Welcome to Notability: powerful, yet wonderfully simple note-taking and PDF annotation. Apple Editors' Choice on iPad, iPhone, and Mac! Top selling paid app on iPad App Store, regularly ranked #1. Students, teachers, and business professionals use Notability daily to enrich their lives.
From the living room to the lecture hall to the conference center, these are the best note taking apps for Mac!
Staying organized means having a good note taking app. Whether you're a student or professional, compulsive or casual, note taking apps can help you gather your thoughts, keep information synced across all your devices, or simply keep your memos handy for when you need them the most, there are a lot of great choices. Apple offers their own, built-in Notes App, but the Mac App Store has amazing alternatives as well. Which one is the best one for you? Here are my favorites!
Evernote
Evernote handles not only free form notes like champ, but lets you upload images and make checklists too. It can then sync your data across platforms, including iPhone and iPad. As far as organization goes, Evernote lets you use both tags and separate notebooks. One of my favorite things about the Mac app is that if you click on a note to open it, you can also see related notes underneath it based on tags and keywords. In my experience they're always fairly accurate and make it even easier to find notes on a particular topic or subject.
If you want the best cross-platform support available paired with powerful organizational tools, Evernote fits the bill.
See also:
Simplenote
Simplenote, as its name implies, is simple. You're basically given a blank canvas and the ability to create endless amounts of notes. There is support for search and tags though which makes finding things later on a relatively easy task. Simplenote has no frills and absolutely no learning curve. Sign up for an account in order to sync your notes with the Simplenote service and start typing. That's it.
For a barebones note taking app that gets out of the way, there's nothing better than Simplenote.
See also:
NoteSuite
NoteSuite is a free form note taking app that lets you take notes in rich text format, instead of just plain text. If you choose to let it, NoteSuite can also double as a task manager of sorts and handles alerts and reminders rather well. In my experience it isn't as powerful and flexible in that aspect as dedicated todo apps, but for an all-in-one solution, it'll work for most people. NoteSuite links in with iCloud too so all your notes are synced across iOS and OS X at all times.
If plain text isn't your thing or you want a complete todo and note taking solution, NoteSuite is a perfectly acceptable option.
See also:
Notational Velocity
Notational Velocity is a simple note taking app for Mac that was created around taking super fast notes without ever having to take your hands off the keyboard. With shortcuts and ways to easily start new notes and link to others, it's one of the quickest options around, once you learn the shortcuts. It's plain, it's basic, and it'll be perfect for a lot of people.
If you want to hammer out notes as fast as humanly possible, no mouse required, get Notational Velocity.
Byword
Even though Byword is technically a text editor more than it is a note taking app, I've used it for both in the past. If you're writing lengthy notes or outlines and know Markdown, Byword is an excellent option. Not to mention it tackles two birds with one stone since you can use it for general purpose writing as well. Byword not only contains iCloud support but integrates with services such as Wordpress and Evernote as well.
If your notes are long form or you want Markdown support without the frills, Byword is where its at.
See also:
Best Note Taking Apps
Your picks?
Have you settled on a note taking app for Mac? If so, let me know which one and why you picked it? Also, what's the most important feature to you when it comes to note taking apps? Let me know that too!
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So many ports
Plugable's UD-6950Z Dock may be built for Windows but it saved my Mac
I had to jump through hoops to uninstall the macOS developer beta and reinstall Catalina and the Plugable docking station made it all possible.
From that random idea that needs to be jotted down, to making complex notes and mind maps, in today’s day and age, it’s better to stick to a note taking application, rather than relying on physical pen and paper.
In our previous article, we saw some of the best note taking apps for Windows, and in this one, we have got you covered with our list of the best note taking apps for Mac.
Best Note Taking Apps for Mac1. Apple Notes
The stock Notes app that comes with Mac OS itself, is actually not that bad. It comes with basic note taking functionalities like formatting, lists, checkboxes, drag and dropping pictures/files. While it doesn’t offer anything out of the box, where Apple Notes shines is how fast it is to open and get started with a new note. Also it syncs immediately and effortlessly with the Notes app on your iPhone and iPad. We highly suggest you first checking out this app which already comes with your Mac, before buying or installing another note taking app.
Pros:
– Very fast and simple to use – Comes pre-installed – Sync with notes app on iPhone and iPad
Cons:
– Not ideal for handwritten notes or drawings – No charts, graph support – Works only within the Apple Ecosystem
Bottom Line: If you are someone who needs to take notes on your computer very rarely, might be for a grocery list or quick information, you’ll get by easily using the stock Notes app. Apple Notes does offer all the basic functionalities you might need and best of all, you don’t even need to install another app.
Price: Free
Link: Use Apple Notes on iCloud here
2. Evernote
Chances are you have heard of Evernote, as it is one of the most popular note taking apps available on almost all platforms. Evernote offers some great ways to keep all your notes perfectly organised. You start off your note by creating/selecting a particular notebook and all your notes are kept organised in these notebooks. You also have a tags to classify all your stuff, and it basically works like a File Cabinet.
In terms of features, it is a beast and it has almost any and every feature you’d want in a note taking app including pie charts and bar graphs to searching text in a picture. We also strongly recommend trying Evernote with its Web-clipper companion which makes taking notes/clips form the web so easy, you can never go back. But all this does come at a price, which makes Evernote a little on the bulkier and slower side.
Pros:
– Feature packed to the brim – Available on all platforms – Easy organisation of notes
Cons:
– Heavy app and takes time to start up – Costly
Read: Don’t Like Their New Pricing, Try These 8 Best Free Evernote Alternatives
Bottom Line: Well, if you are someone who has to take loads of notes and are also looking to keep them organised in the best way possible, Evernote is a really good investment.
Price: Free(Basic), $34.99/Year(Plus), $69.99/Year(Premium)
Link: Download Evernote from here
3. Unclutter
Unclutter is a neat tool which can increase your productivity by many folds. The app works almost like Sticky Notes; you can access it very quickly from any window you are working on. Just go to the top of your screen and scroll down, Unclutter should appear with its three windows: the first being the Clipboard, second being Files and the last being the Notes section.
Creating a note is pretty fast, just make Unclutter appear and start with your new note or even copy directly from the clipboard or even a file. Click on the ‘+’ to take another note and you can also see all your notes or search through them.
But do keep in mind that the notes you can take are pretty limited to text only and the absence of formatting and checkbox lists might be. Ideal breaker for some.
Pros:
– Easy access, one swipe away – Pretty fast – Comes with a Clipboard as well as a file holder
Cons:
– Supports only text notes – No organisation – No sync, only on Mac OS
Bottom Line: Unclutter is a very cool app where you can take notes in a jiffy, so we’d recommend this app for someone who is looking to take some quick text notes while working on their computer and doesn’t need any fancy formatting or feature.
Price: $9.99 (Free Trial available)
Link: Get Unclutter here
4. BoostNote
Next on our list, we have a note taking app specifically designed for programmers. BoostNote started out as a open source project and has gained a lot of popularity among the programming community over the years.
What this app basically allows you to do is store your code or code snippets as notes. You can access quickly or even take notes in markdown. Once you open the app, you can select if you want to create a markdown note or create a code snippet. And when I said it is meant for developers, I meant it. BoostNote supports code syntax highlighting in more than a hundred languages and it is also very easy to keep all your notes organised.
Pros:
– Supports markdown notes – Code highlighting – Plenty of syntax and UI themes – Open source – Available on all platforms
Cons:
– Bulky – Takes time to startup
Bottom Line: Well the answer is obvious, this app is a blessing for programmers as they can now manage all their code snippets and keep them organised while also not losing on the ability to take notes in markdown.
Price: Free
Link: Download Boostnote from here
5. OneNote
OneNote is a full blown note taking application from Microsoft, which has been here for a while now. And over all these years, it feels like Microsoft has almost perfected the note-taking experience.
What separates OneNote its competitors is that it using the app feels very close to taking notes on a real notebook; you can write, draw, add pictures literally anywhere on the page at any orientation, just like on a paper notebook. It also comes with a ton of features, the biggest selling point would be built in OCR reader. While you can get it for free for almost all platforms, the Mac app is huge in size and a little slow to use.
Pros:
– Feature-rich note taking app – Office integration – Notebook like experience – Completely free
Cons:
– Huge size – Can be sluggish at times
Bottom Line: If you are invested even a little in the Microsoft space, OneNote is a no brainer and even if you are not and looking for a great digital notebook, OneNote won’t disappoint.
Price: Free
Note Taking Apps For Mac And Iphone 6
Link: OneNote is available here
6. Notability
Notability is our pick as the best note taking app for students. It works exceptionally well with the Apple Pencil on the iPad to create beautiful hand-written notes and sketches. You can rotate, scale, and recolour your ideas and sketches until your notes are just how you want them. You can even markup photos and annotate PDFs and once you’re done you can easily share them through Airdrop or any other storage service.
Notability keeps all your notes neatly organised and also syncs them up between your iPad, iPhone and Mac, so you can access them anytime anywhere.
Pros:
– Great for hand-written notes and sketches – Support for pressure sensitive strokes of the Apple Pencil
Cons:
– No search tags – No support for shapes – Pricey
Bottom Line: If you have an iPad which you use to take or sketch notes, Notability works really well with the Apple Pencil and if you have the money to spend, just go for it.
A great alternative to Notability would be ZoomNotes which comes at a lower price, but offers almost all the features of Notability.
Price: $9.99
Note Taking Apps For Windows
Link: Buy Notability from here
7. Journey
The next app on our list is Journey, which takes maintaining your daily notes to a whole new level. While Journey is aimed more to be a digital journal, you can still use the feature-packed text editor to take quick notes and Journey will keep them ordered by the date. You can also search through all your notes and even view them by locations. The app backs up and syncs all your notes using Google Drive and it should be imperative to say, it also does provide impressive security features to protect your privacy.
Pros:
– Keeps everything organised like a Diary – Easy note taking – Streamlined review of your notes
Cons:
– Costly – Requires Gmail/Google Drive account
Bottom Line: Journey works best for noting down your everyday goals or writing something about your day. If you are looking to make the switch from a physical diary to a digital one, Journey might be your best bet.
Price: $16.99
Link: Download Journey from here
8. Manuscripts
With all the normal note taking apps or text editors, it gets really hard to note down or represent scientific equations, derivatives and mathematical graphs. Enter Manuscripts, a free note taking app made for scientists and scholarly writing. Describing it as just a note taking app would be an understatement as it is capable of much more from a writing a research article to penning down a book.
There are various templates which you can choose from and a plethora of import and export options including LaTeX.
Pros:
– Scientific Notes/Writing – Solid import and export formats – Citation and bibliography formatting
Cons:
– Not quick for taking simple notes
Bottom Line: Manuscripts is a capable and powerful app for when the going gets tough. Of course, it isn’t for the average Joe, but rather for taking scientific notes with equations and graphs. If you are looking for more of a digital laboratory notebook with support for experiment templates along with equations and graphs, check out Findings.
Price: Free
Link: Ger Manuscripts here
9. iThoughtsX
Last but definitely not least, we have iThoughtsX, a mind mapping tool that lets you organise your thoughts and at a glance see the whole project. Mind maps are ideal for brainstorming with means of keeping your ideas structured and nothing gets omitted out in the whole process.
Although it has a steep learning curve, it’s really easy once you get the hold of it. There are multiple templates and layouts from which you can start and there’s an impressive amount of built-in icons and clipart images.
Pros:
– Create perfect mind maps for summarising and meeting notes – Task Management – Hand-off feature(Start your min map on one device and finish on another device) Free Note Taking App
Cons:
– Steep learning curve – Not good for other kind of notes Note Taking On Mac
Bottom Line: Mind maps are especially useful for managers and developers or anyone managing a large project. So if you know you need to create mind maps, this app is for you.
Price: $49.99
Note Taking Apps For Mac And Iphone X
Link: Get iThoughtsX here
Note Taking Apps For MacbookWrapping Up: Best Note Taking Apps for Mac
We believe that there is an app for everyone with their own particular need. So whether you are a student or programmer or businessman, we really hope that you could find at least one note taking app from this list suitable to your own needs. And that concludes our list of the top note taking applications available for the Mac. Don’t forget to connect with us and tell us your favourite app from the list or if we missed yours.
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