If you need to take notes while on the go, don’t like taking notes on paper, or need something more efficient with extra features other than simple note-taking, note-taking apps and programs might be for you. There are plenty to choose from.
Think about what kind of notes you take and what will work best for your style. Do you like visual elements like charts, pictures, graphs? Something colorful? Collaboration and cross-platform compatibility? Read on for some facts about various note-taking apps and which ones we favor.
Evernote
Evernote is my go-to app for almost all my note-taking. I use it to gather all kinds of information, from recipes to travel documents to useful bits of knowledge I might need at some point. Evernote is free and has premium editions for those who need more.
- Amazing search function allows you to find anything, even if you haven’t saved it in an organized way.
- Evernote has shown impressive longevity and has undergone many improvements.
- It can be integrated with Salesforce, Slack, Outlook, Google Drive, and more.
- Use the Evernote Scannable app on your mobile device to easily scan documents and images manually or with auto-capture.
- Web-Clipper for browsers is fantastic for saving articles, recipes and anything else from the web directly into your chosen Evernote notebook.
iOS Notes
I also use good old Notes on the Apple iOS platform, which is what a lot of my clients use.
- Notes is included with multiple Apple devices and syncs automatically across all of them.
- Your information is backed up to the iOS cloud so it’s always available.
- Notes has a powerful search function.
- You can dictate new Notes using Siri.
- The Notes app is compatible with Apple Pen.
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You can now pin your most important Notes to the top of your list.
Microsoft OneNote
- OneNote syncs across a variety of devices and platforms including Windows and iOS.
- It offers easy data organization, with “notebooks” sorted any way you want.
- You get to mix media freely in documents—insert links, pictures, videos, drawings, and more.
- Friendly ergonomics with an option to type or use a stylus.
- As part of the Microsoft Office suite, OneNote can use features like Excel and PowerPoint. If you already pay for Microsoft, OneNote is included.
- OneNote files can be private or shareable.
Bear
- Bear is free and the premium version is cost-efficient.
- However, it is only compatible with Apple’s iOS operating system.
- Bear is one of the newer apps and can sync across Apple devices.
- It’s a great choice for help with editing text.
- Bear is easy to use for inserting and managing image files.
- Edit multiple files at once.
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Easily customizable themes make for a personal touch.
Milanote
- Milanote bills itself as the “Evernote for Creatives”. It is visual and uses boards to organize content, including photos, text, video, files and more.
- Flexible drag and drop feature makes it easy to arrange notes in any way that makes sense to you
- Milanote is cross-platform and syncs automatically when you add a new note
- Great for team collaboration for marketers, designers, product managers, etc.
Simplenote
- Simplenote is just as the name says—user-friendly and basic.
- It works across all platforms.
- Simplenote syncs automatically.
- A web-based version is available but can be used on a mobile device or if the user’s mobile device’s data storage is full.
- A search function makes it even easier to find what you need.
- Simplenote is text-only, which makes it too basic for many people.
- It’s free and great for those who don’t need extra features.
Google Keep
- Google Keep is best for short notes that need to be easily visible.
- Like Simplenote, Google Keep is one of the simplest to use and easily intuitive.
- There are plenty of ways to differentiate between bits of data.
- You can personalize its appearance to your liking.
- You can get reminders for tasks to be completed.
- Google Keep offers collaboration capabilities.
- It includes dictation software.
As you can see, there are multiple options for digital note-taking! Try one out and let us know what you think.
