As a student, struggling to keep up with lectures and all the other information flying your way is no mean feat. Frantically scribbling down notes on loose papers only to lose them is not something anybody enjoys! The good news is that we live in the digital age, where there’s an app for just about everything, including apps for writing notes. Well, we've scoured the web for the best note taking apps for students in 2024. Whether you're looking for simple sticky-note-style apps for taking notes or a database-driven powerhouse, we've got you covered. So, buckle up, and let's discover the best note taking apps for students in 2024!
Using the best note-taking apps for students is a long-practised and trusted method for academic success. These best free note-taking apps for students not only make note-taking convenient but also ensure effective learning. They provide you with the perfect way to retain any sort of information! Before you download the best note-taking app for students, keep these factors in mind:
We have curated a list of study note apps made for students, which are built for phones, tablets, and desktops. Let’s have a look at the best note-taking apps for students for Android and iOS:
Note-Taking Apps for Students: Android & iOS
Scan pictures, free-form text boxes
By believing that our brain is like a sponge, it soaks a lot of information in a day; finding the best note-taking apps for students is a strategy that helps to wring out and organise this information. As we grow in a digital age, below is the list of some of the best note taking apps for students:
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free
USP: Collaborate and work together
Rating: 4/5
Google Review: “Great, minimalistic interface. A tool for taking notes needs to be simple, not cluttered with pointless, fussy options. This app delivers perfectly.”
When it comes to complex interface and puzzling navigation, you are likely to hit the uninstall button for a class notes app. Simplenote tackles this problem as it lives up to its name. With its no-frills design, you can easily create to-do lists & ideas and take important notes. Some features that make it one of the best note-taking apps for students: it can be anywhere across all your devices. With this app for study notes, you can add tags for easy bifurcation & navigation, go back in time and see any changes, and publish your notes online.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, Windows, Web
Price: Free for basic features. Upgrade to Core Plan for $29/year.
USP: Tagging system to mark notes
Rating: 3/5
Google Review: “Cross-compatibility is flawless. Firing it up and taking quick notes is super simple, as is the editor.”
If a secure and private note-taking app is what you're looking for, Standard Notes is the way to go! It’s the best note taking app for students that prioritises security, offers powerful search, and encrypts all notes by default. As the best study notes app available, Standard Notes' free version surpasses other apps' premium versions regarding features you can access. Its feature of letting you revisit older versions of your notes or recover accidental edits makes it our favourite app for study notes.
Users of iOS on multiple devices, such as an Apple phone, MacBook, and iPad, have different requirements when it comes to finding the best note taking apps for students. The following are among the best note taking apps for Apple users you can go with:
Platforms: iOS, macOS, Web
Price: Free
USP: Voice Notes
Rating: 4.8/5
App Store Review: “I love this app so very much, and I find it very useful. I also like to schedule my daily plans and last-minute trips. I feel like this app is my getaway to a world of writing.”
Also known as Notes or iCloud Notes, Apple Notes is easily one of the best note-taking apps for students. It is available for free to all Apple device users. One unique feature that makes Apple Notes the best note-taking app for iPad for school or college is its ability to edit notes from any device with a browser through an iCloud account, eliminating the need for a separate file-sharing service.
Platforms: iOS, Mac, iPad
Price: Free
USP: All in one
Rating: 4.6/5
App Store Review: “I have only had PowerPoint in Microsoft 365 for five months. However, thanks to Freeform, it has made my science fair project for the next school year easier.”
An app developed exclusively for Apple product users, FreeForm has impressed students with its user-friendly interface. Students can do it all, from projects to recording audio and embedding videos. If apps are not your thing, you can always look for the best study websites for students, which are easy to understand and resourceful.
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Platforms: iOS, Mac
Price: Free; upgrade to Pro for $1.49/month.
USP: Individual notes encryption
Rating: 4.7/5
App Store Review: “Bear is really handy, and it has just enough features. I can clip from any webpage, I can hashtag my notes for easier sorting, and I especially like the security feature.”
Bear blends word processing and note-taking to create an irresistible combo that allows users to enjoy the best of both worlds. A study notes app with powerful Markdown capabilities and a great writing experience, Bear's organisational system is simple, using tags and nested hierarchy, and it has an archive feature to save notes. Not only is it the best note-taking app for students, but it is also perfect for those with a penchant for creativity. Bear never lets you forget any ideas or inspiration you stumble upon! Being one of the best apps to take notes on Mac for college, it offers a clean look and additional features in its premium version.
Platforms: iOS
Price: Free; subscription plans starting from $8 monthly
USP: Archive or unarchive notes
Rating: 4.4/5
App Store Review: “Perfect for drafts and making quick notes, and even better, you can save your ideas that pop up on the go, on the app.”
Mem is a super AI and one of the best note-taking apps for students in the market. It has integrated the potential of artificial intelligence for taking notes through AI-driven building features. The study notes app delivers unique functions like smart search, which saves time in looking for notes based on their history, goals, and theme of search. Keeping AI at its prime, this student note-taking app lets you save links and sync emails. You can use the calendar, which brings everything in one place, so you don't have to switch through tabs anymore!
Platforms: iOS
Price: Free & subscription plans
USP: Timeline approach to organising notes
Rating: 4.7/5
App Store Review: “Agenda's versatility makes it perfect for deploying & repurposing content so it becomes useful at your fingertips.
Agenda Notes, one of the best note taking apps for students, has cracked the code to keep your productivity or organising train on track. With a unique focus on chronological events, you can assign dates or link your calendar in Agenda Notes. One feature that makes it one of the most downloaded and best note taking apps for students is its timely reminders. Agenda Notes has also won the Apple Design award because of its intricate, fun, and pop design that landscapes the feeling of being motivated!
Platforms: iOS, Web
Price: Free
USP: Beautiful handwritten notes
Rating: 4.7/5
App Store Review: “Incredibly, Noteful checks all the boxes and adds stuff I wouldn't have thought of. ”
As a student, getting a seamless experience while taking notes, either in a class or for other purposes, is vital. Interestingly, Noteful checks all the boxes of being at the top among the best note-taking apps for students. You can import PDFs along with your Microsoft Office documents in the app before your exams. The student note taking app also provides you with strong editing capabilities and to audio record your notes. Apart from functioning as a note-taking app, there are various study planning apps for students that can further help you ace your exams.
Platforms: iOS, Windows, Android, Mac
Price: Free
USP: AI-powered writing
Rating: 4.8/5
Google Review: “Honestly, I really love using this app! It is very well thought out, and I can use it for many different kinds of workflows.”
Goodnotes is an app that has reimagined the task of taking notes for students and emerged as a powerful notes app for students. As one of the best note-taking apps for students to have on their phones or laptops, it offers features like none other. AI writing experience and on-the-go access to PDFs and other documents are some of the many incredible features that make Goodnotes the best app for making notes.
Looking for a seamless note-taking experience integrated with Google's ecosystem? Here is one of the best note apps that synchronises perfectly with Google Drive, Calendar, and more!
Platforms: Android, iOS, Web, Chrome
Price: Free for 15GB of storage across all Google apps
USP: Pin notes to your phone
Rating: 4.1/5
Google Review: “I love this app. It's very simple to use. I especially like how I can verbally update my list through Google Home and it's super convenient.”
If you primarily use Google applications for your work, you will worship Google Keep, which tops this list for being the best note taking app for students and every Google user. It is a cross-platform note-taking app with a simple interface that works well with other Google tools. Students can also categorise their notes by adding up to 50 tags and highlighting them using colours, enabling them to study effectively. Also, Google Keep has become the best note taking app for students because of its uncluttered look and zero complex menus.
If you are in need of a platform for real-time brainstorming with your team? Explore these top note-taking websites that offer robust collaborative features for effective note-taking and sharing.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Price: Free
USP: Create Presentations
Rating: 4.0/5
Google Review: “Paper is great for imagining what the final article is going to look like.”
One of the revolutionary study notes apps has some of the best features found in notes for students apps. The best note-taking app for students allows you to send large files, embed YouTube videos, and edit PDFs, among many other features. Two of the exceptional features of one of the best note taking apps for students available are electronic signatures and the ability to scan receipts, pictures, documents, and much more.
Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Web
Price: Free
USP: No storage limit
Rating: 3.6/5
Google Review: “Simply Incredible! This note-taking app does it all, literally. The file and webpage embeds are very useful. The infinite recursion is valuable. The templates and tutorials are brief but to the point so that you are not lost in the sea of possibilities.”
If you're looking for the best note taking apps for college students for collaboration purposes, look no further! The notion is one of the powerful, database-driven school and university note taking apps, offering flexible pages with a template engine. The tables function like databases, nested hierarchical organisation, and a hybrid editor allowing Markdown and UI formatting. These aspects make Notion one of the must-have apps for students, and it is ranked as the best note-taking app for Android for students.
For those who demand more from their note taking apps, explore these powerful tools designed for advanced organisation, customization, and productivity. These note taking apps are ideal for those who want to capture every detail efficiently.
Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux
Price: Free (for personal and educational use)
USP: Customisable toolbar
Rating: 4.5/5
Google Review: “It's surprisingly customisable for a mobile app; it even has a plugin system.”
Known as one of the best note-taking apps for students, Obsidian is a must-have for power note-takers. It is based on Markdown and a local file/folder structure, making it simple and accessible to all users. The study notes app is highly customisable, allowing users with technical skills to create plugins and turn features on and off to suit their needs. Apart from being the best app for making notes for students to use on a day-to-day basis, the cross-platform app can be accessible offline without an account.
Platforms: iOS, Mac, Linux, Windows, Android
Price: $15/month (after a 31-day free trial)
USP: Bidirectional link
Rating: 3.0/5
Google Review: “Love that it's finally out. Great interface; love the quick capture and easy switching to the graph.”
Roam Research is the best note-taking app for students, and it works with Windows and Linux, among other platforms. One feature that makes it the best app for taking notes is its feature of linking between notes instead of folders and tags. It has strong support for Markdown and encourages daily journaling, making it one of the best note-taking app for Windows and Linux. Following a bi-directional approach, this app is not your everyday study notes app and lets you switch back and forth through your ideas smoothly and fluidly.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Web
Price: $7.99/month
USP: Customisable home dashboard
Rating: 4.4/5
Google Review: “The app is really good for note-taking! Organisation is also very easy in it, and you can even link to another note in one.”
Evernote is cross-platform and multi-platform, and one of the best apps for notes students can try. The best student note-taking app is suitable for processing handwritten notes and clipping articles from the web. It is the best note taking app for students because Evernote can hold multiple file formats, including PDFs and PowerPoints, and offers a scanner for mobile and a web clipper for browsers. Students can receive a 50% discount on Premium for a year. Using Evernote when preparing for an exam like the TOEFL exam can reduce your stress dramatically! Its easy note organisation feature makes it to the list of the best note-taking apps for students.
Looking for more options to keep your studies organised? Check out these additional note-taking apps tailored to help students manage lectures, assignments, and projects effortlessly.
Platforms: iOS/ Windows/ Android
Price: Free
USP: AI-powered writing
Rating: 4.7/5
Google Review: “I've used this in my training courses for years. I take notes quickly and it transcribes everything to perfectly readable text.”
Apart from being one of the top note taking apps, Nebo is also one of the most revolutionary study notes apps. With Nebo, you can take notes in your handwriting, and this note-taking app for students will convert them into text! From AI-powered handwriting to editing via pen gestures, it is the best note-taking app for college students, providing a seamless experience for users.
Platforms: Linux, Mac, Windows
Price: $14.99 (one-time purchase)
USP: Seamless live preview
Rating: 3.0/5
Review: “When opening the app, the first thing you'll notice is how simple it is. And this is what sets Typora apart from most writing and Markdown tools. This simplicity helped me get into a flow state without much hassle.”
Typora is a highly customisable hybrid Markdown editor and one of the best note-taking apps for students. It works on all major operating systems and offers users a seamless reading and writing experience. We think it’s the best app for taking notes in class because of its Focus Mode, Table of Contents, and multiple themes. You can organise your files using the file tree panel and import files in PDF format to optimise search. Paired with a language-learning app, Typora can be your BFF for learning a foreign language, as well as the best note taking app for students.
Platforms: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web
Price: Free
USP: Scan pictures & extract text
Rating: 4.7/5
Google Review: “Pretty powerful notes app. Lots of editing options and instant syncing across all devices.”
Microsoft OneNote is the best free note taking app for Android tablets or any other device. It is a cross-platform app for study notes with all the features of Evernote. It offers a free-form text box and drawing capability. Microsoft OneNote also allows users to pick from various templates for every imaginable purpose, including e-books and University-focused templates. Some OneNote tips and tricks will enhance your experience, making it one of the must-have apps for uni notes or while studying.
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Subscription plan
USP: Drag-and-drop interface
Rating: 3.7/5
Google Review: “I like the approach of this phone app in that it does not try to replicate the capabilities of the desktop/iPad app. Milanote is a highly visual program, and this would not be very user-friendly on a small screen.”
Milanote is an innovative and the best note-taking app for students, as it goes beyond traditional text-based notes for students. A visually rich interface allows users to create dynamic visual boards to capture and organise their ideas, inspirations, and projects. Milanote is the best note-taking app for students, as you can add images, videos, links, and notes to boards. It’s even a perfect match for creative professionals, designers, and teams collaborating on visual projects. Milanote is a versatile and best note-taking app for students that empowers them to turn their ideas into visually engaging and well-organised notes.
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Platforms: Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, macOS
Price: Free
USP: Workflow customisation is available
Rating: 4/5
Google Review: “I love that it's open-source and free. You can sync with Dropbox or OneDrive.”
If you are looking for open-source, subscription-free apps to make notes on your laptop and phone, Joplin is the answer. You will enjoy its clean interface to organise notes with ease. Plus, Markdown support helps you format and highlight like a pro, along with several plugins. Joplin is not only the best note-taking app for lectures but also keeps your notes private. You can collaborate with your friends after classes and access notes anywhere.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows
Price: Free & paid subscription plan
USP: Launcher Shortcuts
Rating: 4.0/5
Google Review: “Perfect note-taking app. There are lots of customisation options - choosing notebook covers, extensive text formatting, and the ability to create different types of notes (written, to-do list, audio, drawn, photo, video, and file attachment).”
Zoho Notebook is the best student note-taking app in Windows and is thoughtfully designed to arrange your thoughts and put them in an organised manner. Zoho Notebook is not just a "simple" and best notes app for students but has a lot in store. Its 168.8 MB capacity is a good way to collaborate, manage & organise your notes. Zoho also paves its way as one of the best reminder apps, as you can set alarms. It is also the best note taking app for uni students, owing to its tags to help you sort similar notes in one place. In short, it has carefully chosen and integrated the best functions in one app for study notes!
With many options, you're sure to find the perfect note-taking app that suits your quirky personality and meets all your jotting needs. Be it your university classes or online study courses for upgrading your skills; note taking apps can be a great tool to navigate your academic needs. These best note taking apps for students will help you survive your first year in college. So pick one (or more!) to include in your student starter pack and start scribbling your next big idea or simply jot down your grocery list. Plus, don’t forget to check out the amber app if you want to make big savings on flight bookings or forex cards. So, happy note-taking!
