- Start with what your notes are for
- Quick picks at a glance
- If you want something fast and free to start
- If you work in the Microsoft world
- If you want one workspace for the whole team
- If you want notes you fully control
- If you capture a lot from the web
- A note on AI features
- Keeping meeting and call notes useful
- How to switch without losing anything
- Frequently asked questions
The best note taking app is the one that matches how you work. Apple Notes and Google Keep suit fast capture, OneNote suits Microsoft users, Notion suits team wikis, and Obsidian suits people who want to own their notes as plain files. Decide whether you need speed or structure first.
Most people don't need a new note-taking app. They need to know what they want notes to do. If you can answer that in one sentence, the shortlist below shrinks to two or three options in about a minute.
Start with what your notes are for
I've watched plenty of small business owners move their notes from one app to another every few months. The problem is rarely the app. It's that a quick-capture tool gets asked to run a whole project, or a heavy workspace gets used for a shopping list. Three questions sort it out.
- Do you need speed or structure? Speed means opening the app and typing in a second. Structure means linked pages, tables and templates.
- Who else needs to see it? Notes only you read can live almost anywhere. Notes a team edits need shared spaces and permissions.
- Which devices do you use every day? An app that only runs on one brand of phone is a problem if your laptop is from another.
Quick picks at a glance
| App | Best for | Where it runs | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Notes | Fast capture on Apple devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, and the web through iCloud | Built in, so there's nothing to install or learn |
| Google Keep | Short notes, lists and reminders | Android, iPhone and the web | Sits neatly beside Gmail and Google Docs |
| Microsoft OneNote | Notebooks with sections and pages | Windows, Mac, phones and the web | Included with many Microsoft 365 setups |
| Notion | Team wikis, databases, project notes | Web, desktop and phone apps | More to set up, so it rewards planning |
| Obsidian | Linked notes you fully own | Windows, Mac, Linux and phones | Notes are plain files on your own device |
| Evernote | Saving and searching clippings | Desktop, phone and web | Check the current free plan limits before you commit |
| Simplenote | Plain text, no clutter | Phones, desktop and the web | Deliberately minimal |
| Joplin | Open-source Markdown notes | Desktop and phone | Supports encryption; takes a little setup |
That table is a starting point, not a verdict. Features and plans change, so check each app's current page before you move anything important.
If you want something fast and free to start
Apple Notes or Google Keep
These two win on friction. You open them, type, and you're done. Apple Notes suits you if your devices are all Apple. Google Keep suits you if you live in a Google account and want a note to sit next to a checklist. Neither is built for deep organisation, which is fine if your notes are short.
Simplenote
If you find even Apple Notes cluttered, Simplenote strips everything back to text and tags. It's the one I'd point a person to who keeps losing notes inside a complicated system.
If you work in the Microsoft world
OneNote copies the shape of a paper binder: notebooks, sections, pages. That makes it easy to understand on day one. It works well when your clients and colleagues already use Microsoft tools and you want notes to sit alongside Word, Excel and Teams. The trade-off is that the layout is free-form, so pages can turn messy if you don't set a few habits.
If you want one workspace for the whole team
Notion is the one most small teams reach for when they want notes, project lists and a shared wiki in one place. It can hold meeting notes, a client database and a procedures library, all linked. It can also swallow a weekend while you build the perfect setup. My advice is to start with three pages, use them for two weeks, then add structure only where you feel pain. If you're comparing it with other workspaces, my Notion alternatives guide covers the options.
If you want notes you fully control
Obsidian and Joplin both store notes as ordinary text files, so there's no lock-in. If a company closed tomorrow, your notes would still open in any text editor. Obsidian is known for linking notes together so ideas connect, which suits research, writing and planning. Joplin leans towards open-source principles and offers encryption options. Both ask a little more of you at the start, and syncing between devices takes a decision on how you'll do it.
If you capture a lot from the web
Evernote built its name on saving articles, receipts and clippings, then finding them again with strong search. If your notes are mostly material you collect rather than write, it's worth a look. Check what the current free plan includes, because limits on devices and storage have changed over the years.
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A note on AI features
Many note apps now add summaries, transcription and search that understands questions. They can save time on meeting notes, but they're an extra, not the reason to pick an app. If meetings are your main use, my AI note taking apps compared guide goes deeper. Always check where your notes are processed before you put client details into any AI feature.
Keeping meeting and call notes useful
A good app doesn't fix a bad habit. Whichever you pick, write down the date, who was there, the decisions and the next steps. If you take discovery calls, a template saves time, and I've shared one in my discovery call note-taking template. Use the same headings every time and your notes become searchable in a way that helps.
How to switch without losing anything
- Pick one folder or notebook to move first, not everything.
- Export from the old app in the most open format it offers, such as Markdown, HTML or plain text.
- Import into the new app and check ten random notes for missing images, tables and attachments.
- Keep the old app, read-only, for a month before you delete anything.
- Set one rule for where each kind of note lives, then stick to it.
Make a note-taking app? See how to get it featured on this list.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best note-taking app for a small business?
It depends on how you work. Apple Notes or Google Keep suit fast capture, OneNote suits Microsoft users, and Notion suits teams that want notes, projects and a wiki in one place. Choose the one that matches your devices and who needs to see the notes.
Is Notion or Obsidian better for notes?
Notion is better for shared team spaces and databases. Obsidian is better if you want private, linked notes stored as plain files on your own device. Many people use one for the team and one for themselves.
Are free note-taking apps good enough?
For most individuals, yes. Apple Notes, Google Keep and Simplenote cover everyday notes without a paid plan. Check each app's current plan page if you need more storage, sharing or team features.
How do I move my notes to a new app?
Export from the old app in an open format like Markdown or plain text, import a small batch first, check that images and tables survived, and keep the old app for a month as a backup.
