Free picks
11 Best Free Note-taking Apps
Most people do not need to pay for a note app. These are the strongest note-taking tools you can use for free or on a free plan, from local Markdown apps you fully own to all-in-one workspaces and AI-assisted second brains.
Short answer
Our top picks for free note-taking apps are Obsidian, Logseq and Anytype. Of the 11 picks on this list, 2 are completely free and 9 have a free plan.
Updated
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The list
Every pick is free or has a usable free plan. Pricing and features change, so check each tool's own site before you commit.
- 1
Local-first markdown notes with a powerful link graph.
Why it stands out: Your notes stay yours as plain files
Best for Writers, Students, Developers · Desktop App
- 2
A privacy-first, open-source knowledge base that works on local files.
Why it stands out: Excellent for building a personal knowledge graph with bidirectional links
Best for Students · Desktop App
- 3
The local-first, privacy-focused alternative to Notion.
Why it stands out: Truly local-first approach ensures data ownership and privacy
Best for Developers, Professionals, Personal Use · Desktop App
- 4
One workspace for notes, docs, projects and wikis.
Why it stands out: Extremely flexible
Best for Students, Creators, Teams · Web App
- 5
Open-source workspace for docs, whiteboards and databases.
Why it stands out: Docs and whiteboard in one
Best for Teams, Creators, Developers · Web App
- 6
A new tool for your thoughts and creative work.
Why it stands out: Unique object-based approach makes organizing diverse information intuitive and powerful
Best for Creators, Writers, Students · Web App
- 7
Notes and spaced repetition flashcards in one place.
Why it stands out: Notes and revision in one tool
Best for Students, Professionals, Personal Use · Web App
- 8
Structured notes where every tag behaves like a database.
Why it stands out: Extremely powerful data model
Best for Developers, Writers, Managers · Web App
- 9
A long-running notes and web-clipping archive with strong search.
Why it stands out: Excellent search, including inside images and PDFs
Best for Professionals, Students, Writers · Web App
- 10
Fast, elegant markdown notes for Apple devices.
Why it stands out: Beautiful and fast
Best for Writers, Students, Personal Use · iOS App
- 11
Your mind, amplified.
Why it stands out: AI capabilities automatically link related ideas and organize content.
Best for Writers, Professionals, Entrepreneurs · AI Tool
Frequently asked questions
- Which of these free note-taking apps is the top pick?
- Obsidian is our first pick. Local-first markdown notes with a powerful link graph. Obsidian has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features or usage.
- Are all of these note-taking apps free?
- Every pick is free to start. 2 picks are completely free, and 9 have free plans with paid upgrades for more features or usage.
- Which ones are easiest for beginners?
- Evernote and Bear are rated beginner-friendly in our directory.
- What platforms do these tools run on?
- The most common platforms are iOS (11 of 11 picks), macOS (11) and Android (9). Check each tool's page for its full list of platforms.
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