6 note-taking apps for group

Observe-taking is one thing all of us do not directly. Regardless of if you’ll want to write lists, copy down a telephone quantity, or take detailed notes on a dialogue or class, there is a note-taking app on the market that is for you. The right note-taking app should simplify your workflow, and assist you hold issues organized. There’s a variety of choices now for a note-taking app; some are perfect for desktops, whereas others are designed for use with phones and tablets.

The proper note-taking app will help you seamlessly jot down or dictate your notes throughout a number of platforms and have them synchronized and able to go from wherever. A fair higher hub of ideas also needs to have group techniques that make it simple to seek for and discover your notes so that you could rapidly reference data everytime you want it.

1 Microsoft OneNote

My favourite note-taking app

Microsoft / Pocket-lint

My high general note-taking app

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote manages to suit the majority of Microsoft Phrase’s text-formatting and enhancing skills into a light-weight note-taking app that handles every little thing from textual content, to audio, to handwriting and drawing.

Execs

• Free to make use of
• Helps handwriting enter from tablets
• Cross platform help on iOS, Android, and Mac

Cons

• Works greatest inside Microsoft’s app ecosystem

Microsoft’s OneNote is my favourite, and it is the note-taking app that I’ve used probably the most. OneNote is my day by day driver for each my skilled writing, nevertheless it’s additionally what I exploit to draft brief tales and jot down day by day reminders. It isn’t the snazziest note-taking app out there, however in case you’ve used Microsoft Phrase, then OneNote’s interface, which options the identical “ribbon” bar, ought to really feel comfy to you. Better of all, you should use OneNote with a free Microsoft Account.

The free model of OneNote will give you all of the options you may want, together with the power to cross-sync your notes throughout Home windows, Android, macOS, iOS, and even iPadOS. You will want to pay further if you would like greater than the 5GB of allotted cupboard space or if you wish to export your OneNote recordsdata to Workplace Phrase or Excel. If any of those apply to you, you will want to pay for a Microsoft 365 account, which begins at $7 per 30 days, however you do obtain the remainder of Microsoft’s 365 productiveness suite.

Associated

Apple, Amazon, and Google are ignoring the smart home, and that’s a mistake

The potential for sensible dwelling tech continues to be enormous — and slowly being realized.

2 Apple Notes

The default and fully-free notes app for macOS and iOS

My favourite iOS note-taking app

Apple Notes

Apple’s Notes app comes pre-installed on all Macs and iOS gadgets, and it is our favourite iOS note-taking app. Whereas there are different note-taking apps on the market for iOS, Notes has seen some nice enhancements over the previous few years that make it our favourite for the iOS platform.

Execs

• Current updates have improved the app
• May even be accessed from a bowser

Cons

• Expertise is not very intuitive

When you’ve got an iPhone or Mac pc, there is a fairly good likelihood you’ve got interacted with Apple’s free Notes app. That is in all probability my second most-used notes app, and I prefer it as a result of it’s simple to make use of, has constant helpful function updates, and is absolutely built-in along with your different Apple gadgets by your iCloud account.

Notes has improved significantly since its authentic launch again with the unique iPhone. The newest iOS replace lets you have hidden conversations with the Notes app, in addition to create simple group notes for issues like celebration planning or a category task. In case you are utilizing the Notes app on an iPad, the app is Pen suitable, and you’ll hand-write notes. Be warned, nonetheless, it isn’t probably the most intuitive expertise, as it’s important to insert a handwriting part into your observe, as a substitute of drawing immediately on the observe.

Apple Notes will be accessed from almost wherever, together with your browser. You’ll be able to entry your entire Apple notes by your iCloud account, and that is true even in case you are utilizing a Chromebook or Home windows PC. Whilst you can view and edit your Apple Notes recordsdata by an online browser, I do not suggest utilizing the Home windows model of the Notes app, because it interacts fairly poorly with the Home windows 10 and 11.

Associated

What is Instagram Threads and how does it work?

Meta is benefiting from the controversy round Elon Musk’s X.

3 Bear

The most effective various to Apple Notes for iOS gadgets

Bear / Pocket-lint

Nice various to Apple Notes

Bear

Bear is for iOS customers who need a clear design and feature-rich substitute for Apple’s Notes app. Bear contains a tagging system together with Markdown help for straightforward organizing of your notes.

Execs

• Markdown textual content enhancing help
• Apple Pencil help
• Intuitive tagging system for group

Cons

• Solely suitable with Apple merchandise

Bear is a good choice for anybody who desires a extra feature-rich note-taking app for iOS gadgets and Macs. The killer function of Bear is that it lets you write in Markdown (a formatting device that lets you format textual content in real-time) and tag every observe to maintain your ideas neatly organized. You do not have to make use of the Markdown function, although. Bear is straightforward to make use of, and it is easy to arrange your notes your personal method. There’s additionally pen help, so you should use the Apple Pencil natively in Bear.

I actually recognize how simple utilizing the Apple Pencil is with Bear when in comparison with Apple’s personal Notes app. You do not have to create any further fields to attract with the pen, and the app’s response to the pen is nice. Bear can be utilized free of charge, however the free model limits your exports to simply .TXT, Markdown, and Textbundle recordsdata. The fee tiers for Bear are a bit complicated, however for $3 a month or $30 a 12 months, you may export your notes to almost any format, together with ePUB and OCR. The paid model additionally consists of iCloud syncing, so your notes can go wherever with you.

Associated

8 Samsung Galaxy phone apps you can just go ahead and uninstall already

Take away these pointless Samsung Galaxy apps to scale back muddle and free area.

4 Google Maintain

The most effective easy and absolutely free note-taking app

My high light-weight note-taking app

Google Maintain

Google Maintain is free to make use of and out there on all platforms, nevertheless it lacks group options in comparison with the opposite choices on this checklist. Nonetheless, it’s a nice note-keeping app for anybody searching for a light-weight note-taking app.

Execs

• Simple to make use of
• Completely free
• Cross-platform

Cons

• Lack of group options
• Google Docs has higher integration

In case you are searching for a easy and light-weight note-taking app or one that does not have a steep studying curve with a ton of options, contemplate Google Maintain. Google Maintain will be accessed from any gadget and is an excellent note-taking app for jotting down fast notes or for creating day by day to-do lists. You’ll be able to enter photographs into Maintain notes and hyperlinks with ease, and Maintain is built-in with the remainder of Google’s ecosystem.

Maintain is accessible immediately from Gmail, making it simple to jot down fast bits of data from emails. You may as well draft writings in Maintain and export them on to Google Docs, saving time within the writing course of. That is how I exploit Maintain, and whereas it isn’t my day by day driver in the best way OneNote is, it is nonetheless in my rotation of apps. It is good with the ability to copy down necessary dates, telephone numbers, or names from Gmail with out having to open a separate window. There is no price for utilizing Maintain, however do needless to say your Maintain notes will impression your general Google account storage, so you probably have numerous already-existing Sheets and Docs, you might must pay for extra Google storage.

Associated

6 free productivity apps to turbocharge your workflow

Work smarter, not more durable with apps that may assist you get extra achieved.

5 Notion

The most effective premium note-taking app

My favorite feature-rich premium note-taking app

Notion

Notion is a well-liked note-taking app usually utilized by software program builders, nevertheless it’s nice for anybody due to its wide selection of customized templates and options.

Execs

• Large ranging use circumstances
• Completely different templates for various makes use of
• AI integration

In case you’ve labored for a startup or have labored on a technical workforce, there is a good likelihood you’ve gotten interacted with Notion. I’ve used Notion each in a job setting, however I’ve additionally used it as a digital journaling device. It is probably the most versatile note-taking apps that I’ve examined, and in case you’re keen to spend time on studying all of the ins-and-outs, Notion can do almost something you need it to as a note-taking app.

Notion / Pocket-lint

Notion is constructed with blocks of your notes. It is easy to create your personal Wiki, to-do lists, or day by day or weekly planner with Notion due to the block system of the UI. Notion runs in your browser, so it is usable from wherever, and you’ll share something you create with some other Notion customers. It is free to make use of, however if you wish to deliver in additional than 10 individuals to your Notion, or create non-public pages, you may pay for Notion beginning at $8 a month.

Associated

10 must-have apps I install first on any new iPhone

From AllTrails and Netflix to Spotify and Photoroom, the iPhone has some true app gems out there.

6 Obsidian

Probably the most expansive note-taking app, for these with endurance

My favourite feature-rich note-taking app

Obsidian

Obsidian is a good, feature-rich note-taking app, nevertheless it contains a steep studying curve. It is free to make use of for people, however companies might want to pay for a industrial license from Obsidian.

Execs

• Free to make use of for people
• Graph notes
• Big selection of free plug-ins

Obsidian is probably the most feature-rich note-taking app on this checklist, nevertheless it’s additionally probably the most tough to be taught. It shines by domestically saving your notes, eliminating the requirement for an web connection that many of the different apps on this checklist have. It additionally retains your observe safe, however safety at all times comes at a value, and that primarily interprets to how tough Obsidian is to be taught.

There is a ton you are able to do with Obsidian. You can also make a nesting doll of your notes, graph them, and arrange connections inside an online design. You may as well make the most of the a whole bunch of free plug-ins which are out there for Obsidian. Obsidian’s greatest function is its customizable options. You can also make issues look nonetheless you want, so long as you might be keen to discover ways to grasp the app.

I’ve spent numerous time with Obsidian, and whereas I have not mastered the app by any means, I’ve gotten a style of simply how helpful and deep Obsidian options go. I’ve used Obsidian to draft tales, however the place I’ve actually seen it shine personally is with long-form writing. Obsidian is a good device for storyboarding due to its graphing function, and it is my most well-liked methodology of utilizing the app.

Associated

9 must-have PC gaming apps I install on every new rig

When you’ve got a gaming PC, whether or not it is a desktop or laptop computer, you may benefit from it with these important apps.

FAQ

Q: How did you determine on these picks?

As a author protecting shopper tech and life-style, I’ve examined many various note-taking apps through the years. I constructed this checklist by prioritizing ease of use and price whereas contemplating options. The highest picks are what I’ve present in my very own testing to be the easiest-to-use apps, whereas the extra feature-rich apps are additional alongside within the checklist.

Q: Is it value paying for a note-taking app?

This in the end relies upon by yourself particular person wants. If there’s a particular function that you’ll want to pay for for a note-taking app, and also you suppose it’ll simplify your workflow, I might say go for it. I’ve paid for note-taking apps prior to now due to sure options I wished to make use of, however I do not presently pay for any note-taking apps. As a author, nonetheless, I’ve no downside with paying for a note-taking app if I do know that it’s going to make my life simpler.