- Mar 28, 2018.
- Sep 07, 2020.
- Apr 10, 2020.
iPhone and the iPad have made note-taking more flexible and powerful. Although it’s not exactly as easy and clutter-free as jotting down stuff with a pencil and paper, it’s much more powerful. There are tons of note-taking apps out there in the App Store. In fact, it’s super-saturated. But there are free apps for taking notes that are really amazing with clear interfaces, great features, and a smart way of functioning. This is a list of such apps that make note-taking on the iPhone/iPad quick and easy.
Nov 09, 2019.
Free Note Taking Apps for iPhone and iPad [2020 Edition]
#1. Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft OneNote is a powerful note-taking app for iOS. What I have personally liked the most in this app is the simple interface. The makes it pretty easy to capture ideas, sort notes and keep them fully organized.
Often forget to carry out some essential tasks? You can also create to-dos and keep an eye on them with ease to never let anything go out of your radar.
The app syncs your notes with OneDrive and SharePoint to keep them secure and also more accessible. Better still, you can use OneNote in several languages including English, Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch and more.
#2. Evernote
Evernote is a class apart both regarding functionality and features. It’s the ideal app you would want to prepare notes with utmost ease and manage them with absolute perfection.
It lets you take note in many formats such as text, sketches, photos, audio, video, PDFs, web clippings, etc. Plus, you can also create memos, agenda and prepare your best presentation.
Make to-do lists so that you will be able to carry out everything in time. And with the timely reminders, it keeps you alerted about what you have to do.
#3. Notebook
“Notebook” is immensely effective when it comes to creating notes, checklists, and sketches. You can organize your notes in the best possible manner and sync them across your devices.
You also have the option to customize your notes. For instance, you can select a nice note cover or create an impressive one. As the app also works with Siri, you will be able to carry out several things faster.
What’s more, it allows you to scribble notes and record audio notes right from your Apple Watch.
#4. Notes: Supernote Recorder
“Notes” is ideal for interviews, conferences, and meetings thanks to the ability to make the note-taking process fast and easy. You have several color-coded note templates to choose from.
With the availability of topic related note templates, you will be able to make any type of notes. All of your notes are auto-organized and sorted by date or category. Furthermore, you can set reminders on your note to not forget to carry out important tasks.
#5. Bear
Having given a long spin to “Bear,” I know how efficient this note-taking app can be for you. The app keeps everything straightforward so that you can get your work done without any complications.
Take advantage of easy-to-use tools to write with complete peace of mind. There is a custom shortcut bar that makes formatting super convenient.
You can add tasks to notes to keep yourself at pace with your workflow. With a good many themes at the disposal, you will be able to customize your stuff in a way. Moreover, Bear provides multiple export options including TML, PDF, DOCX, MD, JPG and EPUB.
#6. Simplenote
The simplest of all, Simplenote is as simple as a note-taking app can get without crossing the limit of minimalism. You can tag and pin notes for easier categorization/classification.
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Enjoy working with your friends on a project? Simplenote lets you collaborate with your friends to help you complete your tasks perfectly.
Based on your workflow, you will be able to sort your notes and keep them fully in sync with your needs. Further, it’s compatible with many languages like Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish and more.
#7. Drafts 5
When you are in a meeting, tapping around the iPhone screen to take notes is a tedious task. Drafts solves this problem. It opens keyboard and you can start typing instantly. Also, you can ask Siri to open Drafts and start taking notes. The notes you make on this app can be shared easily using multiple sharing options.
In addition, you can also dictate your notes in Drafts and it will convert it to text. This comes in handy when you have to lot of things to note quickly. Lastly, there are lots of text editing options to use and make the most out of your note taking experience.
#8. Google Keep
Simply put, it would have been a blunder to not include Google Keep in this covetous list of top note-taking apps. Whether it’s handy features or top-notch functionality, this app can go toe-to-toe with the best in the business.
Some of the most appealing features that I have found in “Keep” are the ability to instantly record a voice memo and have it automatically transcribed. The other coolest feature that I like in it is the option to neatly organize notes with the use of different labels and colors.
#9. MetaMoJi Note Lite
Whether you want to take note, annotate PDF or record ideas, MetaMoJi Note is what you should use to simplify your task. With a variety of pens and paper layouts available, you will be able to create impressive notes.
You can sync all the folders or selected folders to the MetaMoji cloud (up to 2GB free) to easily access and manage your files. The premium version of the app includes important features like voice recording, handwriting recognition, text conversion, automatic synchronization of documents, etc.
#10. Notoriety
Designed with the modern yet simple interface, Notoriety is one of the highly user-friendly note-taking apps. You can intensify your productivity, create quick notes and customize them as per your needs.
It lets you organize notes based on tags to find out them quickly. There are different themes offered to suit your style and taste. With the use of the handy extension, the app allows you to quickly access notes from other apps as well.
So, these are our top note-taking apps for iOS!
Your pick?
So, use these top note-taking apps to your advantage to take notes, create checklists or to-do lists more conveniently and fast. Through in-app purchases, you can unlock premium features and have a better user experience. I’m sure these apps can live up to your expectation.
Check out the below app roundups as well:
Which is your favorite note-taking app for iOS and why? Shoot your feedback in the comment section.
Jignesh Padhiyar is the co-founder of iGeeksBlog.com who has a keen eye for news, rumors and all the unusual stuff that happens around Apple products. During his tight schedule, Jignesh finds some moments of respite to share side-splitting contents on social media.
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/iosblogger/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/iosblogger/How to Share Purchased Apps Between iPhones and iPads
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/iosblogger/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/iosblogger/
Do you love the tactile experience of taking notes on paper but prefer the organization features of digital note-taking apps? We do, too.
And until recently, the best compromise we’d found was taking notes on paper and then scanning them into an app like Evernote.
While this approach worked, it wasn’t as seamless as we wanted. So for a while now, we’ve been experimenting with ways of taking handwritten notes with an iPad. And we’re excited to share that we’ve finally found a method that combines the best parts of writing by hand with the best parts of digital note-taking.
The key is to use a quality stylus, a screen protector that mimics paper, and, most importantly, the right note-taking app.
In this post, we’ll show you six of the best note-taking apps for the iPad. With a bit of practice, these apps will give you all the benefits of writing by hand without sacrificing the convenience of digital organization.
Note: All of the apps below work for both the iPad Pro and Classic, though the Pro’s larger screen size makes note-taking easier.
1. Notability
If we had to recommend just one iPad note-taking app, it would be Notability. The app offers a delightful writing experience, yet it also makes it easy to embed images, annotate PDFs, and even record voice memos.
Sketching and drawing in Notability is easy and downright delightful. Being able to doodle and quickly sketch out illustrations is one of our favorite things about taking notes on paper. Notability does an excellent job of emulating this experience, while also allowing you to do things you can’t do on paper such as resizing and moving your drawings.
In addition, Notability includes a variety of flexible layout options. This allows you to, for instance, have a slide or reference material open on one side of the page while you take notes on the other.
And beyond the layout of individual pages, you can also organize your notes using digital “Dividers” (which is perfect if you’re used to taking notes in a physical binder).
Finally, Notability gives you plenty of options for exporting and sharing your notes, including Google Drive, Dropbox, and AirDrop.
Price: $8.99
Check out the video below to see Notability in action:
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2. Noteshelf
Noteshelf was our favorite note-taking app for the iPad before we discovered Notability, and it’s still a superb option.
It has many of the features we love in Notability, including the option to annotate PDFs and multitask with the iPad’s split screen. You can also record voice notes to go along with your handwritten notes, which is perfect for recapping a lecture or meeting at a later date.
If you speak/write multiple languages, you’ll also be pleased to know that Noteshelf can recognize handwriting in 65 different languages. This makes it a powerful tool whether you’re taking a language class or learning a language on your own.
Finally, Noteshelf lets you export your notes to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Evernote. The option to export to Evernote is noticeably missing from Notability, making Noteshelf our top pick for serious Evernote users.
Apple Watch users will also benefit from the app’s ability to record voice notes using the Noteshelf Apple Watch app.
Price: $9.99
3. GoodNotes 5
Up next, we have GoodNotes 5. This app has everything you want for taking notes, including the ability to switch between typing and writing. Plus, you can choose from several built-in note layouts and templates, as well as import your own.
Notably, GoodNotes 5 lets you adjust the sensitivity and palm recognition of the pen to match your writing style. This is perfect if you’re like me and tend to press very hard when writing.
Finally, GoodNotes 5 includes a “Presentation Mode” that lets you turn your iPad into a digital whiteboard. Using either AirPlay or an HDMI cable, you can project what you’re writing onto a larger screen while still being able to see the GoodNotes interface on your iPad. This is handy whether you’re giving a class presentation or pitching a business idea.
Price: $7.99
Want to learn how to take better notes? Check out our guide to the best note-taking systems.
4. Apple Notes
We couldn’t discuss iPad note-taking apps without mentioning Apple Notes. The app comes free with macOS/iOS devices, and it does a great job of letting you type or take notes by hand. The app’s drawing features are also solid, making it easy to add sketches and illustrations to your notes.
Aside from being free, the biggest advantage of Apple Notes is its deep integration with iOS. If you use iCloud and other Apple devices, you can effortlessly switch between taking notes on your iPad, iPhone, and Mac.
Plus, everything you create is automatically backed up to iCloud, and you can even create voice notes using Siri while you’re on the go.
Price: Free
5. Penultimate
Developed by Evernote, Penultimate is designed to be the go-to note-taking app for Evernote users. It has all the standard note-taking features you want, including a variety of layouts and the ability to search your handwritten notes with optical character recognition.
If you already use Evernote, then you can seamlessly add Penultimate to your workflow. Once you sign into the app with your Evernote account, all your notes will automatically sync to the Evernote notebook of your choice.
While the additional writing features of Noteshelf still make it our preferred note-taking app to use with Evernote, Penultimate remains a solid choice (especially if you’re looking for a free app).
Price: Free
6. Microsoft OneNote
Odds are, you’ve used (or at least have access to) Microsoft OneNote at work or school. But did you know that the OneNote iPad app allows you to take handwritten notes?
OneNote lets you write notes either on a blank page or a layout that emulates a sheet of lined paper. The general setup of the app mimics a physical binder, allowing you to organize your notes by topic.
OneNote for iPad also offers a variety of multimedia features. You can type text, insert graphics, and even include voice recordings. You can also search notes for specific words and view your notes across devices. And everything you create in OneNote is automatically backed up to OneDrive.
If you’re already a serious Microsoft app user, then OneNote will integrate seamlessly into your workflow.
Price: Free (with a Microsoft Account)
Start Taking Notes With Your iPad Today
I hope this article has shown you the exciting options you have for taking notes with your iPad. It’s now easier than ever to get the benefits of writing on paper without sacrificing the organization features of digital apps.
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Of course, to benefit from taking notes, you need to make it a habit. If you’re looking to build the habit of taking notes (or another productive habit), you’ll love our latest course.
Click the button below to learn how you can take it (and thousands of other classes) for free:
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