Evernote has been a leader in the note-taking world for years. But with recent price hikes, sync limitations, and performance concerns, many users are searching for a reliable, free alternative to Evernote—and luckily, there are some great ones.
Whether you’re a student, writer, remote worker, or creative professional, here are 10 powerful Evernote alternatives you can use for free to organize your thoughts, tasks, and projects.
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1. Notion
Notion has exploded in popularity due to its flexibility. You can take notes, manage tasks, create databases, and even build wikis—all in one workspace. The free plan allows unlimited pages and blocks for personal use.
📌 Best for: All-in-one productivity and note-taking across work and life.
🌐 notion.so
2. Joplin
Joplin is a free, open-source note-taking app that supports Markdown, to-do lists, end-to-end encryption, and syncing via Dropbox or OneDrive. It’s a favorite for privacy-conscious users.
📌 Best for: Users who want complete control over their notes and full offline access.
🌐 joplinapp.org
3. Microsoft OneNote
OneNote is a free, feature-rich digital notebook integrated with Microsoft’s ecosystem. It supports stylus input, image annotation, web clipping, and syncing across all devices.
📌 Best for: Students and professionals who already use Microsoft 365.
🌐 onenote.com
4. Google Keep
Google Keep is lightweight, fast, and deeply integrated with Google Drive. It lets you take voice notes, create checklists, and pin color-coded reminders—all synced automatically with your Google account.
📌 Best for: Quick notes and reminders across mobile and web.
🌐 keep.google.com
5. Zoho Notebook
Beautifully designed and feature-rich, Zoho Notebook allows you to organize notes as visual “notecards,” supporting text, checklists, drawings, and audio. Syncs across devices for free.
📌 Best for: Users looking for a stylish, Evernote-like feel with zero cost.
🌐 zoho.com/notebook
6. Standard Notes
Standard Notes focuses on security and simplicity. It offers end-to-end encryption, Markdown support, and a distraction-free writing interface. The core features are completely free.
📌 Best for: Privacy-first users who just want clean, secure notes.
🌐 standardnotes.com
7. Obsidian
Obsidian turns your notes into a personal knowledge graph. It’s built for people who like linking ideas together with bi-directional links and Markdown. The app works entirely offline and is free for personal use.
📌 Best for: Writers, researchers, and knowledge management enthusiasts.
🌐 obsidian.md
8. Turtl
Turtl is a secure, open-source alternative to Evernote. Think of it like a vault for your thoughts, bookmarks, passwords, and research—all encrypted and organized by boards and tags.
📌 Best for: Security-focused users who want a self-hostable note solution.
🌐 turtlapp.com
9. Simplenote
Developed by the creators of WordPress, Simplenote is true to its name. It’s a minimalistic, fast, and free note app with Markdown support, tagging, and syncing across devices.
📌 Best for: Those who want distraction-free, plain text note-taking.
🌐 simplenote.com
10. Laverna
Laverna is an open-source web-based app that works like Evernote, but it’s fully private, with local storage and encryption. It doesn’t require any registration to start.
📌 Best for: Offline web note-taking with a clean interface and no login needed.
🌐 laverna.cc
Final Thoughts
Evernote paved the way for digital notebooks, but it’s no longer the only option—especially if you’re looking for something free, faster, and more flexible. Whether you want cloud sync, offline access, enhanced security, or powerful linking, these 10 Evernote alternatives offer something for every note-taking style.
