What’s the finest app to take notes? The one that matches your duties, your work, and your life-style. We’ve choices, together with AI-enhanced decisions, for workplace staff, college students, writers, and those that simply must jot one thing down on the fly. Select the one you want.
Please word: The article lists the app costs within the Mac App Retailer or on the developer’s web site. On Setapp, you get all of the described apps and 250+ others for $9.99 per thirty days.
1. NotePlan: Duties, notes, calendar, and AI
What makes it particular? It is a minimalist app to handle day-to-day notes tied to the calendar.
Who’s it for? Anybody who plans their day by the hour.
NotePlan helps you rapidly create a plan for a day or week by yourself or utilizing a template. All actions are simplified: textual content is formatted utilizing keyboard shortcuts, and including a job to the calendar is so simple as dragging and dropping.
Aside from day by day planning, there are folders for long-term tasks. For instance, within the “Fitness center” folder, you’ll be able to monitor your train progress, menu, and so forth.
NotePlan’s standout characteristic, Immediate AI, gives versatile functionalities like textual content translation, growth, assembly summaries, turning textual content into bullet factors, crafting e mail responses, and extra. Moreover, it might auto-generate content material for you. For example, you’ll be able to ask to put in writing 10 motivational quotes, and NotePlan’s AI will instantly embed the leads to your word.
Extra professionals:
- Availability of templates with objectives for the day, OKRs, affirmations, and so on.
- Varied lists.
Cons:
Platform: macOS, iOS
Value: from $9.99/month (or included in Setapp for $9.99/mo together with 250+ different apps)
2. Craft: Lovely and purposeful notes based mostly on templates
What makes it particular? Enticing notes and paperwork which are straightforward to create and set up.
Who’s it for? Anybody who needs to make lovely follow-ups, directions, and so on., and share them with others.
Craft is about lovely and purposeful notes based mostly on templates or created by your self. The templates are various: for self-improvement (e.g., gratitude journal), HR and other people staff (e.g., onboarding course of), conferences (assembly notes), and extra.
In notes, you’ll be able to simply create drop-down textual content, numerous forms of lists, calendar occasions, and hyperlinks to different paperwork.
Craft might help you’re taking notes with options like including photos, movies, and information to your notes, styling your content material, and utilizing the AI assistant to extend your productiveness. The AI assistant might help you write quicker, brainstorm concepts, summarize lengthy paperwork, proofread textual content, and translate into any language.
To open the AI Assistant: choose a Block and press Command + Return, choose Assistant within the choices on the backside.
Extra professionals:
- Potential to share notes with different individuals for collaborative modifying or commenting.
- Potential to export to PDF, Phrase, and so on.
Cons:
Platform: macOS, iOS, net
Value: from $6/month (or included in Setapp for $9.99/mo together with 250+ different apps)
3. SideNotes: Fast notes on display screen facet
What makes it particular? It is at all times at your fingertips, but discreet.
Who’s it for? Anybody who must take notes steadily and on the go and does not want a elaborate design.
SideNotes is one of the simplest ways to take notes on Mac should you simply want a fast scribble. As soon as put in, you may see a neat strip on the appropriate facet of your desktop. Clicking it opens the app. There, you’ll be able to create notes and set up them into folders, and… that is just about it. Certain, you’ll be able to create to-do lists, format textual content, and add photos to your notes, however that is about it.
Extra professionals:
- No built-in calendar, however you’ll be able to add a word to Reminders.
- Potential to view the contents of a word as code.
Cons:
- No compact view for notes. They’re displayed full size, even when they take up your complete display screen.
Platform: macOS
Value: $22.99 (or included in Setapp for $9.99/mo together with 250+ different apps)
4. Ulysses: Good instrument for longer notes
What makes it particular? It is greater than only a good app for notes; it is a writing instrument.
Who’s it for? Content material creators, bloggers, and writers.
Ulysses is a writing house. You possibly can create separate fragments (e.g., chapters) on particular person sheets and set up them as you want. Textual content formatting is straightforward however enough: add headings, quotes, tables, and pictures. Whenever you export a file as a PDF, the app codecs the textual content correctly.
The app tracks how a lot time you spend writing and calculates how lengthy it takes to learn the textual content to your self or out loud.
Extra professionals:
- Constructed-in proofreader and modifying assistant.
- Markup-based textual content editor – no should be distracted by formatting.
Cons:
Platform: macOS, iOS
Value: $5.99/month (or included in Setapp for $9.99/mo together with 250+ different apps)
5. Apple Notes: Jot down fast ideas on Mac
What makes it particular? It is most likely the only note-taking program with a good characteristic set.
Who’s it for? Anybody who makes use of a Mac.
This app sits within the Dock by default, so you’ll be able to simply click on it, open a brand new word, and begin writing. It has primary textual content formatting and the power so as to add tables and pictures. Since there are not any folders, sorting your notes by hashtags is finest.
Extra professionals:
- The flexibility to password defend a word.
- Handy search system (for instance, “notes with guidelines” or “notes with attachments”).
Cons:
- Incapability to password-protect a word with a hashtag.
Platform: macOS, iOS
Value: Free
6. Bike: Structured and targeted writing app for Mac
What makes it particular? It handles actually large tasks, does not decelerate your Mac, and is not aggressive with the CPU and battery.
Who’s it for? Anybody who likes to put in writing in outliners (textual content information with a tree construction).
Bike is an area for pondering and writing that may deal with your multi-level plans, notes, and concepts. Even when they take up many pages, it will not freeze.
In the event you want circumstances to pay attention, the app gives three writing modes: full display screen, typewriter (the textual content you are typing stays within the middle of the display screen), and focus (all textual content besides the road you are engaged on is dimmed). Plus, it is a pleasure to put in writing right here: the letters circulation easily, which appears to be like very nice.
Extra professionals:
Cons:
Platform: macOS
Value: $29.99 (or included in Setapp for $9.99/mo together with 250+ different apps)
7. Research: The most effective note-taking app for college kids
What makes it particular? It is likely one of the finest apps for conserving notes and flashcards for finding out.
Who’s it for? For college kids and anybody who must memorize data.
Research are like conventional flashcards however extra highly effective. A card can include textual content, photos, or audio. As you examine, you’ll be able to mark the reply as appropriate or incorrect or flag the word. The flashcards will probably be sorted into the suitable folders the place you’ll be able to evaluate the fabric or work on the marked word. Additionally, the app will create a examine plan based mostly in your want (e.g., “examination”) and the deadline.
Extra professionals:
- The app tracks progress and the variety of appropriate and improper solutions.
- Sync with iCloud.
Cons:
- There are not any ready-made playing cards with duties for various topics. It’s a must to create them your self or import your pals’ Research flashcards.
Platform: macOS
Value: $24.99 (or included in Setapp for $9.99/mo together with 250+ different apps)
8. MarginNote: A instrument for idea mapping, flashcards, and studying PDFs and ePubs
What makes it particular? The app permits you to take detailed notes from a ebook, article, or some other textual content.
Who’s it for? For college kids and those that want in-depth textual content examine.
MarginNote has two modes for processing textual content. “Doc” allows you to take fast notes on what you are studying. Examine mode provides you entry to dozens of instruments, together with organizing multi-level notes and thoughts maps, trying to find phrases within the built-in browser, changing notes to flashcards for later evaluate, and extra.
Extra professionals:
- Helps a number of file codecs: PDF, EPUB, MOV, MP3, MP4, M4V, M4A, Evernote paperwork, and net pages.
- Lets you set up multi-book studying notes in a single map.
Cons:
- Considerably difficult navigation: getting used to the instruments might take time. We advocate you watch video tutorials on how you can make notes in MarginNotes.
Platform: macOS
Value: $59.99 (or included in Setapp for $9.99/mo together with 250+ different apps)
9. Backtrack: Get AI transcripts and summaries of conferences
What makes it particular? It information audio and video from the previous.
Who’s it for? Anybody who steadily attends on-line or offline conferences.
When the app is working, it information in a loop what it sees on the display screen and hears out of your Mac’s microphone and audio system. Which means that at any time, it can save you a bit of video or audio that occurred 1 to five hours in the past.
What do notes should do with it? Along with the recording, you get a transcript of the audio. So now, you do not have to take notes manually throughout a gathering or lecture in case you have Backtrack on.
Extra professionals:
- Potential to combine with a calendar to remind you to report conferences.
- Potential to report in 4K.
Cons:
- In some nations and states, you want permission from different individuals to report them on video.
Platform: macOS
Value: from $10/month (or included in Setapp for $9.99/mo together with 250+ different apps)
Tip. Take notes whereas watching real-time webinars and on-line conferences. With TextSniper, take a screenshot of the fragment you need, and the app will immediately convert the picture with textual content to textual content.
10. Spellar AI: Assembly notes + speech suggestions
What makes it particular? It transcribes and evaluates your speeches.
Who’s it for? Anybody who steadily holds conferences.
If you wish to transcend automated note-taking in conferences, think about Spellar AI. Sure, it robotically creates assembly summaries with key factors. Nevertheless it additionally transcribes what it hears, corrects grammatical errors, and eliminates stylistic flaws. The output is a sexy textual content that may simply be became a complete publication.
However the principle purpose of Spellar AI is that can assist you progress and enhance your fluency. That is why you get suggestions on the standard of your speech, accent, and grammar, in addition to personalised workout routines that can assist you enhance your abilities.
Extra professionals:
- Reminds you of upcoming conferences.
- Helps you practice pronunciation and study new phrases.
Cons:
- In some nations and states, you want permission to report audio with different individuals.
Platform: macOS
Value: Included in Setapp for $9.99/mo, together with 250+ different apps
11. MurmurType: Shortly flip speech to notes
What makes it particular? It permits to transcribe and translate voice notes in 19 languages.
Who’s it for? Anybody who makes use of a Mac and has no time or will to sort notes.
Obtained an concept it’s essential to jot down straight away? Or your ideas are quicker than your typing? Simply begin MurmurType, converse, and get a textual content word.
Extra professionals:
- Automated translation is on the market: for instance, you converse Italian, however the transcript is in English.
- Automated punctuation – you get a whole textual content, not only a set of phrases.
Cons:
- The app can robotically cease recording after a number of seconds of silence. Right here, silence means not the absence of voice however the absence of noise. So, if there are extraneous noises within the room (e.g., the sound of an air conditioner or a espresso machine), this characteristic might not work completely.
Platform: macOS
Value: €20 per license and one yr of upgrades (or included in Setapp for $9.99/mo, together with 250+ different apps).
How to decide on one of the best note-taking app for Mac
We’ve examined every app described above to be secure, safe, and handy. You possibly can choose up and use one among them. However if you wish to look additional, take note of the next choices:
- Compliance along with your wants. Every app is nice for its personal goal. For instance, Craft most likely makes probably the most lovely notes with out requiring any design style.
- Light-weight. You’ll most likely use your note-taking software program usually, and it’ll run within the background. So it is vital that it solely makes use of a little bit RAM and CPU. In any other case, it might decelerate your Mac.
- Quick access. Ideally, it’s best to be capable to open a brand new word in three clicks. If the app’s primary options are hidden deeper, you could discover it inconvenient to make use of.
And bear in mind, you do not have to spend hours establishing your note-taking house – it must be a fast and intuitive course of.
Attempt each note-taking app at no cost
The app could make or break your productiveness, so depend on your wants and habits when selecting. Use these fast tricks to discover one of the best note-taking apps for Mac:
You possibly can strive all these apps proper now with a single Setapp subscription. Join and get entry to over 250 totally different apps. Attempt it free for seven days.
FAQ
What’s the finest note-taking app for college kids?
The most effective note-taking apps for college kids are Research and MarginNotes. The previous helps you create flashcards to memorize materials. The latter helps you dig deeper into textual content by making notes, annotations, and thoughts maps.
What’s the Apple model of OneNote?
The built-in note-taking app on Mac is Notes. It has a easy interface and allows you to lock notes, tag them, and collaborate on them. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to’t sync them along with your calendar or obtain them as a file.
Is there a free note-taking app for Mac?
The built-in Mac Notes app is free. The opposite apps described right here have a 7-day free trial inside Setapp.
