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Wikipedia / Comparison of note-taking software

The tables below compare features of notable note-taking software. These comparisons highlight differences in platform availability, synchronization capabilities, formatting options, storage limits, and integration with other applications. While some applications like Microsoft OneNote and Evernote offer robust features with cloud syncing across devices, others such as Simplenote prioritize minimalism and speed. Open-source tools like Joplin provide privacy-focused alternatives, allowing users to host their own notes and use end-to-end encryption. These tables aim to help users choose a note-taking tool that best fits their workflow, whether for academic, personal, or professional use.

The tables below compare features of notable note-taking software.

General information

Name

Developer(s)

License

Platforms

AllMyNotes Organizer

Vladonai Software

Microsoft Windows

Bear

Shiny Frog

macOS, iOS

CintaNotes

Cinta Software

Microsoft Windows

ConnectedText

Eduardo Mauro

Microsoft Windows

Day One

Bloom Built (Automattic)

macOS, iOS, Android

Dropbox Paper

Dropbox

Android, iOS, web-based

Evernote

Evernote Corporation

Android, iOS, macOS, Microsoft Windows 7/8/10, Microsoft Windows Phone, and web-based

Gnote

Aurimas Černius

Linux

Google Keep

Google

Android, iOS, ChromeOS, browser based

Joplin

laurent22 et al.

Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

KeyNote

Marek Jedliński, Tranglos Software

Microsoft Windows

Logseq

Logseq Inc

Windows, macOS, Android, Linux, iOS, BSD

Memonic

Nektoon AG

Android (not released yet), iOS, macOS, Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7/Mobile web-based

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft

Android, macOS, iOS, Microsoft Windows (desktop and mobile), PWA

MyInfo

Milenix Software

Microsoft Windows

MyNotex

Massimo Nardello

Linux

Notational Velocity

Zachary Schneirov

macOS

Notes

Apple

macOS, iOS, web-based

Notion

Notion Labs Inc.

Android, macOS, iOS (iPad, iPhone), Microsoft Windows, web-based

Obsidian

Dynalist Inc.

Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Android

Open-Sankoré

Sankoré

Linux, macOS, Unix, Microsoft Windows

Org-mode (Emacs)

Carsten Dominik, et al.

Linux, macOS, Unix, Microsoft Windows

PDF Studio

Qoppa Software

Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, web-based

Personal Knowbase

Bitsmith Software

Microsoft Windows

QOwnNotes

Patrizio Bekerle it

Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows

Qiqqa

Quantisle Ltd.

Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7/8, Web-based, Android

Roam

Roam Research

macOS, Linux, Microsoft Windows

Samsung Notes

Samsung Electronics

Android, Microsoft Windows

Simplenote

Automattic inc.

Web app

TagSpaces

TagSpaces UG

Web app

TiddlyWiki

Jeremy Ruston

Cross-platform (single HTML file, runs in browser, on a nodeJS server, on Android and IOS)

Tomboy

Alex Graveley

Cross-platform (Mono/GTK+)

Ulysses

The Soulmen

macOS, iOS

Whizfolders

AvniTech Solutions

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows Journal

Microsoft

Windows XP Tablet PC edition, Windows Vista through Windows 10 v1511

Zettlr

Hendrik Erz

macOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux

Zim

Jaap Karssenberg

Cross-platform (Python, GTK+)

ZOHO Notebook

ZOHO Corporation

Web app

Basic features

Organizing principle(s)

Sync

Printing

File save/export/import formats

Tree

, encrypted; import: plain text, RTF, CSV, images, HTML; exports: plain text, HTML, RTF, images

tags

, encrypted; export: plain text, markdown, textbundle, RTF, HTML, DOCX, PDF, JPG, ePub

Notebooks, sections, tags

; export to Unicode text, XML and HTML

Wiki, Tree and Categories

(SQL); Export to text, XML, CHM and HTML. Import from text, HTML, XML and RTF

Chronological, tagss

Markdown (in GUI), XML (data file); Export as: pdf, txt, md

tags, Notebooks, Stacks

Imports and exports in Evernote XML.

Notebooks

NoteXmlFormat, HTML, PDF

tags, colors

; export to Google Doc and thence to PDF, Word, ODT etc.

Nested notebooks, tree, tags

Import/Export: JEX (Proprietary), RAW (Proprietary, directory), Markdown (optionally with front matter); Export: HTML, PDF; Import: Evernote ENEX

Notebooks, notes and tree

Internal: combination of TXT and RTF; import/export: TXT, RTF, HTML, Treepad

Notebooks, journal pages, blocks and pages

Internal: There are two versions of the software: a markdown version and a database version; export: PDF, HTML.

Notes stored as XML; can attach any filetype

Notebooks, notebook sections, section groups, tags (could be applied to content blocks)

Imports: Evernote XML. Exports: OneNote binary format.

Notebooks, sections, notes, tree, tags, custom attributes

, encrypted; import: plain text, RTF, CSV, MS Word, TreePad, images, web pages; exports: plain text, HTML, RTF, CSV, MS Word, TreePad

Sqlite based, zipped attachments; export to HTML; copying as LaTeX; import text files, OpenOffice.org documents

notes, tree, tags

Sqlite based; export to PDF

Notebooks, notebook sections, section

; export to PDF, HTML, Markdown, CSV

Wiki, Tree and Categories

Markdown, PDF

PDF, PS, TIFF, CHM, DjVu, DVI, XPS, ODF, others; export PDF+notes for sending to other Okular users

tree, notebooks

Save/export: PDF, IWB, UBZ; Import: PDF, IWB, UBZ, images, image directories

tree, tags

LaTeX, HTML, DocBook, Taskjuggler, PDF, Freemind, XOXO, iCalendar

PDF

tagss

Export to RTF, HTML, TXT, CSV

tagss, brainstorm

, PDF, Brainstorm; export to RTF and Word

tagss

Export to XML

tags, files, directories

PNG, JPG, GIF, BMP, ICO, WEBP, SVG, PDF, HTML, MHT, MHTML, MARKDOWN, TXT, XML, JSON, OGG, OGV, WEBM, ODT, ODS, ODP, ODG, EPUB, ZIP

tags (wikiwords)

(via browser)

HTML, json, txt, csv

NoteXmlFormat, HTML, PDF, wiki-formats

Notebooks, sections, tags

Rich text; export as HTML; import text files; markdown editing.

Tree, Tags, Wiki

Markdown, Export and Import of Pandoc supported formats.

tags (wikiwords)

, using installed web browser

Stored in modified DokuWiki Markdown; export: HTML, LaTeX, Pandoc Markdown, Sphinx RST (reStructuredText)

Name

Organizing principle(s)

Sync

Printing

File save/export/import formats

Advanced formatting and content

Other objects

Remarks / other features

Alarms, check-boxes, bullets, phones, advanced links, autosaving; last cursor position memory, passwords on tree folders, failure-resistant self-healing DB engine

check-boxes, bullets, link to notes, encryption, document scanning, OCR search

?

Links to notes

Tagging and searching for tags, tag hierarchy

?

Scripting of pages with Python and other scripting languages.

LaTeX, Scripts, RSS Feeds, Transclusion, Directed Graphs and Flowcharts by GraphViz, many other features.

?

tags, bullets, numbering, line, programming code snippets

editable note metadata (date/time, location, weather, motion activity, music playing, step count)

Check-box, line, tags

Business and personal notes integrated in same client; businesses have control over business notes, but cannot see personal notes

Port of Tomboy to C++; wiki-style linked notes

?

Google Calendar reminders

Notes can be shared with other Google Keep users.

?

Part of IPython shell; allows for programming code, output and annotation to be combined in single interactive environment

Links to other notes

Configurable editor layout with live preview of Markdown; Command pallette; Notes <--> Todo conversion; Plug-ins; Cloud sync available with various services, including a separate server self-hosted server; Configurable note history; Optional client side encryption; Custom CSS (imported from local or remote source) for rendered Markdown as well as app interface;

OLE objects; "virtual nodes" which integrate and edit the content of external plain-text or rich-text files; internal links; mirror nodes.

Text processing; tree numbering and sorting; custom tree icons; node checkboxes; checkbox filtering; search filtering; reminder alarms; compressed or encrypted notebooks; auto-minimize and/or auto-lock when idle; quick access key for fast notes; additional scratchpad; autosave of up to 9 previous file versions; automatic clipboard capturing; read-only notebooks or notes; macros; templates; text shortcuts; plug-ins; bookmarks; custom keyboard shortcuts; program can be made portable through "Options" setting

Schedule/Deadline, TODO, LaTeX, arbitrary extensions

?

OLE, bullets, line, flags, formulas

No local storage of notebooks on Mac or versions past Office 2016

OLE, bullets, numbering, page breaks, advanced links

Tags; filters; calendar; reminders

?

Activity lists; tags; notes management by subject; encryption with AES or GPG; multilingual

?

Instant open and searching

Bullets, numbering, checkboxes, reminders, calendars

Bullets, numbering, checkboxes, canvases, HTML, LaTeX, internal links

plug-ins, web pages, applications

Annotate live desktop applications and web pages; autosave; plug-in system; audio recording

Advanced linking, bullets, tags, checkboxes, full spreadsheet, embedding of programming code, formulas, markup

Major mode of Emacs; uses plain-text; includes ToDos, spreadsheet, deadlines, encryption, reminders, agenda, calendar

Passwords; portable

PDF, brainstorm, citations

PDF

?

Tags, plugins

Plugins, you can present your local images, videos and music to your TV via ChromeCast. You can create a personal "wiki" for tracking of your projects, ideas or memories.

(with plugin)

HTML, LaTeX, markdown plugins

Plugins; user scripts

Note Links, highlighting, fixed-width

Reminders; to do-lists; formulas in LaTeX

Bullets, numbering, checkboxes, HTML, LaTeX, internal links, citations

Plugins; Versioning; LaTeX integration (formulas, export); HTML export (including slideshow); GNOME's Zeitgeist integration; Lilypond music sheet integration

ASCII diagram drawing; Tags; Tasks; Table of Content navigation; SQLite3 search indexing; Autosaving; Last cursor position memory; Tabbed multi-documents

Other objects

Remarks / other features

See also

Notes

References