Apple Notes has come a long way since the skeuomorphic notepad design of iOS 7. These days it's actually a capable notes app with formatting, checklists, scanning, and even collaboration. I've used it as my default since around 2022, and honestly? For basic note-taking, it just works.
But the Apple-only restriction drives people away eventually. You buy a Windows laptop for work, or your partner uses Android, or you just want a web interface to access notes from anywhere. Apple Notes says no. iPhone, iPad, and Mac only. There's a janky iCloud web version, but it's clearly an afterthought with limited functionality.
The organization hits limits too. Folders and tags help, but there's no linking between notes, no graph view to see connections, no database views or advanced queries. If you're building a knowledge base or personal wiki, Apple Notes feels too simple. It's designed for quick capture, not complex information architecture.
Search is another pain point. Looking for a specific note means hoping you used the right keywords. There's no advanced search syntax, no filters by note type or metadata, nothing like what dedicated notes apps offer. With hundreds of notes, finding stuff gets tedious.
That said, Apple Notes has huge advantages: it's completely free, syncs instantly across Apple devices, and requires zero setup. The scanning feature is legitimately great for capturing documents or receipts. If you're all-in on Apple and your needs are simple, there's no compelling reason to switch.
But if you've hit any of the limitations above, or you're just curious what else exists, there are alternatives worth considering. Some are Apple-only but more powerful, others work everywhere but cost money, and a few are free and open-source if you don't mind tinkering.
Why Look Beyond Apple Notes?
Apple Notes works great until it doesn't. Here are the real reasons people switch.
The Apple Ecosystem Lock-In
This is the big one. Apple Notes only works properly on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. There's no Android app, no native Windows app, no Linux support. The iCloud web interface technically exists, but it's slow and missing features like scanning or drawing. If you use non-Apple devices for any reason, you're stuck.
I finally switched after getting a work laptop running Windows. Having to pull out my iPhone just to check a note was ridiculous. Cross-platform apps like Notion or Obsidian work everywhere, which matters more than I expected.
Organization Ceiling
Folders and tags are fine for maybe 50-100 notes. Beyond that, you need better tools. No note linking means you can't build connections between ideas. No database views means you can't organize notes by custom properties. No backlinks means you don't know which notes reference each other.
Apps like Notion and Obsidian treat notes as interconnected knowledge, not isolated documents. The difference is huge if you're building a personal knowledge base or Zettelkasten system.
Search and Discoverability
Apple Notes search is basic text matching. You can't filter by date ranges, note types, tags combined with keywords, or any advanced queries. Finding old notes means scrolling or hoping you remember the exact wording you used.
Evernote and Notion have way better search with filters, saved searches, and even OCR for text in images. When you have years of notes, good search stops being a nice-to-have and becomes essential.
Missing Advanced Features
No plugins or extensions. No templates beyond basic checklists. No API for automation. No encryption for sensitive notes (just device-level security). No version history if you accidentally delete something. No export to standard formats like Markdown without third-party tools.
Power users hit these limits fast. Apps like Obsidian have massive plugin ecosystems. Notion has templates and databases. Even Joplin (which is free) supports plugins and Markdown export.
Collaboration Is Basic
You can share notes in Apple Notes, but the collaboration features are minimal. No granular permissions, no comment threads, no real-time cursors showing where others are editing. For personal notes this is fine. For team knowledge bases or shared documentation, it's not enough.
What Makes a Good Alternative?
Switching notes apps is painful because you're moving your entire knowledge base. Here's what to prioritize.
Cross-Platform Support
Do you need Windows, Android, Linux, or web access? If yes, that immediately rules out Apple-only apps like Bear. If you're staying in the Apple ecosystem, more options open up. Be honest about your actual devices, not hypothetical future ones.
Also check sync reliability. Apple Notes syncs through iCloud flawlessly. Some alternatives use their own servers (smooth but locked-in), others use file-based sync like Dropbox (flexible but occasionally glitchy).
Note Organization Philosophy
Do you want folders and tags (Evernote's model), linked notes with backlinks (Obsidian's model), or databases and views (Notion's model)? There's no right answer, just different mental models. Try a few and see which structure matches how your brain works.
Apple Notes uses folders, which is simple but limiting. Most alternatives offer at least tags. Advanced tools add linking, which changes how you organize knowledge.
Import and Export
Can you get your Apple Notes out easily? On Mac, Notes stores data in a SQLite database that's annoying to export. Some alternatives have import tools, others make you copy-paste manually. Budget time for migration: it takes longer than you think.
Also consider future export. Will you be able to leave your new app if needed? Apps that use plain Markdown files (Obsidian, Joplin) make this easy. Proprietary formats (Evernote, Notion's database) create lock-in.
Speed and Performance
Apple Notes is fast: open the app, start typing, no loading. Some alternatives are slower, especially web-based ones like Notion. If you capture quick thoughts frequently, speed matters. If you're writing longer documents, a few seconds of loading is fine.
Cost Over Time
Apple Notes is free forever. Many alternatives have free tiers with limits or paid plans ranging from $5-15/month. Run the five-year cost: $10/month is $600 over five years. Is the better app worth it? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Notion
Notion is like Apple Notes on steroids, but also way more complex. Instead of simple notes, you get databases, kanban boards, calendars, and linked pages that create a personal wiki.
The database feature is what sets Notion apart. You can create a database of books you've read, movies to watch, or projects you're working on, then view that data as a table, board, gallery, or calendar. Apple Notes can't do any of this. For organizing life or work, Notion's flexibility is unmatched.
Linking and relationships between pages is another big win. Create a note about a project, link it to relevant meeting notes, and see all connections in one place. This builds a web of knowledge instead of isolated notes scattered in folders.
The templates community is massive. Need a reading tracker, habit tracker, or project dashboard? Someone's built a template you can copy. Apple Notes has nothing like this.
Where Notion struggles: it's slow. The app loads, pages load, switching between sections loads. Everything feels slightly laggy compared to Apple Notes' instant response. For quick capture, this friction adds up. I find myself opening Apple Notes for speed even though I've "switched" to Notion.
The learning curve is real too. Apple Notes has maybe five features to learn. Notion has databases, relations, rollups, formulas, and a dozen view types. Expect to spend hours learning the system before it feels natural.
Pricing is free for individuals with unlimited blocks (they removed the old 1,000-block limit). Paid plans start at $10/month and add features like version history and advanced permissions. For personal use, free is fine.
Use Notion if you want powerful organization and databases. Stick with Apple Notes if speed and simplicity matter more.
Obsidian
Obsidian takes a completely different approach: your notes are just Markdown files on your computer. No cloud lock-in, no proprietary format, just text files you own forever.
The linking system is stupidly powerful. Use double brackets to link notes, and Obsidian builds a graph showing all connections. Over time, this creates a visual knowledge base where ideas connect naturally. Apple Notes can't do this at all. For building a personal wiki or Zettelkasten system, Obsidian is probably the best tool available.
Plugins extend Obsidian in crazy ways. Community developers have built plugins for daily notes, calendar views, Kanban boards, flashcards, PDF annotation, and hundreds more. The ecosystem rivals VS Code's extensions. Apple Notes has zero extensibility.
Because everything is local Markdown files, you control sync. Use iCloud, Dropbox, Syncthing, or Obsidian's paid sync service. Your choice. This flexibility matters if you don't trust cloud providers or have specific security requirements.
The graph view is genuinely cool. See all your notes as nodes with links as connections. Click around to explore related ideas. It's not just eye candy: it helps discover connections you forgot about. I've found old notes this way that turned into new projects.
Where Obsidian falls short: the learning curve is steep. Markdown syntax, linking conventions, plugin configuration. It's powerful but not intuitive. Apple Notes you can hand to anyone. Obsidian requires reading docs and watching tutorials.
Mobile apps exist but feel less polished than the desktop version. Syncing Markdown files to mobile works but requires setup. Apple Notes sync is invisible and instant.
Pricing is free for personal use. Obsidian Sync (their hosted sync service) costs $10/month, but you can use free alternatives. Obsidian Publish (hosting notes as a website) is $20/month.
Use Obsidian if you want powerful linking, local-first storage, and plugins. Stick with Apple Notes if you want simplicity.
Bear
Bear is what Apple Notes would be if Apple hired designers from a Swiss design studio. It's Apple-only (Mac, iPhone, iPad), beautifully polished, and focused on writing.
The design is the first thing you notice. Clean typography, subtle colors, smooth animations. It feels premium in a way Apple Notes doesn't. If aesthetics matter to you, Bear wins easily. Some people find this shallow, but I genuinely enjoy opening an app that looks this good.
Markdown support is native and invisible. Type `#` for a heading or `**bold**` for bold, and Bear renders it beautifully in real-time. Apple Notes has formatting buttons; Bear lets you use keyboard shortcuts or Markdown syntax. For people who write a lot, this speeds things up.
Tags replace folders, which is a different organizational model. Use `#work` or `#personal` anywhere in a note, and Bear auto-tags it. You can nest tags like `#projects/website`, creating hierarchy without folders. This is more flexible than Apple Notes' folders but requires discipline to tag consistently.
The focus mode is lovely. Hide the sidebar, enable focus mode, and you get distraction-free writing. Just you and your note. Apple Notes doesn't have this.
Where Bear disappoints: it's still Apple-only. No Windows, no Android, no web interface. If cross-platform is why you're leaving Apple Notes, Bear doesn't solve that. It's just a prettier version of the same ecosystem lock-in.
Also, advanced features require the Pro subscription. Web archiving, themes, export options, and sync all need the $3/month or $30/year subscription. Apple Notes gives you sync for free with iCloud. Bear gates it behind a paywall, which feels annoying for a basic feature.
Use Bear if you're staying in the Apple ecosystem but want better design and Markdown. Skip it if you need cross-platform support.
Bear Notes is a minimal, markdown note-taking application perfect for iOS and Mac.
Joplin
Joplin is the best free, open-source alternative to Apple Notes. It's not as polished, but it works everywhere and you control your data completely.
Cross-platform support is comprehensive: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and even a terminal version. Install Joplin on any device, point it at your sync service (Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud, or Joplin's cloud), and everything stays in sync. Unlike Apple Notes, you're not locked to one ecosystem.
The data model is similar to Apple Notes: notebooks (folders), tags, and notes with rich text formatting. It's familiar enough that migration isn't confusing. But Joplin adds features Apple Notes lacks: note linking, encryption for sensitive notes, version history, and a web clipper for saving articles.
Plugins extend functionality. Community developers have built extensions for markdown tables, Kanban boards, templates, and more. It's not as extensive as Obsidian's ecosystem, but way more than Apple Notes' zero plugins.
End-to-end encryption is a standout feature. Enable it, and your notes sync encrypted so even your cloud provider can't read them. Apple Notes doesn't offer this (just device-level encryption). For sensitive information, Joplin's approach is more secure.
Where Joplin struggles: the UI feels dated compared to polished commercial apps. It works fine, but it's clearly built by developers, not designers. Buttons, menus, and layouts feel functional rather than delightful. Apple Notes isn't fancy either, but it has Apple's design language.
Performance can lag with large note collections (thousands of notes). Apple Notes handles huge libraries smoothly. Joplin slows down, especially on mobile. Not unusable, just noticeable.
Pricing is free forever (it's open-source). Joplin Cloud costs $3-10/month if you want their hosted sync service, but you can sync free via Dropbox or OneDrive.
Use Joplin if you want cross-platform support, encryption, and don't want to pay. The trade-off is less polish.
UpNote
UpNote feels like someone took Evernote's feature set, stripped out the bloat, and rebuilt it with modern design. It's cross-platform, affordable, and surprisingly fast.
The experience is clean and straightforward. Notebooks, tags, and notes with rich formatting. No databases or fancy linking like Notion, just solid note-taking basics done well. If Apple Notes' simplicity appeals to you but you need Windows or Android support, UpNote hits that sweet spot.
Markdown support is built-in, with live preview that looks great. Type in Markdown or use formatting buttons, both work. The editor is fast and responsive, noticeably snappier than Notion or Evernote. For quick capture, UpNote feels closer to Apple Notes' speed than most alternatives.
The pricing is what makes UpNote compelling. One-time purchase of $25 gets you lifetime access across all platforms with unlimited notes and sync. No subscription. Most alternatives charge $5-15/month forever. At those rates, UpNote pays for itself in 2-5 months.
There's also a free tier that's generous: 50 notes per notebook, attachments up to 10MB. For casual users, this might be enough. Power users will hit the limits and upgrade, but at least the paid tier is reasonable.
Where UpNote falls short: it's less powerful than Obsidian's linking or Notion's databases. It's a straightforward notes app, which is fine if that's what you need, but don't expect advanced knowledge base features. Think Evernote-level organization, not Roam or Obsidian.
The developer is a small team (maybe solo?), which means updates are slower than big companies. But it also means the app stays focused instead of adding bloat. Your call whether that's a pro or con.
Use UpNote if you want cross-platform Apple Notes simplicity without subscription costs. Skip it if you need linking or databases.
Evernote
Evernote used to be the obvious recommendation before Apple Notes got good. Now it's harder to recommend, but it still does some things better.
The organization system is mature: notebooks, stacks (folders of notebooks), tags, and powerful search with filters. You can save searches, set reminders, and organize thousands of notes with confidence. Apple Notes' folders and tags feel basic in comparison.
Search is genuinely impressive. Evernote indexes everything, including text inside images and PDFs (OCR). Search for a term, and it finds notes, PDFs with that word, and even handwritten notes if the handwriting is legible. Apple Notes search is simpler and less accurate.
The web clipper is still best-in-class. Save articles, recipes, or research from your browser, and Evernote captures everything cleanly with formatting intact. Apple Notes has share extensions, but they're not as polished.
Integrations with other tools are solid. Connect Evernote with Google Calendar, Slack, or productivity apps. Apple Notes has minimal third-party integrations.
Where Evernote frustrates: the pricing is aggressive. Free tier limits you to 50 notes and one device. That's borderline unusable in 2026. Personal plan costs $10.83/month (annual billing), which is expensive compared to alternatives offering more for less. Notion is free with more features. UpNote is $25 one-time.
The app also feels bloated. Years of feature additions created a cluttered interface with options most people never use. Apple Notes is simple; Evernote is complex. Some love that, others find it overwhelming.
Performance has improved recently (they rebuilt the app), but it's still slower than Apple Notes or Obsidian. Syncing can lag, and the mobile apps occasionally crash.
Use Evernote if you need powerful search, OCR, and mature organization for thousands of notes. Skip it if pricing or simplicity matter more.
Google Keep
Google Keep takes the opposite approach from Notion or Obsidian: radical simplicity. It's just sticky notes on a digital board.
The core experience is fast. Open Keep, type a note, done. No folders to pick, no formatting to fiddle with, just capture. For quick thoughts, shopping lists, or reminders, this speed beats everything. Apple Notes is fast too, but Keep feels even lighter.
Cross-platform support is excellent since it's Google: web, Android, iOS, Chrome extension. Notes sync instantly across devices. If you're in the Google ecosystem (Gmail, Calendar, Drive), Keep fits naturally.
The collaboration features are simple but effective. Share a note with someone, and you both see updates in real-time. Perfect for shared grocery lists or trip planning. Apple Notes has sharing too, but Keep's implementation feels smoother.
Where Keep falls apart: organization beyond ~50 notes becomes messy. There are labels (like tags) and color-coding, but no folders or hierarchy. Everything lives on one giant board. With hundreds of notes, scrolling and searching is the only way to find things. Apple Notes' folders are more structured.
No rich text formatting. You get plain text, checklists, and that's it. No bold, italics, headers, or attachments beyond images. For quick notes this is fine. For anything longer, you'll wish for formatting.
No note linking, no templates, no advanced features at all. Keep is intentionally minimal, which is its strength and weakness. If you want more power, you'll outgrow it fast.
Pricing is free forever with your Google account. No paid tier because there's nothing extra to sell you. Refreshing in a world of subscriptions.
Use Keep if you want fast, simple note capture across devices. Skip it if you need organization or formatting.
Google Keep is the digital version of Post-it Notes created by the folks at Google.
Simplenote
Simplenote lives up to its name: plain text notes that sync across devices. That's it. No images, no formatting, no attachments. Just text.
The minimalism is the point. Simplenote loads instantly, syncs fast, and never gets in your way. For people who think in plain text (writers, developers, anyone who loves Markdown), this simplicity is freeing. No menus to navigate, no formatting decisions, just write.
Cross-platform support is comprehensive: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, web. All free. Install it anywhere, and your notes sync via Automattic's servers (the WordPress company owns Simplenote).
Version history is surprisingly robust for a free app. Simplenote saves every change, and you can restore old versions with a slider interface. Apple Notes doesn't have version history at all. This saved me once when I accidentally deleted a paragraph and couldn't undo.
Tags organize notes instead of folders. Use `#tag` syntax or the tag menu. It's flexible enough for basic organization but less structured than Apple Notes' folders.
Where Simplenote obviously falls short: no images, no rich formatting, no attachments. It's plain text only. If you scan receipts or clip web articles with formatting, Simplenote can't handle it. Apple Notes supports all of this.
The design is dated. It works fine but hasn't been meaningfully updated in years. Apple Notes at least got gradual refinements. Simplenote looks like it's from 2015.
Search is basic text matching. No filters, no advanced queries. With hundreds of notes, finding things relies on good tagging discipline or remembering keywords.
Pricing is free forever with no ads or upsells. Automattic maintains it as a public good essentially. Hard to complain about free.
Use Simplenote if you only need plain text and want cross-platform support for free. Use literally any other option if you need images or formatting.
How to Switch from Apple Notes
Migrating notes is tedious but manageable. Here's what actually works.
Export Is Harder Than It Should Be
Apple Notes doesn't have a clean export function. On Mac, you can select notes and drag them to a folder as HTML files, but formatting gets messy. Third-party tools like Exporter can convert Notes to Markdown, but they cost money and require trust with your data.
Some alternatives have import tools. Notion can import Apple Notes directly (on Mac). Joplin and Obsidian require manual conversion to Markdown or HTML. Budget more time than you think: migrating 100 notes might take an afternoon.
Start with New Notes in Your Alternative
Instead of migrating everything immediately, start creating new notes in your alternative while keeping Apple Notes read-only. Use both apps for a few weeks. This builds familiarity with the new tool without the pressure of a full migration.
After you're comfortable, migrate old notes you reference frequently. Leave the rest in Apple Notes as an archive. Not everything needs to move.
Restructure Organization as You Migrate
Apple Notes probably has a messy folder structure from years of casual use. Don't recreate that mess in your new app. Use migration as a chance to rethink organization: delete outdated notes, consolidate similar topics, and build a cleaner system.
If your new app uses tags instead of folders (Obsidian, Simplenote), think about a tagging strategy before migrating. Random tagging is worse than no tags.
Test Sync Reliability Early
Apple Notes syncs flawlessly via iCloud. Your alternative might use Dropbox, Google Drive, or proprietary sync. Test it thoroughly: create notes on your phone, verify they appear on your computer, edit from both devices simultaneously to check for conflicts.
Sync issues are the #1 reason people abandon alternatives and crawl back to Apple Notes. Make sure sync works before trusting your new app with important notes.
Keep Apple Notes Installed
Even after switching, keep Apple Notes around. You'll occasionally receive shared notes from other Apple users. The scanning feature is still legitimately great for quick document capture. Having both apps is fine; you don't need to burn bridges.
Which Apple Notes Alternative Should You Choose?
The right alternative depends on why you're leaving Apple Notes and what you're willing to compromise.
If you need cross-platform but want Apple Notes simplicity: UpNote (affordable one-time purchase) or Joplin (free but less polished). Both give you basic note-taking across all devices without complexity.
If you're building a knowledge base with linked notes: Obsidian wins. The graph view, backlinks, and plugins create a powerful system for organizing ideas. Just accept the learning curve.
If you want databases and powerful organization: Notion. It's slower than Apple Notes but way more flexible for managing life, work, or projects. Free for personal use.
If you're staying Apple-only but want better design: Bear. It's what Apple Notes should be if Apple cared more about typography and writing experience. Requires $3/month subscription though.
If you just need the simplest possible notes across devices: Google Keep (fast, free, simple) or Simplenote (plain text only but reliable). Both work everywhere and cost nothing.
If you need industrial-strength search and organization: Evernote. Expensive and bloated, but the search, OCR, and organization tools are mature. Worth it if you're managing thousands of notes.
Honestly? Apple Notes is still hard to beat if you're staying in the Apple ecosystem and don't need advanced features. It's fast, free, reliable, and deeply integrated with iOS and macOS. The alternatives are better in specific ways, but they all involve compromises.
The best approach might be using multiple tools: Apple Notes for quick capture and scanned documents, plus a more powerful alternative for your main knowledge base. I still use Apple Notes for random thoughts even though I "switched" to Obsidian. Different tools for different contexts is fine.