Top 10 Visual Note-Taking Apps of 2025 for Visual Thinkers
TianxiongApr 20, 2025

In this article, we will introduce the top 10 best visual note taking software.

First, let's start with a brief review of the three stages of note-taking tools:

 

Three stages of note-taking tools

 

1. Word type notes

The representative product is Evernote.

The primary significance of this stage of note-taking tools lies in digitizing note content, making it accessible for viewing and searching anytime, anywhere. However, a problem arises: there is a lack of connection and structure between notes. Ultimately, what you end up with is a cabinet full of notes rather than a "second brain" that aids in thinking.

 

2. Structured Notes

The representative products are Notion and Roam Research.

Notion introduced the concept of Blocks, while Roam Research popularized "bi-directional link", allowing knowledge to flow automatically within a networked structure. However, a problem also arises: the flexible network structure increases cognitive costs. The more links there are, the harder it becomes to understand and control them. Moreover, structuring knowledge is a rational endeavor, which may not appeal to many intuitive creatives.

 

3. Visualizing notes

The representative products are Heptabase and Milanote.

The greatest significance of such products lies in the physicalness they bring to note-taking. Similar to a wall where newspapers, sticky notes, text, and doodles can all be posted, their positions, sizes, and colors hold meaning. This would make it easier for visual thinkers to think and remember content.

The issue with such products is that an infinite whiteboard isn't always the best choice. A vast whiteboard greatly increases our cognitive load and also isolates content, making it impossible to share effectively.

 

Imagine when you have 500 photos, would you lay them all out on one wall? Or would you categorize the photos, put 50 on one wall and spread them across many walls?

This is the solution Noteey offers: a whiteboard with a list of pages, flexible and scalable.

A project can have just one whiteboard for simple brainstorming or contain hundreds of whiteboards, accommodating an entire encyclopedia set.

 

Top 10 visual note-taking software for 2024

 

Alright, let's get back to the main topic and introduce the top 10 visual note-taking software for 2024. 

Here they are:

Noteey: All-In-One Visual Suite for Creatives

Heptabase: Make sense of complex topics

Milanote: Organize your ideas and projects into visual boards

Obsidian: Private and flexible note app with a visual canvas

Scrintal: Digital canvas to convert your creative ideas into structured knowledge

Google Keep: Streamlined Note-Taking and Organization for Everyday Use

Napkin: Simplified Visual Note-Taking for Quick Ideas

MyMind: Personalized Mind Mapping and Note Organization

Miro: Collaborative Online Whiteboard for Teams

Clickup: Comprehensive Visual Project Management Software

 

Noteey

Offline and Free Visual Suite for everyone.

1.jpg

Noteey is a redefined visual note-taking software where visual elements are integrated to support various visual scenarios. 

So Noteey can be defined as:

  • Offline and Visual Alternative to Notion
  • Offline alternative to Miro
  • Offline alternative to Canva
  • Offline alternative to Google Slides
  • Offline alternative to Figma

Noteey is an offline visual note-taking software that allows you to put text, images, notes, web page embeds on a canvas. You can also manage the canvas using page lists, making it incredibly simple and intuitive.

Noteey is free for personal and educational use. We aim to create a user-friendly product for everyone.

 

Pricing: 

  • Free for personal and educational use; 
  • commercial users require a license ($50 per year).

 

Availability: 

  • Windows, MacOS

 

Information:

 

Heptabase

A well-made visual note-taking software designed for deep thinkers.

heptabase.png

Heptabae allows you to connect notes and whiteboards, breaking down complex topics into visual components.

With comprehensive features including whiteboards, journals, tasks, and cards, Heptabae prioritizes local functionality while automatically saving content to the cloud. Access to Heptabase requires payment.

 

Pricing: 

  • $11.99 per month or $8.99 per month, annual plan

 

Availability: 

  • Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS & Android, Web

 

Information:

 

Milanote

A whiteboard product favored by creative professionals.

milanote.png

Many designers and freelancers use Milanote to manage design resources and personal notes, as well as to easily collaborate and manage projects effortlessly with others.

On Milanote, you can add tasks, kanban boards, images, text, files, and embed documents, all in one place.

Of course, it operates on the cloud, and the quota for free users is also very limited.

 

Information:

 

Obsidian

The best PKM (Personal Knowledge Management) product with Visual Canvas.

obsidian.png

Obsidian is a highly popular PKM product that offers free, local, and offline support, along with a vibrant community.

With the addition of the Visual Canvas, Obsidian has naturally become a prominent player in this field.

You can gather text, images, files, and notes all in one place and connect and visualize them.

However, some of Obsidian's drawbacks include:

  • A steeper learning curve
  • Inability to share and publish your canvas
  • Inability to have precise control over visual elements

 

Pricing: 

  • Free with $8 upgrade for Obsidian Sync

 

Availability: 

  • macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS & Android

 

Information:

 

Scrintal

PKM Notes & Whiteboard.

scrintal.png

Scrintal claims to be crafting a user-friendly canvas that can transform your ideas into structured knowledge.

It's a visually appealing product where you can add cards, text, and links onto the canvas.

However, its support for visual elements is not quite comprehensive. The inability to support images is the focus of user complaints.

Moreover, it's also a cloud-based product, requiring a subscription for use.

 

Pricing: 

  • $60 per year

 

Availability: 

  • macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS & Android

 

Information:

 

Google Keep

Streamlined Note-Taking and Organization for Everyday Use.

google keep.png

Google Keep allows you to create notes and various colored sticky notes, capture images, and integrates with other Google products like Google Docs, making it an excellent lightweight visual note-taking tool.

However, its main drawback is that it remains primarily text-based and is not designed specifically for visual thinkers. You can't freely organize your ideas and content on a canvas.

 

Pricing: 

  • Free

 

Availability: 

  • Android, Web, iOS

 

Information:

 

Napkin

Simplified Visual Note-Taking for Quick Ideas.

napkin.png

The promotional video is quite appealing, giving the impression of a combination of Readwise and visual note-taking software, seamlessly integrating information collection and visualization organization.

However, it's still in a waitlist status, making it difficult to provide further evaluation at this time.

 

Pricing: 

  • $10 per month or $60 per year

 

Availability: 

  • Chrome, iOS & Web

 

Information:

 

MyMind

Personalized Mind Mapping and Note Organization.

mymind.png

If Pinterest and Google Keep had a child, it would be MyMind.

While there's no canvas, MyMind allows users to organize various visual content, including notes, images, and files, in a more structured manner, resembling a tidier canvas.

 

Pricing: 

  • Free (Limits)

 

Availability: 

  • macOS, Windows, iOS & Android

 

Information:

 

Miro

Miro is designed for team collaboration.

miro.png

But it can also be used as a personal visual note-taking software due to its powerful and complete visual support. You can add text, images, shapes, files, embed web pages, and utilize various templates.

However, the inability to use it offline is the primary issue for Miro as a PKM tool.

 

Pricing: 

  • Ranges from free to $16 for business accounts

 

Availability: 

  • Android, Web, iOS, macOS and Windows

 

Information:

 

Clickup

Comprehensive Visual Project Management Software.

clickup.png

ClickUp is also a team tool, but its powerful whiteboard functionality makes it a member of this list.

With equally robust visual support like Miro, ClickUp allows you to easily organize your thoughts and notes on a whiteboard.

So, if you want to accomplish planning, brainstorming, and collaboration all in one place, ClickUp is a great choice.

 

Pricing: 

  • Free for solo users, with paid upgrades

 

Availability: 

  • Android, Web, iOS, macOS and Windows

 

Information:

 

*All data sourced from Semrush.