Note-taking apps are valuable tools for organizing your work and boosting your productivity. They’re great for students and professionals who need a digital workspace to conveniently store and manage class notes, work files, project ideas, meeting minutes, and the like.

As the popularity of remote work and online education continues to grow, so too does the industry of note-taking apps. Today, there are dozens of note-taking app options to choose from, each with their own set of unique features, strengths, and weaknesses.

Evaluating what the 2022 note-taking market has to offer and put together a list of six great note-taking apps:

Notion
Evernote
OneNote
Roam Research
Bear
Apple Notes

Read on for a description of each note-taking app’s features, price, pros, and cons.

Notion

Notion tops our list for its ease-of-use and versatility. In addition to being a powerful note-taking app, Notion can also be used as a task and project manager, and a reference wiki tool.

Strengths

Integrations. Notion integrates with Zapier so you can connect it to all your other apps. After integrating with Zapier, you can seamlessly perform hundreds of organizational tasks from the Notion platform, like generating google calendar events or saving Slack messages.
Versatility. Notion lets you build the workflow you want with a drag and drop dashboard.
Powerful Databases. Notion’s databases function similarly to Google Docs and Google Sheets, allowing users to share files and update their contents in real-time.

Weaknesses

No offline functionality. Users must be connected to the internet to use Notion.

Price: Free for personal use

Evernote

Evernote is convincing due to its impressively broad file compatibility. Evernote can handle notes in nearly any format, including text notes, audio clips, jpeg and png images, PDF documents, scanned handwritten pages, Slack conversations, emails, websites, and more.

Strengths

Mobile Scanner. Evernote can be used as a mobile scanner, allowing users to copy notes, images, and book pages from their phone.
Web Browser Clipping Tool. Users can screenshot and clip notes directly from their web browser and automatically save them to their Evernote workspace.
Integrations. Evernote integrates with Zapier so you can connect it to all your other apps. Seamlessly save, edit, and manage files from other platforms like Google Drive and Slack.
Readable, Searchable Text. When users upload an image of a piece of paper, a sign, a business card, a menu, or anything else with text, Evernote automatically processes the image to make it more readable — and then processes the text to make it searchable throughout the app.
Offline Mobile Access. Users with a premium plan can connect to Evernote without an internet connection.

Weaknesses

Not compatible with Markdown. Users who rely heavily on Markdown should consider another note-taking app option from the list.

Price: Limited free plan; $7.99/month for Evernote Premium

OneNote

OneNote is Microsoft’s note-taking tool. It is a full-featured platform and one of the best apps for freeform note taking. Users can drag, drop, insert files, and draw anywhere on the dashboard screen.

Strengths

Integrations. OneNote integrates seamlessly with the O365 environment so you can connect it to other Microsoft apps.
Preset Functional Tags. OneNote has built-in tags that have specific functions. For example, users can set a reminder tag when they want to receive a reminder at a specific date and time about something they’ve written.
Web Browser Clipping Tool. Users can install OneNote’s clipping tool in a browser and save the contents of a web page to a note in one or two clicks.

Weaknesses

Limited Sorting Options. Compared to other note-taking apps, OneNote has limited sorting options. For example, users cannot sort notes by newest created or newest modified.

Price: Free for up to 5GB of notes; $1.99/month for 100GB. Included with a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Roam Research

Roam Research offers a novel way to organize and connect notes: Instead of relying on folders and tags, Roam Research lets users internally link one note to another and create a web of information.

Strengths

Internal Linking. Effortlessly link notes to one another and view a graphical representation of your note connections.
Compatible with Markdown. Roam Research is strongly compatible with Markdown, making it a great option for frequent users of the text-to-html tool.

Weaknesses

No offline functionality. Users must have an internet connection to access their notes on Roam Research.

Price: $15/month after a 31-day free trial

Bear

Among the apps on our list, Bear is the best option for avid Markdown users. However it’s only available on macOS/iOS, so users with a Windows operating system will have to find another option.

Strengths

Compatible with Markdown. Not only is Bear compatible with Markdown, it has a hybrid Markdown editor so users can see their formatted Markdown as they type in the Bear app.
Speed. By focusing on a limited set of features, Bear offers an extremely snappy UI that’s a joy to use.
Hashtag System. With Bear, users use a “#” to tag their notes. Individual hashtags can be nested within one another using a “/” for even greater organization.

Weaknesses

Not compatible with Windows. Bear can only be used with Mac and iPhone operating systems.

Price: Free with access to most features. Pro subscription for $1.49 / month for unlimited access.

Apple Notes

Apple Notes comes pre-installed on all Apple devices. Unfortunately, it’s not compatible with any other operating system.

Strengths

Diverse File Attachment Options. Users can add a variety of attachments to their notes, including map location pins, URLs, audio, photos, and videos directly from their Apple device.
Searchable, Hierarchical Folder Organization. Apple Notes allows users to create folders and subfolders. Plus, those folders can be easily searched and retrieved by name or by matching text content within the note.

Weaknesses