Used by millions of people worldwide, Evernote is one of the best note-taking apps out there which features cross-platform syncing to help you take notes across devices. It features a web clipper to allow users to take screenshots and save articles directly to your account. A lot of Evernote alternatives are there in the market, but Evernote is still preferred among a large number of users due to the following features.
Features of Evernote
- Document scanning
- Select templates for weekly planning, and tracking of goals
- Clip pages from the web
- Share team notes and other resources
- Ease of Compatibility with Windows, Mac, iOS and Android
- Integration available with Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Google Drive
- Packed will full value for anyone looking to use the free version
- Easy to use for team sharing
- Get the complete premium toolkit at $7.99/month
What’s missing in Evernote?
Well, every company tries to come out with the best product in order to entice as many customers as possible. But, every application does lack some features and similar is the case with Evernote.
Let’s look at the features which are still missing in Evernote.
1. Missing phrase search
The app doesn’t receive full marks when it comes to phrase searching and is unable to retrieve a note when searched while typing in certain keywords.
2. No comments or chat feature
An app which allows users to comment within a note can facilitate rapid communication within the group. However, the app lacks this feature of commenting within a note.
3. No Central Dashboard to see the entire to-do list
Having all reminders at a single place, makes your task easier but there is no way in order to see all the to-dos at a central place which can make it hard at times to keep track of every planned activity.
4. The Copy-paste function
As you copy and paste something in Evernote in order to edit it, it can become as you lose control over the cursor as it moves to the beginning of the document.
5. Lacks History Tracking
In case one makes changes in the document, there is no way to track the changes to the document as there is no history tracking. This is a must in case of a team where the team members need to be aware of the developments taking place inside a document.
In case you have any issues with Evernote and it didn’t go down well you thought as it would go, there are plenty of Evernote alternatives out there. The key is to look at an application which fits your bill. To help select the right one, we have compiled a list of Alternatives to Evernote in 2020.
Best Evernote Alternatives
1. Microsoft OneNote – Free to Use Note-Taking App
Available on: Android / iOS
Pricing: Free
A free alternative to Evernote is Microsoft OneNote. It is accessible across smartphones, laptops and PCs and gives similar features of maintaining separate notebooks in order to store your images, notes, links and much more.
It offers a simple and easy to use functionality so that you can keep your notes organized within separate sections. A distinct feature which OneNote offers is bringing in a colourful interface where you can use the ink features to draw using a stylus. Thus, it makes using the application much more interesting.
Features of OneNote include
- Works well with other Microsoft Office apps
- Easily sort content present across sections and pages
- Insert video, audio and additional files with added functionality
- Sync notes anytime using OneDrive
- Accessible across multiple devices which include Mac, Windows & iOS
- TouchID available for enhanced security protection
Pricing
Available free of cost with the standard 5GB storage on OneDrive cloud storage for Android, Mac and iOS. If you wish for extra storage space, you can get 50 GB just for $1.99 per month.
2. Bear Notes App – Designed to craft your notes
Available on: iOS
Pricing: $1.49/ month
Another free alternative to Evernote which can be used on Mac, Apple Watch and. Based on a user-friendly interface it lets you edit text with ease by providing word suggestions. The other powerful features include pictures, tagging and markups.
Make notes in different writing styles using different colours using multiple tags.
Features of Bear Notes include
- Easily access all files on any device
- Add images, audio and PDF to your notes. This can be accessed via Bear
- Notes on any device
- Option to choose from different themes to choose your style
- Use a particular tag to select text
- Automatic recognition of links and emails within notes
Pricing
The Pro version is available at $1.49/month or $14.99 billed annually after a free 1 week trial period.
3. Google Keep – Free Evernote Alternative by Google
Available on: iOS / Android
Pricing: Free
Next in the list of Evernote alternatives is Google Keep and is designed to keep your notes organized to help you access them anytime. It comes with basic functionality making it easier to be usable by anyone and can also prove useful in an organizational setting.
You can add reminders and voice notes too.
Features of Google Keep include
- Compatible with Android and iOS
- Easy to sync across devices
- Get a reminder for a note
- Transcribe your voice memo
- Collaborate and share your note with team members
- Categorize your notes with different colors and labels to make them distinguishable
- Can work on your mobile and tablet which makes it accessible all the time
- It works on your phone, mobile, and tablet so you can use it wherever you are. Because of the apps, you can access it all the time
- There are several drawing tools for enhancing the outlook of your notes. You can add your creativity to it
Pricing
It is free of cost with all of its features.
4. Otter Voice Notes – Easily take Voice Notes
Available on: Android / iOS
Pricing: Free / $9.99 per month
The next choice in our list is Otter. The app has made recording conversations easier and allows you to record, transcribe and share audio with anyone. Otter has added additional functionalities for larger enterprises as well.
Otter is simple to use and lets you save time and effort using voice notes.
Features of Otter Voice Notes include
- Check the recording data, time and audio length to get an idea of the upcoming tasks
- Use live notes stay updated on the task
- Get speaker identification
- Create and edit shared notes
- Easier to type long notes using voice
- Find notes, image and audio easily
Pricing
The app offers both free and premium services. The free version allows 600 minutes of transcriptions per month while the premium one allows 6,000 minutes of monthly audio and is priced at $9.99 per month.
5. Box Notes – Easy to use note-taking app for students
Available on: Android / iOS
Pricing: Free/ $79.99 per year with 100 GB
Developed by Box.com it is one of the great apps developed for writers and students to help them organize notes. Use tags to easily organize apps and collaborate in real time with other team members. The app is also a good choice for those working in teams.
Box Note is a great tool to simplify workflow and store your notes. Capture your notes on laptops, PCs and other devices effortlessly.
Features of Box Notes include
- Search within documents such as Word, PDF and Excel
- 10 GB of storage available in the free version to back up all your documents
- Comment and share ideas in documents
- Sync and share data to access it anywhere
- Enterprise grade security available for your documents
- Undo option to make any changes in the last edited version
Pricing
Box Note offers a free plan with 10 GB storage and the Personal Pro Plan at $79.99 billed annually with 100 GB of storage.
6. Simplenote – the iOS Alternative to Evernote
Available on: iOS/ Android
Pricing: Free
The software has been developed by WordPress and is a much simpler alternative to Evernote that supports Mac, Linux, Windows and Android. However, it doesn’t support images or videos making it quite dull to use.
It is a way to quick notes and organize them easily using Simplenote. It is a simple app where you don’t need to waste time storming notes and can have a quick look at them.
Features of Simplenote include
- Find notes easily using instant search
- Share the list with your team and publish notes
- Make and edit notes offline
- Simple and minimalistic with the formatting toolbar
- Store notes on the cloud
Pricing
Simplenote is completely free to use.
7. Apple iCloud Notes – Simple iCloud Notes
Available on: iOS
Pricing: Price dependent on storage space required
Another great Evernote alternative for Apple users and is a powerful tool for Apple users. iCloud notes are loaded with basic and advanced features making it a good alternative to Evernote.
It also has encryption notes which makes the application secure and is fun to use.
Features of Apple iCloud Notes include
- Multiple formatting options to style and edit
- Take notes with simplicity
- Make a checklist using a checkmark icon
- Create drawings & sketches using your phone
- Add new or existing photos to your notes
- Scan documents and capture them
- Notes are encrypted, making all your data secured
Pricing
The price is dependent upon the storage you require and additional storage can be purchased at $0.99/month.
8. Notion – Competitive Alternative to Evernote
Available on: iOS / Android
Pricing: Free/ $5 per member/month
Get all your tasks in one place with Notion and that too in an organized way. You can use it not only to store notes but also to make a nice workflow. This Evernote alternative is free to use and features Kanban style board making it fit for office work. It can be integrated with spreadsheets and comes with a colourful interface making it fun to use.
Features of Notion include
- The app supports around 30 media types
- You can notes fun by adding different colours in notes along with photos & videos
- Visit your pages offline which are synced when you’re online
- Manage tasks easily with the Kanban system
- Rearrange your ideas in a proper order
- Add comments for a task instantly
- Collaborate with real-time
Pricing
The basic version is free and comes with basic features such as exporting and uploading of files (till 5MB max). The Personal plan costs $5 per member/month or $4 per member/month for an annual plan which features unlimited invitations and no upload limit. The enterprise plan costs $25 per member/month or $20 per member/month billed annually to manage expiration and employee access.
9. Quip – Combine different documents in one place
Available on: iOS / Android
Pricing: Free / $10/ user/month
Combine different documents, checklists and spreadsheets using Quip. It is a good alternative to Evernote which supports a clean interface for storing notes and documents. Collaborate with your team members by having all tasks in one place and get access to all your files and notes anytime with its syncing feature.
Quip offers secured storage for all your important data making it reliable to use.
Features of Quip include
- Live version which can be edited simultaneously
- Real-time chat to help your team members stay updated
- Completely protected data with encryption
- Embedded beautiful spreadsheets supporting over 400 functions.
- Import documents from other note-taking softwares
- Highly interactive user interface
Pricing
The free version has basic features for taking notes and 1 to 1 group chat. The started package is available at $10/user/month billed annually and offers unlimited documents, slides and group chat. The enterprise version starts at $25/user/month billed annually with Enterprise API and custom live apps. You can request a custom quote for the Customer 360 version which features sync with Salesforce data and live doc editing.
10. Dropbox Paper – Unify your Team
Available on: iOS / Android
Pricing: Free to use with 2GB storage
Dropbox paper is next on the list of Evernote alternatives and includes an array of features such as video to code, images and sound. You can share your notes, ideas and memos with other members easily. It provides the platform for dispersed teams to work and collaborate on tasks.
Use it to keep track of the meetings, to-do’s and ensure your work is on track.It comes with advanced formatting features and user-friendly interface.
Features of Dropbox Paper include
- Insert timeline into notes to ascertain and track uncompleted items
- Easy to format and create docs
- It allows you to code as well and Automatically convert formatting to match the programming language
- Comes with free storage of up to 2GB and in order to upgrade you can purchase more plans
- Import content from resources such as Instagram or Youtube
- You can also create sketches and upload them on Dropbox
Pricing
It comes with 4 plans, where the Free version comes with 2 GB of storage, the Standard version comes at $12.50/user/month for 5 TB storage, the advanced version at $20/user/month for unlimited space whereas the Enterprise version comes with customizable solutions.
11. Notejoy – Real-time collaboration made easy
Available on: iOS / Android
Pricing: Free / $4/month
Coming up next on our list is Notejoy which is another platform to collaborate with your team. Make notes, share ideas and collaborate in real-time with this app. It lets you compose notes and add more items such as videos, images and docs. But it is not only restricted to this, you can clip and share them quickly.
Integration with this app is also available and it offers encryption offering you a safe platform to work.
Features of Notejoy include
- Customize the theme, sidebar and font, making it more appealing
- Available across devices for Mac, Windows, Android and iPhone
- It is a safe platform which offers password-protected notes and end-to-end encryption
- Recover your deleted notes with the undo option
- Export notes in bulk
- Find the right grammatical words with fuzzy matching
- Add hashtags to ensure more organized work
Pricing
The free version includes up to 5 users with 100 MB library storage. The solo version costs $4/month billed annually with up to 5 GB library storage and complete security and recovery option. The plus version is available at $8/user/month billed annually and offers up to 10 GB library storage, recovery and security. The premium version is available from $12/user/month billed annually with 20 GB file storage and features team activity dashboard.
12. Remember the Milk – Great to-do listing app
Available on: iOS / Android
Pricing: Free / $39.99/user/year
Another great app of the list of Evernote alternatives which features notes and to-do list. Add notes, create and share them with others easily. The notes can be easily synced to let you access the library anytime from any device. Design not only tasks but subtasks as well using reminders and notifications.
It is available on Android, Apple and Windows and comes with integration for Google Calendar, Gmail and more.
Features of Remember the Milk include
- Get access to notes online
- Collaboration features available in the free version
- Search anything in the tasks and subtasks
- Use colour tags to categorize your work and make it more organized
- With advanced sorting, group tasks the way you want
- Share lists and see your tasks at a glance with bands & widgets
Pricing
The basic version is free to use while the Pro version Costs $39.99/user/year with features such as badges, subtasks and push notifications.
13. Zoho Notebook – Best free Evernote Alternative
Available on: iOS / Android
Pricing: Free
Another great software in the list of Evernote alternatives where you can add text, record audio and do more stuff is Zoho Notebook. It features a nice to use interface along where you can keep things organized.
It is available for Mac as well as Web apps. Zoho offers free to use features to help you organize every note which matters.
Features of Zoho Notebook include
- Scanning option for documents and business cards
- Add word docs, spreadsheets and PDFs
- Security features with a passcode and Touch ID available
- Add sketches to make it more interesting
- Add reminders and get notified about tasks
- Easily find your notes with tags making it more visible
- Access notes anytime with the sync feature
Pricing
Zoho Notebook is free to use which makes it one of the best Evernote alternatives.
14. Rapidtables Notepad
Available on: Web
Pricing: Free
Unlike other Evernote alternatives, Rapidtables Notepad helps in jotting down ideas instantly where no login is required. It is good to write codes or notes.
An easy to use online software where the file is saved directly in your downloads.
Features of Rapidtables Notepad include
- Create as many documents as you like
- Option to cut, copy, paste as available in MS Word
- Option to undo and redo as available in MS Word
- Offers plain interface to type
- Good for those who are just looking to type and doesn’t include other features such as sketching
Pricing
It is completely free to use. But only drawback is there is no sync feature available for the mobile app.
15. Todoist – Useful project management tool
Available on: iOS/ Android
Pricing: $4/month
The final tool on the list is Todoist and is one of the useful Evernote alternatives. You can use the app to note down all data and prevent it from getting lost.
Manage, assign and prioritize your tasks easily with Todoist. The app comes with preloaded templates to help you get started in minutes. Access your data online anywhere with the device of your choice.
Features of Todoist include
- Use templates to create checklists
- Add emails from Gmail
- Drag and drop in order to create tasks and subtasks
- Set due dates for projects
- Customized gestures
- Auto sync across devices
- Create new tasks and set completion dates
- Set responsibilities with ‘Assigned to’ & ‘Assigned by’ filters
- Customize your goals and automate tasks using Zapier or IFTTT
Pricing
You can choose from $4/month or $36/ annually.
The Bottom Line
Notes taking is essential in order to jot down the key points or take down the essence of a conversation. Besides taking notes, the ability to overview all the pending tasks help in better organization and management of daily life.
While there are plenty of Evernote alternatives, some of our favourites include:
Zoho Notebook – The app offers free to use features along with encryption option to secure data
NoteJoy – The tool offers real-time collaboration for teams to collaborate easily
Google Keep – Easy to take notes and access them across devices
So which note-taking app is your favourite? Let us know in the comments.