Best 20+ Tools for Taking Notes in 2025

Obsidian is a note-taking app that works with plain text files stored directly on your device. You can write notes, link them together, and see how your ideas connect through a visual graph. Unlike cloud-based tools, everything stays private on your computer.

Notion is a versatile all-in-one workspace that functions like a set of digital building blocks. Think of it as a combination of Google Docs, Trello, Airtable, and Evernote all rolled into one seamless platform. Every page in Notion is built using 'blocks' - individual pieces of content like text, images, databases, or embedded files that you can arrange however you want.

Logseq is an open-source note-taking tool that helps you capture and connect your thoughts. Everything you write is stored as plain text files on your device, giving you complete control over your data. You never have to worry about a company shutting down or changing their prices because your files belong to you.

Craft is a tool for creating documents that look great and work well. You can write notes, manage tasks, build collections of information, and share everything with others. Unlike basic note apps, Craft lets you organize content using cards, pages, and folders that connect together.

Bear is a writing and note-taking tool that runs on Apple devices. You type notes in plain text and add formatting using simple Markdown commands. This means you can make text bold, create headers, add links, or insert images without reaching for your mouse.

Capacities is a note-taking and knowledge management app built around objects instead of traditional folders. When you create a note about a person, book, or project, it becomes an object you can easily link to other notes. This makes finding connections between your ideas much simpler.

RemNote is a note-taking and learning platform that helps you remember what you learn. It combines several useful features in one place: organized note-taking, automatic flashcard creation, PDF reading and highlighting, and a smart review system.

Joplin is a powerful tool for capturing and organizing your thoughts, to-do lists, and information. It supports rich text and Markdown formatting, allowing you to create notes with images, attachments, tables, and even code snippets. You can clip web pages directly from your browser and save them as notes for later reference.

Tana is an AI-powered workspace that brings together the best of note-taking apps and databases into one unified platform. Think of it as a digital brain that helps you capture, connect, and organize all your information in a way that actually makes sense.

UpNote is a note-taking tool that helps you write, organize, and find your notes quickly. You can create notes with text, images, files, and even tables. The app works on iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux, so you can access your notes from any device.