Stay Organized in 2024: Discover the Top 25 Note Taking Apps for Windows, Linux, and macOS
A note-taking app is a powerful digital tool that revolutionizes the way users capture, organize, and store information in the form of notes. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, this app offers users a seamless and intuitive experience, allowing them to effortlessly gather ideas, jot down thoughts, and meticulously keep track of important information.
Whether you're a student, professional, or simply someone who loves to stay organized, this note-taking app is an indispensable companion that empowers you to unlock your full potential and achieve greater success in your personal and professional life.
How can Note-taking Apps Boost your Productivity?
Using a note-taking app can significantly boost productivity in various ways:
- Organization and Accessibility: Note-taking apps provide a centralized location for storing and organizing notes. Users can easily categorize and tag their notes, making it quick and simple to retrieve specific information when needed.
- Efficient Capture: Note-taking apps enable users to quickly capture ideas, thoughts, and important details as they arise. With the ability to create notes on-the-go using mobile devices or sync across multiple devices, nothing gets forgotten or lost.
- Enhanced Collaboration: Many note-taking apps offer collaboration features, allowing users to share and collaborate on notes with others. This is particularly useful for teams working on projects or when sharing meeting minutes and agendas.
- Search and Retrieval: Note-taking apps typically include robust search functionality, making it easy to find specific information within a large collection of notes. This saves time and effort compared to manually searching through physical notebooks or documents.
Use-cases
Now, let's explore some specific use-cases for different professionals:
- Designers: Designers can use note-taking apps to capture design inspirations, create mood boards, and keep track of design iterations. They can also use notes to collaborate with clients and team members, store design assets, and gather feedback.
- Sales Professionals: Sales professionals can utilize note-taking apps to keep track of customer interactions, capture important details during meetings or calls, and create follow-up action items. They can also use notes to maintain a database of sales pitches, competitive information, and customer preferences.
- Marketers: Marketers can use note-taking apps to brainstorm campaign ideas, track marketing strategies, and store research findings. They can also use notes to plan social media content, create content calendars, and analyze marketing metrics.
- Software Developers: Software developers can use note-taking apps to document code snippets, track bugs, and store technical documentation. They can also use notes for brainstorming new features, organizing project requirements, and collaborating with other developers.
- Writers: Writers can benefit from note-taking apps for brainstorming ideas, outlining storylines, and capturing character development. They can also use notes to store research material, create writing prompts, and track writing goals.
These are just a few examples, but note-taking apps can be beneficial for professionals in various industries and roles. They provide a flexible and efficient way to capture, organize, and access information, ultimately enhancing productivity and streamlining workflows.
About this post.
In this blog post, we will thoroughly explore and discuss the top note-taking applications that are available for you to use in the year 2024. We will delve into their features, functionalities, and user experiences, providing you with a comprehensive overview of each app. By the end of this post, you will have a clear understanding of the various options and be able to make an informed decision on which note-taking app suits your needs and preferences best.
1- Zettlr
Zettlr is a user-friendly note-taking app that supports markdown formatting. It allows users to create and manage their notes efficiently. The app offers features such as a distraction-free writing mode, search functionality, and the ability to export notes in various formats.
Cons:
- Limited platform availability: Zettlr is primarily designed for desktop use and is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It may not be as accessible for users who prefer mobile or tablet devices.
- Steeper learning curve: While Zettlr offers a range of features for advanced note-taking, it may require some time and effort to fully understand and utilize all its functionalities. Beginners to markdown or note-taking apps might find it slightly challenging at first.
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2- Deer
Deer is a free, open source, lightning-quick, and secure note-taking application that offers a user-friendly experience, extensive customization options, multi-platform support, and compatibility with multiple languages including RTLs.
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3- Deepnote
DeepNotes is an open source, end-to-end encrypted tool with infinite canvases, deep page nesting, realtime collaboration, flexible note system, and lifelong storage.
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4- Rnote
Rnote is a powerful open-source vector-based drawing app that is specifically designed for sketching, note-taking, and annotating documents and pictures. With Rnote, you can effortlessly import and export PDFs and pictures, and enjoy the convenience of an infinite canvas. The adaptive user interface ensures a seamless experience across different screen sizes, while the pressure-sensitive stylus input allows for precise and intuitive drawing.
Explore the various stroke styles and shape creation options to unleash your creativity. Additionally, the selection tool enables easy manipulation of content, and the different document expansion layouts provide flexibility and customization.
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5- Saber
Saber is a notes app specifically designed for handwriting. It offers a simple and intuitive user experience while delivering unique features. The app is available across all devices, large and small, and provides seamless synchronization between them.
Notably, Saber allows you to invert your notes in dark mode, making it easier to write with white ink on a black background. It also supports inverting images and PDFs for better readability. To protect your notes, Saber uses a dual-password system, ensuring that only you have access to them.
You can store your notes on the official Saber server, another server, or even host your own. The app is completely open-source, allowing transparency and enabling users to review the source code.
Saber supports Windows, Linux, macOS and Android.
Features:
- Handwriting-focused notes app
- Simple and intuitive design
- Cross-device compatibility and seamless synchronization
- Dark mode with inverted notes, images, and PDFs for improved visibility in low-light environments
- Dual-password system for note protection
- Flexible storage options on different servers or self-hosting
- Completely open-source for transparency and public review of source code
- Advanced highlighter functionality with canvas compositing, maintaining color consistency and handling overlaps for multi-line equations
saber-notes6- Notesnook
Notesnook is a feature-rich note-taking application that offers a user-friendly interface, customizable notes, categorization with tags and notebooks, powerful search, multi-platform usage, and end-to-end encryption for enhanced security.
It aims to simplify the note-taking experience for students, professionals, and anyone who wants to stay organized.
Supported platforms
- Windows
- Linux
- macOS
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7- Ficus
Ficus is an open-source note-taking app with a user-friendly interface, extensive customization, and multi-platform support. It offers categorization with tags and notebooks, powerful search, and end-to-end encryption for security. Ficus aims to simplify note-taking and organization.
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8- Zim
Zim is a versatile note-taking application that allows users to create, organize, and manage their notes. With its user-friendly interface and extensive features, Zim offers an efficient experience for capturing and storing thoughts, ideas, and information.
Using a wiki-style format, Zim enables easy linking and navigation between notes, creating a cohesive system of knowledge. Whether you're a student, professional, or someone who values organization and productivity, Zim enhances note-taking and workflow.
Primary Features
- Wiki-style editing: Zim uses a simple markup language that makes it easy to create and link notes within the application.
- Hierarchical organization: Users can create a hierarchical structure of notebooks, sections, and pages to organize their notes effectively.
- Rich-text editing: Zim supports basic formatting options such as bold, italics, lists, tables, and images.
- Attachments: Users can attach files and images to their notes, making it a versatile tool for collecting and organizing information.
- Tags and search: Zim provides the ability to tag notes and offers a powerful search function to quickly find specific information.
- Version control: Zim has a built-in version control system that allows users to track changes made to their notes and revert to previous versions if needed.
- Cross-platform: Zim is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring compatibility across different operating systems.
Cons
- Advanced formatting options: Compared to some other note-taking applications, Zim's formatting options are more basic, which may be a drawback for users who require advanced formatting capabilities.
- No Markdown support
- Format is not portable
9- AppFlowy (Notion Alternative)
AppFlowy is a powerful note-taking and organization tool that allows users to create structured lists and outlines. It provides a user-friendly interface with a focus on simplicity and organization.
With AppFlowy, you can easily create hierarchical lists, add notes and descriptions to each item, and navigate through your content with ease. The tool offers features such as tagging, searching, and collaboration, making it a versatile tool for personal and professional use.
AppFlowy is available on multiple platforms, allowing you to access and manage your lists and outlines from anywhere.
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10- Treesheet
Treesheet is a hierarchical note-taking and organization tool that allows users to structure and manage information. It offers a grid-based interface for creating and organizing notes in a tree-like structure. Each cell can contain text, formulas, checkboxes, and other data types.
With Treesheet, you can create nested hierarchies, collapse and expand branches, and easily navigate through your notes. The grid layout allows for flexible organization and manipulation of data. Formatting options like font styles, colors, and cell merging are available.
Treesheet supports advanced features like filtering, sorting, searching, and linking between cells. It also has import and export capabilities for working with data from other applications.
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11- Joplin
Joplin is a robust and feature-rich open-source note-taking and to-do application. With Joplin, users can confidently create, organize, and synchronize their notes across multiple devices. It offers a wide range of capabilities, including rich text editing, markdown formatting, and the option to attach files to notes.
Additionally, Joplin provides a highly efficient search function, a convenient tagging system, and the flexibility to create notebooks and tags for optimal organization. Rest assured, Joplin prioritizes the security and privacy of your notes by offering end-to-end encryption. It is a versatile application available on various platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
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laurent2212- Cherrytree
Cherrytree is an exceptional hierarchical note-taking application that empowers users to effortlessly create and organize their notes in a tree-like structure. It boasts a user-friendly interface and offers an array of impressive features such as rich text editing, syntax highlighting, and seamless integration of images and files into notes.
Additionally, Cherrytree excels in providing advanced functionalities like robust search capabilities, reliable spell checking, and the flexibility to create custom templates. It is available across multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS. Undoubtedly, Cherrytree stands out as a versatile and indispensable tool for seamless note-taking and efficient information organization.
Cons:
- Limited collaboration features, which may hinder real-time collaboration with others.
- The mobile support for Cherrytree is not available, restricting note-taking options on mobile devices.
- While Cherrytree offers a range of features, the formatting options may not be as advanced as some other note-taking applications.
13- Linked
Linked is a daily journaling and note-taking tool designed to provide an easy and distraction-free experience for recording your thoughts. It allows you to declutter your mind and keep track of the things you want to remember.
With Linked, you can free up mental space for deeper thinking and reflection. It provides a dedicated space to store and organize your thoughts, ensuring that important ideas are captured and preserved.
Features
- 📅 Write down anything and as much as you want per day
- 🔍 Search across all days
- ✍️ Support for various text styles as well as todo, list and code blocks
- 🖼 Linked comes in dark and light mode
- 💻 Keyboard navigation for maximum productivity
- 💾 Files are forever yours, you can find them at
~/Documents/linked - 🌐 Multi language support
lostdesign14- Trilium Notes
Trilium is an open-source note-taking app that focuses on privacy and security. It allows users to create and organize notes in a hierarchical structure. With rich text editing, attachment support, and advanced search, Trilium offers a versatile note-taking experience.
Users can also customize their notes with theming and CSS styling. Trilium is available on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Trilium's hierarchical structure helps users organize their notes effectively. Rich text editing allows formatting and highlighting important information. Attachment support adds versatility. Advanced search makes finding information easy. Customization options like theming and CSS styling personalize the note-taking experience.
Hazemzadam15- Logseq
Logseq is a knowledge management and collaboration platform that prioritizes privacy, longevity, and user control. It offers powerful tools for knowledge management, collaboration, PDF annotation, and task management, with support for multiple file formats.
The Whiteboard feature allows for visual organization and connection of notes and media, while plugins and themes provide customization options. Logseq is suitable for students, professionals, and anyone seeking to enhance productivity and streamline workflow.
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logseq16- Laverna
Laverna, an open-source web application for note-taking. Laverna aimed to provide a secure and private environment for users to take notes and store their information.
However, it seems that the Laverna project is no longer active, and the website is no longer available. But it is still usable.
17- Memos
Memos is an open-source note-taking application that offers a simple and intuitive interface for capturing and organizing your thoughts. It provides features such as markdown support, tagging, search functionality, and the ability to attach files to your notes. With Memos, you can keep your notes organized and easily accessible for personal and professional use.
usememos18- VNote
vNote is a powerful open-source note-taking application designed for a seamless and efficient note-taking experience. It offers a range of features tailored to meet the needs of users who value organization, customization, and productivity.
Pros:
- Markdown support: vNote supports Markdown, allowing users to write and format their notes with ease. Markdown provides a simple and intuitive way to structure text, add headings, lists, formatting, and more.
- Multi-platform support: vNote is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring users can access their notes from their preferred operating system.
- Flexible organization: vNote provides a hierarchical organization system, allowing users to create notebooks, sub-notebooks, and notes within a structured framework. This enhances the ability to organize and categorize notes based on different topics or projects.
- Customization options: vNote offers various customization options, including the ability to customize the editor theme, font, and layout. This allows users to personalize their note-taking experience according to their preferences.
- Attachment support: vNote allows users to attach files, images, and links to their notes, providing a comprehensive approach to capturing and organizing information.
- Versatile export options: vNote enables users to export their notes in various formats, including Markdown, HTML, PDF, and more. This flexibility allows users to share or archive their notes in the format that best suits their needs.
Platforms
- Windows
- Linux
- macOS
vnotex19- Notesnook
Notesnook is a feature-rich note-taking application that aims to simplify the note-taking experience for users. It offers a user-friendly interface, customizable notes, categorization with tags and notebooks, powerful search capabilities, multi-platform usage, and end-to-end encryption for enhanced security.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface: Notesnook provides a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to navigate and use the application.
- Customizable notes: Users can customize their notes in Notesnook, allowing them to personalize their note-taking experience.
- Categorization with tags and notebooks: Notesnook allows users to categorize their notes using tags and notebooks, making it easier to organize and find specific information.
- Powerful search capabilities: The application offers powerful search functionality, enabling users to quickly find the notes they need.
- Multi-platform usage: Notesnook is available on multiple platforms, allowing users to access their notes from different devices.
- End-to-end encryption: Notesnook prioritizes security by providing end-to-end encryption, ensuring that user data is protected.
Cons:
- Limited collaboration features: While Notesnook offers many useful features for individual note-taking, it may have limited collaboration features for real-time collaboration with others.
streetwriters20- FSNotes
FSNotes is a highly efficient and user-friendly notes manager for macOS and iOS. It is designed to provide users with a seamless and intuitive experience when it comes to capturing, organizing, and managing their notes. With its sleek and modern interface, users will find it easy to navigate and access their notes whenever they need them.
One of the standout features of FSNotes is its powerful search functionality. Users can quickly and effortlessly find specific notes by using keywords, tags, or even by searching within the content of the notes. This saves users valuable time and ensures that they can easily locate the information they need.
Another key advantage of FSNotes is its seamless synchronization between devices. Users can access their notes from any device, whether it's their Mac, iPhone, or iPad. This means that they can start taking notes on their Mac and continue editing or reviewing them on their iOS device, without any hassle or loss of data.
Features
- Markdown-first. Also supports any plaintext files.
- Fast and lightweight. Works smoothly with 10k+ files.
- Access anywhere. Sync with iCloud Drive or Dropbox.
- Multi-folder storage.
- Keyboard-centric. nvalt-inspired controls and shortcuts.
- Syntax highlighting within code blocks. Supports over 170 programming languages.
- In-line image support.
- Organize with tags.
- Cross-note links using
[[double brackets]]. - Elastic two-pane view. Choose a vertical or horizontal layout.
- External editor support (changes seamless live sync with UI).
- Pin important notes.
- Quickly copy notes to the clipboard.
- Dark mode.
- AES-256 encryption.
- Mermaid and MathJax support.
- Optional Git versioning and backups.
Hazemglushchenko21- AlephNote
AlephNote is a lightweight desktop note client that can be used with multiple backends, including Standard Note, Simplenote, Nextcloud/owncloud notes, or locally with the HeadlessPlugin or FilesystemPlugin.
Mikescher22- Notes
Notes is an exceptional open source and cross-platform note-taking application that exudes both elegance and robustness. It is remarkably fast, lightweight, and expertly written in C++, making it a top choice for users who appreciate markdown support.
The app is available to download for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Features
- Native app (written in C++ with Qt).
- Turn your Markdown tasks into a beautiful Kanban board.
- Fast and beautiful.
- Fully open source and cross-platform (Linux, macOS, Windows).
- Completely private - tracks nothing.
- Folders and tags. Organize your ideas hierarchically using nested folders and universally using tags.
- Markdown Support. Format text without lifting your hands from the keyboard.
- Different themes. Switch between Light, Dark, and Sepia.
- Feed View. Select multiple notes to see them all one after another in the editor.
- Always runs in the background. Use the hotkey Win+Shift+N to summon Notes. Ctrl+N for macOS.
- Keyboard shortcuts. Meant to have the option to be used solely with a keyboard (but more work needs to be done on that).
nuttyartist23- Lorien
Lorien is an infinite canvas drawing/note-taking app focused on performance, small savefiles, and simplicity. It saves brush strokes as a collection of points and is primarily designed for digital note-taking and brainstorming. It is not meant to replace bitmap-based art programs and is written in the Godot Game Engine. Contributions and feedback are welcome as it is still a work in progress.
Features
- Infinite canvas
- Infinite undo/redo
- (Almost) Infinite zoom
- Infinite grid
- Distraction free mode (toggles the UI on/off)
- Extremely small savefiles (File format specs)
- Work on multiple documents simultaneously
- Tools: Freehand brush, eraser, line tool, rectangle tool, circle/ellipse tool, selection tool
- Move and delete selected brush strokes
- SVG export
- Rebindable keyboard shortcuts
- Built-in and custom color palettes
- Designed to be used with a drawing tablet (Wacom, etc.). It also supports pressure sensitivity
- A little Surprise Mechanic™ when pressing F12
- Runs on Windows, Linux & macOS
- Localizations: English, German, Italian, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese
mbrlabs24- QOwnNotes
QOwnNotes is a free and open-source note-taking application with a strong focus on cross-platform availability and customization options. It offers a range of features designed to enhance the note-taking experience for users.
Key Features
- Cross-platform support: QOwnNotes is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring users can access their notes across different operating systems.
- Markdown support: The application supports Markdown, allowing users to format their notes with headings, lists, links, and more.
- Note organization: QOwnNotes provides the ability to organize notes using tags, folders, and subfolders, making it easier to categorize and find specific information.
- Encryption support: QOwnNotes offers optional encryption for notes, providing an added layer of security for sensitive information.
- Customization options: The application allows users to customize the interface, themes, and shortcuts according to their preferences.
- Plugins and scripting: QOwnNotes supports plugins and scripting, allowing users to extend the functionality of the application or automate certain tasks.
pbek25- TiddlyWiki Desktop
TiddlyWiki Desktop is an incredibly powerful and versatile note-taking application that offers a unique and innovative approach to organizing and managing information. It is an offline version of the widely popular TiddlyWiki, a self-contained wiki software that empowers users to effortlessly create and edit their own personalized wiki.
One of the standout features of TiddlyWiki Desktop is its unparalleled flexibility and extensive customization options. Users have the freedom to effortlessly create and organize "tiddlers," which are individual units of information, and seamlessly link them together in a non-linear fashion. This provides an exceptionally dynamic and adaptable note-taking experience, enabling users to effortlessly navigate between interconnected tiddlers and establish meaningful connections between various concepts.
TiddlyWiki Desktop also boasts an impressive selection of plugins and themes, empowering users to personalize their note-taking environment according to their specific needs and preferences. Whether you require additional functionality or desire to modify the appearance of your wiki, TiddlyWiki Desktop equips you with the necessary tools to effortlessly achieve your desired outcome.
Another noteworthy feature of TiddlyWiki Desktop is its remarkable self-contained nature. All your valuable notes and data are securely stored within a single HTML file, facilitating seamless transportation and effortless backup of your entire wiki. Additionally, TiddlyWiki Desktop provides robust encryption capabilities, ensuring the utmost security for your sensitive information within your wiki.
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