Evernote has been a staple for note-taking and organizing ideas for many years, thanks to its powerful features like cloud syncing and text recognition. While it remains a solid choice for many, some users find its interface overwhelming or the pricing plans less appealing. Additionally, as more options emerge, people are seeking tools that offer better privacy, customization, or a simpler experience.
If you’re considering moving away from Evernote, you're in luck. There are plenty of great alternatives in 2025, each offering unique features that cater to different preferences and workflows. In this article, we’ll take a look at 10 of the best Evernote alternatives to help you find the ideal tool for your note-taking needs.
App | Special Features | Pricing |
Noteey | All-In-One Visual Suite for Creatives | Free, one-time payment of $99 |
Obsidian | Knowledge management with bi-directional linking and local storage | Free, $4/month for sync |
Notion | Combines notes, tasks, and databases for team productivity | Free, $10/mo for Plus |
Heptabase | Whiteboard-style knowledge organization with visual connections | Paid only, starts at $8.99/mo |
AFFiNE | Visual tool for organizing thoughts with a focus on interconnected ideas. | Free, $6.75/mo for Plus |
Onenote | Microsoft’s digital notebook for capturing and organizing ideas | Included with Microsoft 365 |
Roam research | Networked note-taking with bi-directional linking | Paid only, $15/mo for Pro |
Logseq | Outliner-based notes with bi-directional links | Free |
Tana | lightweight, privacy-focused note-taking app with Markdown support | Free, $8/mo for Plus |
Craft | Beautifully designed docs and notes with real-time collaboration | Free, $8/mo for Plus |
Noteey is a local-first knowledge management tool that allows users to organize notes, ideas, and content on their devices. It features a whiteboard for visually mapping out ideas and connecting them, offering a flexible and intuitive approach to note-taking. Noteey also supports annotating PDFs and videos, making it ideal for managing multimedia resources.
Unlike Evernote, which relies on cloud storage, Noteey emphasizes a local-first approach, giving users more control over their data and ensuring privacy. Its offline functionality allows access to notes anytime, even without an internet connection.
While Evernote is feature-rich and great for syncing across devices, Noteey is a simpler, privacy-focused alternative. It's perfect for users who prefer a lightweight, offline visual solution for organizing information.
Here are some key features in Nottey:
1. Offline First
Noteey operates entirely offline, allowing users to work without an internet connection. This is perfect for those who prioritize privacy or frequently work in areas with limited connectivity. Once online, your work can be synced, ensuring a smooth, uninterrupted experience anytime and anywhere.
2. Library for Efficient Content Management
Noteey’s library stores all project content, including cards, PDFs, files, and multimedia. It lets users tag and organize resources for easy retrieval and quick reuse across projects. The drag-and-drop functionality streamlines workflows, making it easy to integrate resources and maintain a well-organized system.
3. Complete Whiteboard Features
Noteey offers a versatile whiteboard, providing a flexible and open canvas for visualizing and connecting ideas. This feature enhances creativity and organization, making it easier to map out complex concepts and brainstorm in an intuitive space.
4. Powerful Highlighting
Noteey includes advanced highlighting tools for PDFs and videos, allowing users to mark key points and organize important information efficiently. This feature is ideal for managing large amounts of content and making sure vital details are easy to find and reference.
5. Third-Party Cloud Sync
Noteey enables seamless syncing with third-party cloud services, offering flexibility in managing your content across platforms. This feature allows users to access their work from multiple devices while still maintaining control over their files.
Obsidian is a local-first note-taking app that focuses on privacy and personal knowledge management. Unlike Evernote, which relies on cloud storage for syncing, Obsidian stores notes as plain-text Markdown files on your device. This ensures data security and offline access. Its graph view allows you to see how notes are connected, making it perfect for users who think in networks. The Canvas feature adds flexibility with a whiteboard-like space for visual organization.
While Evernote is great for cross-platform syncing and media-rich notes, Obsidian is tailored for users who prioritize privacy, offline access, and deep note linking. It’s highly customizable, but lacks built-in project management tools or team collaboration features.
Notion is a cloud-based all-in-one workspace designed to manage notes, tasks, and databases. It allows users to create and organize content using flexible blocks, making it easy to build pages with text, images, tables, and more. Notion is perfect for teams and individuals who need a versatile tool for collaboration and project management. Its powerful database functionality enables users to track tasks, manage projects, and visualize data in multiple formats.
Unlike Evernote, which is focused on note-taking, Notion offers more robust tools for organizing and managing structured information. While it shines in collaboration and customizability, Notion requires an internet connection for full functionality and can feel slower for users working with large amounts of data.
Heptabase is a knowledge management tool focused on visual thinking and organizing ideas. It offers a unique approach with its visual board, allowing users to map out ideas, group notes, and see the relationships between them. Heptabase’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to organize and reorganize content in a flexible and intuitive way. Ideal for users who prefer visual organization over traditional note-taking, it combines the benefits of mind mapping with structured note management.
Unlike Evernote, which is centered around text-based notes and document storage, Heptabase emphasizes a more visual and spatial approach to knowledge organization. However, it lacks some of the document management features and cross-device syncing that make Evernote popular for everyday note-taking.
AFFiNE is a visual knowledge management tool that focuses on organizing and linking information in a highly visual and interactive way. It offers a canvas-based interface where users can create mind maps, flowcharts, and diagrams to organize their thoughts and ideas. With powerful tools for connecting various types of content, such as text, images, and files, Affine excels in helping users visualize complex relationships between information. Its intuitive drag-and-drop features make it easy to arrange and rearrange content on a flexible canvas.
Unlike Evernote, which is primarily designed for note-taking and document storage, Affine is tailored for users who prefer a more visual approach to organizing their knowledge. While it provides robust tools for visual thinking, it lacks the depth of document management and multimedia features that Evernote offers.
OneNote is a note-taking app from Microsoft that allows users to create and organize digital notebooks with rich media, including text, images, audio, and files. It offers a flexible, freeform canvas where users can easily capture and organize their thoughts. OneNote’s integration with other Microsoft Office products makes it a great choice for those already using the Microsoft ecosystem. Its ability to sync notes across devices, along with robust collaboration features, makes it ideal for both individual and team use.
While OneNote provides a rich note-taking experience, it lacks some of the more advanced organization and tagging features that Evernote offers. Additionally, its interface can be overwhelming for new users due to the large number of options and tools available.
Pricing
Roam Research is a note-taking tool focused on bi-directional linking, helping users create a web of interconnected ideas. This approach is perfect for building relationships between concepts and tracking knowledge over time. Roam also features daily notes, allowing users to capture thoughts consistently. It's ideal for users interested in exploring the connections between their notes and developing ideas over time.
Unlike Evernote, which emphasizes document storage and multimedia management, Roam is centered around organizing ideas through links. While powerful for research and knowledge-building, it lacks media support and offline functionality, which can be limiting for those needing more versatile features.
Logseq is an open-source, markdown-based note-taking tool that focuses on bi-directional linking and hierarchical organization. It helps users build knowledge graphs by connecting ideas and structuring notes in an outline format. Ideal for research, journaling, and knowledge management, Logseq encourages long-term information organization.
Unlike Evernote’s rich media and document management, Logseq’s strength lies in its text-based structure and offline functionality. While it's great for organizing ideas, it lacks multimedia support, making it less suited for those who need advanced media handling or a more visual approach to note-taking.
Tana is a modern, highly flexible knowledge management tool that combines the power of databases with a structured, hierarchical approach. It allows users to organize their information in customizable ways, offering features such as nested tags, filters, and dynamic views. Tana is designed to help users manage large sets of information efficiently while maintaining flexibility for creative workflows and knowledge building.
Unlike Evernote, which is focused on note-taking and document storage, Tana excels in managing complex data structures and dynamic relationships between content. However, Tana’s advanced features can be overwhelming for users who prefer a simpler, more straightforward note-taking experience, and it may not be ideal for users who need rich media handling or offline functionality.
Craft is a note-taking and document management tool that focuses on creating beautiful, rich-text documents with a clean and intuitive interface. It combines the ease of writing with powerful organizational features, allowing users to create notes, share documents, and collaborate seamlessly. Craft’s focus on visual design makes it perfect for those who want to create polished, aesthetically pleasing notes and documents.
Unlike Evernote, which is more focused on broad document storage and multimedia handling, Craft is more oriented toward creating and editing visually appealing content. While it offers a streamlined, user-friendly experience, it lacks advanced features like robust media handling and offline access, which might be limiting for those looking for more versatile tools.
When choosing an alternative to Evernote, it's essential to consider your specific needs and workflow. For users seeking seamless collaboration and advanced organizational features, tools like Notion or AFFiNE might be the ideal choice. If privacy and offline access are more important to you, Obsidian or Logseq offer strong local-first options that prioritize security. For those who prefer a visually-driven approach, platforms like Craft or Heptabase can bring your ideas to life with their sleek, creative interfaces.
Ultimately, the right tool will depend on your priorities—whether it’s powerful customization, collaborative capabilities, or a design-focused experience. By selecting the platform that best aligns with your goals, you can enhance your productivity and create a more effective system for managing your work and ideas.
Explore Noteey for a Unique Knowledge Management Experience
For those seeking a tool that balances simplicity with robust features, Noteey is a standout option. With its card-based organization, offline-first design, and versatile whiteboard functionality, it allows you to manage ideas and projects in a streamlined, flexible way. Whether you're organizing personal notes or working on larger projects, Noteey offers a unique approach to knowledge management. Try it today to discover how it can help you stay organized and efficient.