tool for those seeking an adaptable and comprehensive knowledge management solution.
Pros:
- Beautiful Notion-like design
- It comes with a calendar mode for daily notes
- Works well offline with near offline functionality
- Comes with AI features for chatting with notes
- Easy to use once you get started
Cons:
- Lacks powerful databases
- It can be complicated for the average note-taker
Pricing:
Capacities are free to use, with a $9.99 per-month upgrade needed to access premium abilities.
Free Buyer's Guide to Note-Taking Apps
Get the free PDF and report on how to pick the best note-taking apps for 2025 and beyond. Unlock insights from note-taking tool expert Francesco D'Alessio with over 10+ years of insight into one PDF.
Download Free PDF8. Anytype
Anytype is a note-taking tool that organizes notes using object types. It is popular thanks to its focus on offline, open-source, and local-first approaches to access. It can be used for project management, note-taking, and journalling.
It is recognized for its focus on graph-based note-taking, offering users a unique way to visualize and manage information. Its object-centric design is tailored to those who conceptualize information regarding networks and relationships.
Anytype's emphasis on graphical representation and versatile data organization makes it an excellent choice for individuals who think visually and seek an innovative way to organize and interact with their knowledge and ideas.
If you're hunting for something offline first, secure, works open source, comes with markdown, and has a generous free offering, then Anytype could be for you. Many people are comparing it to the Notion alternative that can be used offline, with features that are beginning to rival the powers of Notion.
Pros:
- Open-source note-taking
- Local-first and peer-to-peer networking
- Works with markdown and native on desktop
- It comes with sets and collections for set-ups
- Good-rated iOS, and Android on respective App Stores
- Privacy-focused notes with E2E secure notes
- Good community and audience
Cons:
- It can be overwhelming to use
- Limited database abilities compared to Notion
- Still developing features
More Recommendations
Additional mentions for PKM management.
Help with choosing your PKM app
Let's help you choose a little further to what PKM app to go with and why:
What is the best free personal knowledge management app?
Logseq and Obsidian serve as the best free PKM apps on the market. They have generous free subscriptions, even Obsidian does not need to upgrade unless you want your data to be synced with the cloud and other devices. Both are brilliant free considerations for managing notes in a PKM style.
What is the best personal knowledge management app on iOS?
For iOS-focused PKM, Reflect and Anytype both have strong iOS apps that people tend to relate to as the best note-taking apps for iOS in a PKM context. They have high App Store ratings and offer a sense of ease of access that many other apps aren't able to bring to their iOS versions. Obsidian does have a good iOS app, too.
What is the best personal knowledge management app on macOS?
For managing PKM notes on macOS, Capacities, and Anytype have a speedy macOS app. All of these solutions have a good macOS app, but the Anytype app's speed on Mac is breakneck and works as an offline-first app, one of the best we've seen.
What is the best personal knowledge management app for students?
Keeping costs down is important for finding a PKM app for students, so our recommendations are RemNote and Logseq, both offer a solid way to create notes for free but also come with student-friendly features like flashcards and daily notes for logging your day-to-day mental health at university or college.
What is the best personal knowledge management app for ADHD?
Getting into PKM for ADHD might be a great way to help take the pressure off yourself remember everything and bring good ideas into your knowledge base for later.
Our recommendations for PKM apps with ADHD are Obsidian and Capacities. Both are good, Obsidian is more complex to learn but free to get started, and Capacities offers a neat system of object-base notes for getting started more easily.
Quick Questions
How to build a personal knowledge management system?
PKM systems can be built by first adopting an approach. Common approaches could be Zettlekasten, second brain, and Cornell note-taking system that can help you start to build a system, however, many people just start bringing notes together in a PKM tool and connecting them using backlinks to start building their PKM system.
What apps can help your PKM system?
Many apps can help with PKM and serve as PKM tools for you including note-taking apps, email apps, social bookmarking apps, bookmarking apps, to-do list apps, and any tool that helps collect knowledge and stores it for re-use.
How to organize a personal knowledge base?
Organizing a personal knowledge base depends on your strategy. Many people use systems like the second brain that adopt concepts like PARA (projects, areas, resources, archives) to organize the structure of their knowledge base. Looking at how you organize your base can help your knowledge flow better for you.
Are PKM apps good for Second Brain?
PKM tools are perfect for the system of Second Brain as they embrace how CODE methodology very well that is embedded in this process. PKM apps typically make good Second Brain apps.
Why consider a PKM app?
PKM apps are allowing many people to connect notes as they've never done before by introducing relationships between notes and allowing you to see how they connect.
Best PKM Features | Reasons |
|---|---|
Networked thought | Connecting your notes allows you to make backlinks, link blocks together, and more. This is very useful for those using PKM apps as they can explore how notes have connections that allow for smoother, more synchronized note-taking. |
Graph views for exploring | Graph view can help PKM users to explore how notes are connected, visually. This is a fan favorite feature as many people use notes and how they connect to use their PKM app in the same manner as knowledge in their brain. |
Offline or encrypted services | Not all in this list will be security-focused, but many use open-source and encrypted notes to help protect users from hacks. Or even use offline abilities to help better store your notes local-first. |
Why is knowledge management important to your personal and professional development?
Knowledge management helps to organize your mind. A lot of people commonly use systems like Second Brain that can help you to organize your brain in note-taking apps like PKM tools and many individuals share that doing this better helps their mental state by relieving stress from remembering things and more focus on task at work.
What is the meaning of PKM app?
PKM app stands for personal knowledge management. PKM apps are tools that those in knowledge management can use to set up a place to remember things and store information they can connect and resurface later.