In the digital age, a powerful note-taking app isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity. It’s the secret weapon that keeps us organized, focused, and productive, whether we’re in the boardroom, the classroom, or the comfort of our home office.
For many, the go-to app has been Notability, renowned for its seamless integration and impressive features. But what if you’re searching for something different?
Maybe you crave more advanced project management capabilities. Perhaps you need a note-taking tool that fits snugly into your existing tech stack. Or, you might simply be a restless explorer, always on the lookout for innovative tech solutions.
Whatever your reason, you’re here for Notability alternatives, the competitors that are giving this popular app a run for its money. In this comprehensive post, we’ll pull back the curtain on the top-notch Notability competitors currently shaking up the market.
We’ll break down their standout features, weigh their pros and cons, and give you the insider scoop to make the best decision for your unique needs. So, if you’re ready to boost your productivity and enhance your workflow, stay tuned.
10 Best Notability Alternatives and Competitors 2024
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Should You Look for in Notability Alternatives?
When scouting the top Notability alternatives, there are several key factors to keep in mind. Considering these crucial points will ensure you find the best note-taking app that best aligns with your specific needs and working style:
- Ease of Use: An intuitive, user-friendly interface is a must in note-taking apps. You need a tool that’s quick to master, regardless of your tech expertise
- Multi-Platform Accessibility: The best note-taking apps should be accessible across multiple devices and operating systems – including iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS – ensuring seamless workflow and convenience
- Powerful Writing & Sketching Tools: A rich set of writing and sketching features, like varied pen types, colors, and thickness, are essential for taking detailed meeting notes, drawing diagrams, or sketching ideas
- Integration Capabilities: Your new note-taking app should play well with the other apps in your tech ecosystem. Strong integration capabilities with popular platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, Slack, and others are a big plus
- Collaboration Features: If you’re part of a team, features that promote collaboration – like shared notes, real-time editing, and comment sections – can greatly enhance your workflow
- Advanced Organization: The ability to create folders, tag notes, and search through your content quickly and effectively is crucial to keep notes organized
Summarize this article for me pleaseThe 10 Best Notability Alternatives to Use in 2024
The quest for the perfect note-taking and sketching tool is akin to hunting for a needle in a digital haystack. It’s an ever-evolving landscape, and the key is to find a tool that keeps pace with your needs. In this section, we’ll unveil the best Notability alternatives in the market, each app a star in its own right.
Whether you’re a student scribbling down notes, a freelancer sketching out a project, or a professional managing a complex workload, one of these Notability alternatives could be your new go-to productivity companion.
1. ClickUp
Imagine having a personal notepad at your fingertips, one that’s loaded with impressive features like expanding notes, reverting changes, and rich editing with /Slash commands. ClickUp offers all this and more as one of the best note-taking apps and productivity tools.
As a full-fledged project management solution, ClickUp empowers every team to communicate seamlessly and manage projects all in one space.
The Docs, Notepad, Mind Maps, and Whiteboards features are the standouts when it comes to alternatives to Notability that will meet your every note-taking need, every step of the way.
ClickUp best features
- Innovative, expanding notes system that makes organizing and prioritizing tasks more straightforward
- Built-in version history allows you to easily revert any changes made to the notes
- The /Slash command prompts offer a rich editing experience, streamlining the process of formatting your notes or executing commands
- ClickUp Whiteboards help you visually plan and execute projects
- ClickUp Docs offers a platform for creating comprehensive project documentation, wikis, meeting notes, to-do lists, and more (check out our Meeting Note Style template for a taste of this functionality!) These documents can be shared, edited, and collaborated on, making it an excellent tool for team-based projects
- ClickUp AI: Use AI to summarize your notes and create AI content faster
ClickUp limitations
- With all the features it offers, ClickUp may present a steep learning curve, especially for novice users wanting just a simple note-taking app
ClickUp pricing
- Free Forever
- Unlimited: $7/month per user
- Business: $12/month per user
- Business Plus: $19/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
- ClickUp AI is available on all paid plans for $5 per Workspace member per month
ClickUp ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (2,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (2,000+ reviews)
2. GoodNotes
This next note-taking app is for those of you who still want the feeling of handwriting with the convenience of a digital platform.
GoodNotes is a top-tier note-taking app that stands out with its unique handwriting feature. It’s particularly useful for annotating directly onto PDFs, providing an interface that mimics the feeling of writing on paper.
The tool is powered with a vast variety of writing options, making the handwriting experience more versatile.
Searchability is another core strength of this Notability alternative. It supports searching within handwritten notes, typed text, and even in the text of PDF files. This feature saves time and improves productivity as you don’t have to manually scroll through your handwritten notes to find the information you need.
GoodNotes best features
- Excellent for digital handwritten notes on PDFs with multiple writing options
- Handwriting recognition technology for simple 1-on-1 meeting notes or note-taking needs
- Allows you to scan documents and hand-written notes
- Pre-made Goodnotes templates to kickstart your note taking
GoodNotes limitations
- Lacks pre-made shapes in the shape tool
- Not available on Windows or Android
- Some users have noted that the app slows down when too many images are added
GoodNotes pricing
- Free for the first three notebooks
- Full version: $8.99 paid once
GoodNotes ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.8/5 (30+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (40+ reviews)
3. NoteLedge
Integrate video and audio recordings directly into your notes with NoteLedge. This platform lets you create interactive notes, which makes the content more engaging and comprehensive.
You can insert media files into standard notes with just a few clicks, adding an extra layer of information to your notes.
The tool also offers smooth syncing across different devices. NoteLedge’s layout is organized, making it easy to both manage tasks and organize your to-do lists, sensitive notes, and projects in separate folders.
NoteLedge best features
- Creates interactive notes with media integration
- Good syncing across devices with the note-taking app
- Organized layout for easy project management
NoteLedge limitations
- Users have pointed out that initial usage can be challenging due to the lack of tutorials
- Lacks professional tools for photo retouching and effects
NoteLedge pricing
- Basic: Free
- Pro: $2.49/month
- Creativity 365: $4.99/month
NoteLedge ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (10 reviews)
- Capterra: 5/5 (1 review)
4. Simplenote
As the name suggests, Simplenote is a free, no-frills, intuitive note-taking app that supports multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Simplenote also supports writing, previewing, and publishing notes in Markdown format, a markup language with plain-text-formatting syntax. This feature makes the writing experience clean, focused, and distraction-free.
Simplenote best features
- Offers checklists so you can keep your to-do list organized
- Note history makes it easy to find archived information
- Version history allows you to track changes and return to previous iterations of your notes
Simplenote limitations
- Lacks team collaboration and sharing features
- Notes organized only by tagging and no hierarchical organization or archiving
- Limited customizability and supports only text notes
Simplenote pricing
- Free
Simplenote ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.1/5 (25+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (10+ reviews)
5. Squid
It’s better known as a sketching tool, but notetakers can use Squid to capture real handwriting just like they were using a traditional notebook. You can even work with stroke erasers and various paper types and sizes.
Squid best features
- Boasts vector graphics to seamlessly scale images up and down without losing image quality
- Use an active pen device to write old school, without worrying about getting ink on your hands!
- Quickly jot your notes and thoughts on PDFs or images
Squid limitations
- Premium features are not available for iOS and Mac devices
- Lacks basic note-taking features such as borders around text boxes
- Some found the cloud sync capabilities lacking
Squid pricing
- Free
- Premium: $1/month or $10/year
Squid ratings and reviews
- No reviews on G2 or Capterra
6. Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft OneNote is a completely free digital notes app where you can store, share and create notes. OneNote’s free-form canvas, where you can type, write, or draw anywhere, is one of its standout features.
Users call OneNote’s unique organization system, which uses notebooks, sections, and pages to store notes, highly efficient.
Compare OneNote to Notability!
Microsoft OneNote best features
- Excellent for annotating PDFs
- Offers both keyboard typing and sketching in one app
- Syncs notes to the cloud automatically
Microsoft OneNote limitations
- Some users reported content may lose formatting when pasted into OneNote
- Users have noted that sync issues can lead to loss of notes
- No digital handwritten notes features
Microsoft OneNote pricing
- Free
Microsoft OneNote ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5/5 (1,800+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (1,350+ reviews)
Check out these OneNote alternatives!
7. Evernote
Evernote is a well-known Notability alternative and makes several best note-taking app lists. This tool allows you to capture ideas, images, and voice notes. Even more, this note-taking tool is particularly useful for taking quick notes and saving them for future reference.
With Evernote’s rich text editor supports a variety of formatting options, including bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, highlighting, and more.
One of Evernote’s most valuable features is its robust search functionality. You can quickly locate your notes, even if they are stored in images or PDFs.
Evernote best features
- Supports PDF annotation
- Link notes to calendar events
- Record audio notes
- Excellent for collaborative note-taking
Evernote limitations
- Some users have reported issues with synchronization and slow loading times
- Complicated process of adding notes to notebooks
Evernote pricing
- Free
- Personal: $14.99/month
- Professional: $17.99/month
Evernote ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (1,900+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (8,000+ reviews)
Check out these Evernote alternatives!
8. Zoho Notebook
For the ultimate Marie Kondo experience, check out Zoho Notebook. Users love this app’s innovative organization system. It allows users to categorize their notes into different notebooks, each with a customizable cover. This adds a visual layer to the organization process, making it easier to locate specific notes.
Zoho Notebook’s syncing note-taking feature ensures your notes are always available to you, regardless of the device you’re using. This can improve productivity and save a lot of time, especially for users who frequently switch between devices.
Zoho Notebook best features
- Allows organizing notes into different notebooks with customizable covers
- Excellent syncing feature across devices
- Supports adding multimedia to notes
Zoho Notebook limitations
- Lacks handwriting recognition feature
- Does not support offline access
Zoho Notebook pricing
- Notebook Essential: $0
- Notebook Pro: $1.99/month
Zoho Notebook ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (60+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (70+ reviews)
9. Notion
Known for its flexibility, customization, and slick web pages, Notion can be anything you need it to be. Whether you want to create mood boards, build a personal wiki, manage projects, or simply jot down notes, you can do it all in one workspace.
One of the greatest strengths of the app lies in its versatility. With this Notability alternative, you can quickly set up a page for just about any task and build your unique system from the ground up.
Notion supports all types of content, from images to app embeds, making it a robust platform for collating and organizing information.
Notion best features
- Offers 1,000+ community-made templates for note taking
- Combines task management capabilities with notes
- Allows for rich media embedding and integration options
Notion limitations
- May be high-maintenance for long-term use
- Limited offline mode
- Users have noted that collaboration features might be challenging to use
Notion pricing
- Free
- Plus: $8 per user/month
- Business:$15 per user/month
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
Notion ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (4,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (1,6000+ reviews)
Check out these Notion alternatives!
10. Google Keep
Google Keep is a straightforward note-taking app that emphasizes simplicity and speed. It’s a free alternative not just for Notability, but also for Android users looking for something similar to the Apple notes app.
As a part of the Google Suite, it seamlessly integrates with Google’s other products, making it a convenient choice for those already invested in the Google ecosystem.
Keep’s note-taking experience is streamlined and focused, allowing you to quickly jot down thoughts, create to-do lists, and share notes, as well as web content. It supports color coding and labels for organization, and notes can be pinned to the top for easy access.
Compare OneNote to Google Keep!
Google Keep best features
- Seamlessly integrates with Google Suite
- Supports text capture from screenshots
- Allows searching for notes by color, lists, images, audio notes, reminders, or shared notes
Google Keep limitations
- Some users found that text formatting or markdown is hard to do
- Limited word processing ability
- Does not file notes into folders, which can make the UI feel cluttered
Google Keep pricing
- Free forever plan
Google Keep ratings and reviews
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (150+ reviews)
Check out these Google Keep alternatives!
Summarize this article for me pleaseRevolutionize Your Workflow with ClickUp’s Versatile Features
There’s a vast universe of versatile note-taking applications out there, each with its unique strengths. But if you’re looking for a single platform that encapsulates the best features of note-taking, sketching, and project management tools, ClickUp stands in a league of its own.
Imagine crafting in-depth documents, sketching out your ideas visually, and jotting down quick notes – all in one place.
Collaboration becomes a breeze, ideas flow freely, and your workflow stays organized and efficient. In the realm of modern productivity, ClickUp is more than just another tool—it’s your personal productivity powerhouse with all the features you could wish for.
So, as we conclude our tour of Notability competitors, we invite you to make the leap with ClickUp. Let’s redefine what’s possible together!
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
