{"id":17327,"date":"2026-04-16T11:23:50","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T11:23:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/?p=17327"},"modified":"2026-04-16T11:23:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T11:23:51","slug":"obsidian-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/obsidian-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Best Obsidian Alternatives for You in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>You\u2019re using Obsidian for your note-taking, but are ready to move on?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look no further! We\u2019ve compiled a list of the best Obsidian alternatives currently available on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ve singled out the most important details about their features, ease of use, pricing, etc. \u2014 all you need to know in one place.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, dig in!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/obsidian_2.webp\" alt=\"obsidian_alternatives-cover\" class=\"wp-image-17329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/obsidian_2.webp 2400w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/obsidian_2-600x300.webp 600w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/obsidian_2-1110x555.webp 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/obsidian_2-768x384.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/obsidian_2-1536x768.webp 1536w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/obsidian_2-2048x1024.webp 2048w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/obsidian_2-18x9.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#e5f6fe\">WHY TRUST US?<br>The apps we talk about are selected, tested, and written about by human reviewers who follow strict review and editorial guidelines. We pick solutions that are practical, purposeful, and can offer real value for the specific use case or business context we\u2019re covering \u2014 while also being justified in their pricing. Our methodology is transparent, clear, and available to everyone:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/our-software-review-methodology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more about our review methodology here \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"do-you-need-an-obsidian-alternative\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do you need an Obsidian alternative?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Obsidian is a truly powerful note-taking tool, but it comes with some downsides, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Steep learning curve<\/strong> \u2014 Obsidian notes are based on Markdown language, which some users find challenging. While Markdown is powerful, it can feel less intuitive than \u201cregular\u201d note-taking.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of collaboration options<\/strong> \u2014 If you want to work together with someone on your notes, or simply share them with others, Obsidian can feel very limiting. You need to pay $8\/site\/month just to publish your notes, but even that gives you very basic collaboration possibilities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pricey syncing option<\/strong> \u2014 Since Obsidian stores notes locally, you need to create an account to sync them across devices. This can set you back $4 or $8\/month depending on how many vaults you want to sync.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if these or any other reasons prompted you to look for alternatives to Obsidian, check out our list below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"top-7-obsidian-alternatives-overview\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Top 7 Obsidian alternatives \u2014 overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we go into details, here\u2019s a quick overview of all free Obsidian alternatives covered in this article:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Tool<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Best for<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Free trial<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Free plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Lowest pricing<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Plaky by CAKE.com<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Organizing your plans and to-dos<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$3.99\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Standard Notes<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Syncing notes<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u274c<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$90\/year*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Apple Notes<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Mac and iPhone users<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">N\/A<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">N\/A<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Notion<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Publishing notes<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$10\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">JotterPad<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Academic note-taking<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$3.33\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Evernote<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Taking notes on your phone<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$8.25\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Joplin<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Markdown enthusiasts<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714\ufe0f<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u20ac2.40\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Skip the reviews \u2014 Try Plaky now!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"1-plaky-by-cake-com-best-for-organizing-your-plans-and-to-dos\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#1 <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plaky<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAKE.com<\/a> \u2014 best for organizing your plans and to-dos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Plaky by CAKE.com is primarily a task management tool that helps you organize your to-dos together with detailed notes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-plaky\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Plaky?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If your notes mostly consist of plans and to-do lists, Plaky is a great Obsidian alternative for you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; User-friendly&nbsp;<br>&#8211; Modern design<br>&#8211; Rich text notes&nbsp;<br>&#8211; Status tracking<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Only 2 integrations (Pumble and Clockify)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Although not a typical note-taking tool, Plaky is an excellent choice if you want to bring more organization to your notes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The basic units of Plaky are <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/items\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Items<\/a>, which are organized into <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/board\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Boards<\/a>. Each item consists of a name and custom <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/fields\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fields<\/a> that serve as home for any type of information you want to record.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most useful is the Rich text field. It allows you to write elaborate notes with headings, bullet lists, checklists, quotes, emojis, etc.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, this is just the tip of the iceberg with Plaky. The items also include a wide array of features, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Files<\/strong> \u2014 Add files (documents, images, videos) to any item in Plaky. If, for example, you have a bunch of notes or reminders written in different docs, you can bring them to Plaky and organize them.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Links<\/strong> \u2014 Include links to websites to easily access relevant online information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Due dates<\/strong> \u2014 Add a time for when your to-dos need to be done to keep yourself on schedule.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Status field<\/strong> \u2014 Scan how to-dos are progressing (not started, in progress, done, stuck, etc.). This, next to due dates, lets you know what requires your immediate attention. You can even choose custom colors for each status for better visual effect.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Comments<\/strong> \u2014 Collaborate with people on your notes, and leave questions and feedback in the comments section.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1542\" height=\"1800\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Combine-your-to-dos-with-elaborate-notes-in-Plaky-1.webp\" alt=\"To-dos with elaborate notes in Plaky\" class=\"wp-image-17346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Combine-your-to-dos-with-elaborate-notes-in-Plaky-1.webp 1542w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Combine-your-to-dos-with-elaborate-notes-in-Plaky-1-257x300.webp 257w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Combine-your-to-dos-with-elaborate-notes-in-Plaky-1-877x1024.webp 877w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Combine-your-to-dos-with-elaborate-notes-in-Plaky-1-768x896.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Combine-your-to-dos-with-elaborate-notes-in-Plaky-1-1316x1536.webp 1316w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Combine-your-to-dos-with-elaborate-notes-in-Plaky-1-10x12.webp 10w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1542px) 100vw, 1542px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Combine your to-dos with elaborate notes in Plaky  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Moreover, if you need to share your notes with others, look no further than Plaky. Instead of paying extra for their publishing option, like in Obsidian, Plaky lets you seamlessly collaborate with others. You can add as many people as you want to your Plaky workspace, even on the free plan.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plaky is much more than a tool for notes, though, as it offers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Vibrant visual design<\/strong> \u2014 Elegant boards with color-coded fields make it easy to skim for information, while being aesthetically pleasing at the same time.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Easy prioritization<\/strong> \u2014 With the priority field, you can quickly classify your to-dos according to importance.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adjustable levels of privacy<\/strong> \u2014 In Plaky, level of privacy is your choice. You can keep your boards private so only you can see them. Or, you can make them public and customize the level of access others have by <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/user-roles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">managing user roles and permissions<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Visual data presentation<\/strong> \u2014 See how your to-dos are progressing in the form of a bar or pie chart using <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/chart-view\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plaky\u2019s Chart view<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"987\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Plakys-boards-allow-for-a-clean-note-organization-1.webp\" alt=\"Plaky's board for a clean note organization\" class=\"wp-image-17347\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Plakys-boards-allow-for-a-clean-note-organization-1.webp 1800w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Plakys-boards-allow-for-a-clean-note-organization-1-547x300.webp 547w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Plakys-boards-allow-for-a-clean-note-organization-1-1110x609.webp 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Plakys-boards-allow-for-a-clean-note-organization-1-768x421.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Plakys-boards-allow-for-a-clean-note-organization-1-1536x842.webp 1536w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Plakys-boards-allow-for-a-clean-note-organization-1-18x10.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plaky\u2019s boards allow for a clean note organization<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>What makes Plaky stand out from all other alternatives to Obsidian is that it offers first-class customer support for free. Plaky\u2019s expert support agents are available 24\/7 via a call, chat, or email. And, most importantly, the support is 100% human \u2014 no irritating AI chat bots that don\u2019t understand what you\u2019re asking half the time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Try Plaky by CAKE.com today<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-plaky\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Plaky<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, Plaky has added a public API to its feature set so you can integrate Plaky with your favorite tools. Also, users can now sign in and log in to Plaky with their Microsoft account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information about Plaky\u2019s recent and upcoming features, take a look at <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/help\/whats-new\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Changelog<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Roadmap<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/pricing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Price&nbsp;<\/strong><\/a><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Free plan<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/pro-plan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pro plan<\/a><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$3.99\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/enterprise-plan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Enterprise plan<\/a><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$8.99\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/bundle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAKE.com Bundle<\/a> (Plaky + Clockify + Pumble)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$12.99\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-landing-1 pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5  \" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Bring order to your thoughts and to-dos            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Systematize all your thoughts, plans, and tasks with an elegant and intuitive app \u2014 Plaky by CAKE.com. Try it today!<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Try for free\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Try for free                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Download\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/apps\">\n                    Download                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-1@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid \" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-1.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"2-standard-notes-best-for-syncing-notes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#2 <a href=\"https:\/\/standardnotes.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Standard Notes<\/a> \u2014 best for syncing notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Standard Notes is an end-to-end encryption note-taking app where you can write down detailed notes and create spreadsheets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-standard-notes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Standard Notes?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This app is the right choice for those who are looking for a tool that allows them to sync their notes across multiple devices for free.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Unlimited device sync for free<br>&#8211; Password protected notes<br>&#8211; Note version history<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; No monthly plans and no free trial<br>&#8211; No folders on the free plan<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Standard Notes is a user-friendly tool for note-taking. You can create notes in Markdown, but also rich text, plain text, to-dos, codes, etc. With such a variety to choose from, you\u2019ll surely find the type that suits your needs and level of technical expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And if you need a way to save content, rather than just create it, Standard Notes delivers. There\u2019s a web clipper available on paid plans, so you can save web pages as notes. This way, you don\u2019t have to keep gazillion bookmarks on the browser, since important information is safely stored in your notes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"902\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Page-layout-in-Standard-Notes.webp\" alt=\"Page layout in Standard Notes\" class=\"wp-image-17348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Page-layout-in-Standard-Notes.webp 1800w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Page-layout-in-Standard-Notes-599x300.webp 599w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Page-layout-in-Standard-Notes-1110x556.webp 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Page-layout-in-Standard-Notes-768x385.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Page-layout-in-Standard-Notes-1536x770.webp 1536w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Page-layout-in-Standard-Notes-18x9.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Page layout in Standard Notes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Here are some features I think make Standard Notes stand out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Authenticator<\/strong> \u2014 Standard Notes can serve as 2FA authenticator helping you keep your other accounts secure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Note history<\/strong> \u2014 Save as many versions of the same note as you want. You can save a new version each 5 minutes and restore them fully at any point (backups are available for a year on Pro plan, and forever on the Professional plan).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Email backups<\/strong> \u2014 Standard Notes sends you your text-based data in encrypted form to your email, so you can store it and use it later without the app.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spreadsheets<\/strong> \u2014 This note format is designed for notes that require advanced formatting and formulas. It\u2019s available on paid plans only.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Restoring-old-versions-of-notes-in-Standard-Notes-.webp\" alt=\"Restoring old versions of notes in Standard Notes\" class=\"wp-image-17349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Restoring-old-versions-of-notes-in-Standard-Notes-.webp 1800w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Restoring-old-versions-of-notes-in-Standard-Notes--563x300.webp 563w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Restoring-old-versions-of-notes-in-Standard-Notes--1110x592.webp 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Restoring-old-versions-of-notes-in-Standard-Notes--768x410.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Restoring-old-versions-of-notes-in-Standard-Notes--1536x819.webp 1536w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Restoring-old-versions-of-notes-in-Standard-Notes--18x10.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Restoring old versions of notes in Standard Notes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, Standard Notes only offers folders on its paid plans, so you can\u2019t organize your notes effectively on the free plan. There\u2019s still an option to star notes, so you can single out the most important or most commonly used notes, but this is not enough. Without folders, it can become cramped really quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to pricing, Standard Notes\u2019 system differs slightly from others on this list \u2014 they don\u2019t offer a monthly plan, so you\u2019ll have to commit to an entire year if you want the advanced features. Luckily, they have a generous refund policy \u2014 100% refund within 14 days for the Productivity plan and within 90 days for the Professional plan.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-standard-notes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Standard Notes?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Among other improvements, Standard Notes introduced image alignment options for better note organization as well as a toolbar option to create new notes from a selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for<\/strong>: web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Standard<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Productivity<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$90\/year<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Professional&nbsp;<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$120\/year<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"3-apple-notes-best-for-mac-and-iphone-users\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#3 <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/notes\/id1110145109\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apple Notes<\/a> \u2014 best for Mac and iPhone users<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Apple Notes is a note-taking app built in macOS and iOS. You can use the on-site version or sync your devices using iCloud.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-apple-notes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Apple Notes?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This note-taking tool lets Mac and iPhone users jot down important notes quickly without distractions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Simple UI<br>&#8211; Voice notes<br>&#8211; Password protected notes<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Old-fashioned design<br>&#8211; Not as powerful as Obsidian<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are a Mac user, Apple Notes are a good choice as an Obsidian alternative. Notes are not based on Markdown, which makes them more intuitive, if not as intricate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What I like about Apple Notes is the simplicity \u2014 I could easily create a new note or a new folder, add a voice note, and move notes across folders. There\u2019s also a sort option, and I could arrange notes according to the date they were created\/edited or according to their title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The overall look of the app didn\u2019t impress me \u2014 it felt old fashioned and had very little customization options, so I couldn\u2019t improve it at all. But, if you don\u2019t care about colors and artistic appeal, you\u2019ll appreciate the clear organization Apple Notes offers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1187\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-organization-in-Apple-Notes.webp\" alt=\"Note organization in Apple Notes\" class=\"wp-image-17350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-organization-in-Apple-Notes.webp 1800w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-organization-in-Apple-Notes-455x300.webp 455w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-organization-in-Apple-Notes-1110x732.webp 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-organization-in-Apple-Notes-768x506.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-organization-in-Apple-Notes-1536x1013.webp 1536w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-organization-in-Apple-Notes-18x12.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Note organization in Apple Notes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Some of the more noteworthy features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Audio notes<\/strong> \u2014 Record audio, and transcribe it to text for swift note-taking.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Locked notes<\/strong> \u2014 Protect individual notes with a password. You can use your login password, or you can create a separate password for each note.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Linked notes<\/strong> \u2014 Link to other notes simply by typing \u201c&gt;&gt;\u201d and choose the note from the dropdown menu.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Math notes<\/strong> \u2014 Write mathematical equations and formulas, and watch as the solutions are suggested to you automatically.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s worth mentioning that Notes are completely free \u2014 you can use the app on your Mac or iPhone indefinitely. Moreover, even though this is an Apple product, you can use it on Windows as well, albeit through a browser by logging in to iCloud (there\u2019s no native app).<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"852\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-customization-options-in-Apple-Notes.webp\" alt=\"Note customization options in Apple Notes\" class=\"wp-image-17352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-customization-options-in-Apple-Notes.webp 852w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-customization-options-in-Apple-Notes-377x300.webp 377w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-customization-options-in-Apple-Notes-768x611.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-customization-options-in-Apple-Notes-15x12.webp 15w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 852px) 100vw, 852px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Note customization options in Apple Notes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>However, my overall impression is that Notes don\u2019t feel as powerful as Obsidian. For instance, you can\u2019t publish your notes directly. There\u2019s a work-around \u2014 you can install some third-party tools, but that brings security and privacy in question and may even add unplanned cost.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, if you\u2019re looking for straightforward note-taking and clear organization \u2014 Notes is the right choice for you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-notes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Notes?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The latest additions to Notes include adding multiple images to your note at once, time format improvements, as well as backing up notes to device storage without an account.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for<\/strong>: web, macOS, iOS, watchOS<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan&nbsp;<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price&nbsp;<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Free plan&nbsp;<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"4-notion-best-for-publishing-notes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#4 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.notion.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Notion<\/a> \u2014 best for publishing notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Notion is a PM solution that integrates note-taking with project management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-notion\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Notion?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Notion enables you to write elaborate notes, but also track projects and collaborate with your team.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Publish option<br>&#8211; Collaboration on docs<br>&#8211; AI assistant<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Steep learning curve<br>&#8211; No folders<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing I noticed when I started using Notion is its unique organization of docs into blocks of content you can add and reorganize however you want.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if your notes are rich with tables, bullet lists, images, etc., Notion might be the right tool for you. You can arrange information however you want in Notion, and if you change your mind, you can easily take a table, for example, and drag and drop it from the middle of the text to the top of your note.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Notion has a steeper learning curve than I expected \u2014 compared to all other tools on the list it took me the longest time to adapt to it. Still, it offers some powerful features if you persist.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, the most important feature Notion offers that Obsidian lacks is real-time collaboration on docs. You can work together with others simultaneously on your notes to save time and improve collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is ideal if you need a note-taking tool to write texts or reports that need to be reviewed or edited. A reviewer can jump right in and leave comments and suggestions directly in the doc, instead of emailing back and forth with you.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1326\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Notion.webp\" alt=\"Note in Notion\" class=\"wp-image-17353\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Notion.webp 1800w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Notion-407x300.webp 407w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Notion-1110x818.webp 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Notion-768x566.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Notion-1536x1132.webp 1536w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Notion-16x12.webp 16w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Note in Notion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Other useful Notion features include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>AI assistant<\/strong> \u2014 Write your notes quickly and painlessly with the help of Notion AI. It can generate tables, turn a block of text into a bullet list, and more.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Notion Mail <\/strong>\u2014 Integrate your Notion inbox with Gmail, and handle mails as you would tasks \u2014 prioritize, label, and filter them to customize your email inbox to your needs.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Search option <\/strong>\u2014 Search the entire Notion workspace for what you need \u2014 search according to title or part of text. So if you can\u2019t remember where you wrote down something, Notion search will find it in seconds.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1259\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Search-option-in-Notion.webp\" alt=\"Search option in Notion\" class=\"wp-image-17354\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Search-option-in-Notion.webp 1800w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Search-option-in-Notion-429x300.webp 429w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Search-option-in-Notion-1110x776.webp 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Search-option-in-Notion-768x537.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Search-option-in-Notion-1536x1074.webp 1536w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Search-option-in-Notion-18x12.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Search option in Notion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>For those of you who liked publishing notes on Obsidian, but found it pricey, Notion might be a solution. You can publish an unlimited number of notes online within a single domain for free \u2014 a significant improvement from Obsidian, which charges $8\/site\/month.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The process is simple, just click on the share button in the top right corner of each note, choose the option to publish it, and that\u2019s it \u2014 your page is online.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, it\u2019s important to mention that Notion doesn\u2019t have folders. So, if you\u2019re used to Obsidian\u2019s multiple vaults and folders, you\u2019ll find Notion as disorganized as I did, at least in the beginning. You can create pages and subpages, or create one page with a list of links to other pages, but this is a poor replacement for a simple and clear folder system.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-notion\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Notion?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The newest addition to Notion are tabs. You can now create several tabs within one page for better organization.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for<\/strong>: web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/plaky\/notion-pricing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/a><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Free<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Plus<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$10\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Business<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$20\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Enterprise<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">POA<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"5-jotterpad-best-for-academic-note-taking\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#5 <a href=\"https:\/\/jotterpad.app\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">JotterPad<\/a> \u2014 best for academic note-taking&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>JotterPad is a note-taking tool that lets you format your documents in Markdown and Fountain.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-jotterpad\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose JotterPad?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This app is a great choice for users that are focused on creating creative and academic notes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Rich library of templates<br>&#8211; Word and character counter<br>&#8211; Simple layout<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Poor customer support<br>&#8211; No spelling and grammar checker<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Obsidian users will find JotterPad\u2019s feature system familiar \u2014 basic functionality in the app itself and more complex solutions available through plugins. The layout is simple with notes grouped into folders \u2014 no more, no less.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can create new notes or import documents in the form of Markdown file, plain text, or Fountain (used for screenplay writing), making it more flexible than Obsidian, which focuses on Markdown language only.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Creating-a-note-in-JotterPad.webp\" alt=\"Creating a note in JotterPad\" class=\"wp-image-17355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Creating-a-note-in-JotterPad.webp 1050w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Creating-a-note-in-JotterPad-263x300.webp 263w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Creating-a-note-in-JotterPad-896x1024.webp 896w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Creating-a-note-in-JotterPad-768x878.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Creating-a-note-in-JotterPad-11x12.webp 11w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Creating a note in JotterPad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>But, what makes JotterPad stand out in my opinion is the rich library of note-taking templates. If you want to write an academic paper or a report, you don\u2019t need to worry about how to format it. Simply choose the template at the beginning, and write.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Templates are divided into 6 categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Article<\/strong> (e.g., literature review, class schedule, mind map)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Screenwriting<\/strong> (e.g., podcast interview script, screenplay, radio sitcom)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book<\/strong> (e.g., simple textbook, memoir book, autobiography)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Report<\/strong> (e.g., project report, simple internship report, lab report)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Presentation<\/strong> (e.g., pie chart infographics slide, one year Gantt chart slide, sample slides for math lessons)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Letter<\/strong> (e.g., job application cover letter, condolence letter, letter to professor requesting recommendation)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, you\u2019re not limited to writing only these types of notes \u2014 you can still create elaborate notes (diary, plans, meetings notes, etc.) from scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In JotterPad, you can see the number of words and characters in a note at all times while you\u2019re writing, which makes it perfect for writing papers and reports. There\u2019s also a statistics feature that goes deeper and also calculates reading time, level of readability, and sentence length.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"669\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-statistics-in-JotterPad.webp\" alt=\"Note statistics in JotterPad\n\" class=\"wp-image-17356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-statistics-in-JotterPad.webp 669w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-statistics-in-JotterPad-167x300.webp 167w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-statistics-in-JotterPad-571x1024.webp 571w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-statistics-in-JotterPad-7x12.webp 7w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 669px) 100vw, 669px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Note statistics in JotterPad<br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>One thing I was missing in JotterPad is the built-in spelling and grammar checker. I\u2019m not proud of it, but I grew accustomed to having it, not so much for grammar, but because it helps me type quicker since I know that any misspelled words will be caught by the checker. With JotterPad, I have to be very careful as I write, which I find really annoying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While we\u2019re talking about downsides, several users complained that when they needed assistance solving an issue, customer support was either completely unavailable or unhelpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Personally, I didn&#8217;t encounter any issues that required customer support. I was, however, looking for their community page as a source of information on what I can do with JotterPad. Although I found the link leading to the Forum discussions, it didn\u2019t work for me, and I couldn\u2019t access it no matter how many times I tried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-jotterpad\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in JotterPad?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are no new major updates in JotterPad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for<\/strong>: macOS, iOS, Android, PWA (Progressive Web App) in Chrome<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan&nbsp;<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Free<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Pro<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$3.33\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"6-evernote-best-for-taking-notes-on-your-phone\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#6 <a href=\"https:\/\/evernote.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Evernote<\/a> \u2014 best for taking notes on your phone<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Evernote is a popular note-taking app that includes more advanced features such as tasks, calendar, and audio notes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-evernote\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Evernote?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Evernote offers a quick and easy way to write your notes on the go. It\u2019s great for jotting down your daily thoughts and plans.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Functional app<br>&#8211; Scanning feature<br>&#8211; User-friendly<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Limited free plan<br>&#8211; Expensive paid plans<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re not a fan of Markdown in apps like Obsidian, and want to create simple notes, Evernote delivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I liked using Evernote because its mobile app allows for easy and functional note-taking on your phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The design is clean and user friendly, and notes are readily available to you with just 2 touches at the screen. The home page is well organized with shortcuts to creating a new note, task, event, or audio note, and a search bar where you can look for information across all your notes, tasks, and documents.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"979\" height=\"1800\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Evernotes-home-page.webp\" alt=\"Evernote\u2019s home page\" class=\"wp-image-17357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Evernotes-home-page.webp 979w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Evernotes-home-page-163x300.webp 163w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Evernotes-home-page-557x1024.webp 557w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Evernotes-home-page-768x1412.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Evernotes-home-page-835x1536.webp 835w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Evernotes-home-page-7x12.webp 7w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 979px) 100vw, 979px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Evernote\u2019s home page<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Some of the most interesting features Evernote offers are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Calendar<\/strong> \u2014 organize your events on a calendar for a clear personal schedule.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tasks<\/strong> \u2014 create tasks with due dates and specific times and get reminders for them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Offline mode<\/strong> \u2014 access your notes offline, and never worry about signal issues that result in unsaved notes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Templates<\/strong> \u2014 use one of Evernote\u2019s many templates (e.g., for expenses tracking, grocery shopping, project management), or save your own note as template to use later.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Document scanning<\/strong> \u2014 quickly scan handwritten papers, ID cards, legal documents, receipts, etc. to keep them at your fingertips at all times.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1014\" height=\"1800\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/My-templates-in-Evernote.webp\" alt=\"My templates in Evernote\" class=\"wp-image-17358\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/My-templates-in-Evernote.webp 1014w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/My-templates-in-Evernote-169x300.webp 169w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/My-templates-in-Evernote-577x1024.webp 577w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/My-templates-in-Evernote-768x1363.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/My-templates-in-Evernote-865x1536.webp 865w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/My-templates-in-Evernote-7x12.webp 7w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1014px) 100vw, 1014px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">My templates in Evernote<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>What bothered me the most about Evernote is its very limited free plan \u2014 you only get 50 notes and 1 GB of storage, which is problematic enough, but on top of that you can only access your notes from one device.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if you have a mobile app, but you want to see some of your notes on a bigger screen, you\u2019ll have to pay $8.25\/month, which is a lot if you take into account that tools such as Standard Notes or Apple Notes offer it for free.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, many Evernote users complain that the ads on the free plan are too much, claiming they make it difficult to use it. Personally, although I used to find the app virtually impossible to bear due to constant ads, lately they didn\u2019t pop up at all while I was writing in the app.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-evernote\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Evernote?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With the latest version, Evernote introduced a few new features, such as enabling AI Assistant to create and update tasks, and allowing users to access Table of Contents from within their notes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for<\/strong>: web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Free&nbsp;<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Starter<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$8.25\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Advanced<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$20.83\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Enterprise<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">POA<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"7-joplin-best-for-markdown-enthusiasts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#7 <a href=\"https:\/\/joplinapp.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Joplin<\/a> \u2014 best for Markdown enthusiasts&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Joplin is an open source alternative to Obsidian that combines simplicity with Markdown notes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-joplin\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Joplin?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Joplin offers a clear structure for your note-taking and stores your notes locally, so you can access them without internet connection.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>&#8211; Notes in Markdown and Rich Text&nbsp;<br>&#8211; Tags in notes<br>&#8211; Carbon neutral&nbsp;<\/td><td>&#8211; Not visually appealing<br>&#8211; Publishing option only on paid plans<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Joplin\u2019s organizational structure is simple: you navigate it with the side bar that contains your notebooks, notes, tags, and the trash section.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you liked using Markdown in Obsidian, you\u2019ll be glad Joplin, too, offers notes in Markdown format. But, unlike Obsidian, Joplin also has notes in Rich Text. I tried both, and found them equally easy to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"899\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Joplin-899x1024.webp\" alt=\"Note in Joplin\" class=\"wp-image-17359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Joplin-899x1024.webp 899w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Joplin-263x300.webp 263w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Joplin-768x875.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Joplin-11x12.webp 11w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Note-in-Joplin.webp 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 899px) 100vw, 899px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Note in Joplin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the overall design is, simply put, boring. It\u2019s black and white without any drawings, emojis, pictures, or colors to make it more visually appealing. It also feels outdated \u2014 for example, the save button is a floppy disc, which I haven\u2019t seen in a while.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Back to the positives, some of the interesting things Joplin offers are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Multimedia notes<\/strong> \u2014 Add PDFs, images, and videos to your notes and even take pictures in the app to save it as a note.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tags<\/strong> \u2014 Include tags in your notes to classify them according to topics of your choice (recipes, home decoration, chores, etc.). This way, you can easily find all notes connected to the topic by clicking on the tag (even if the notes are stored in different notebooks).&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Plugins<\/strong> \u2014 Just like Obsidian, Joplin relies on plugins to deliver more advanced features such as links to other notes, templates, and backups.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1180\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Tags-in-Joplin.webp\" alt=\"Tags in Joplin\" class=\"wp-image-17360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Tags-in-Joplin.webp 1080w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Tags-in-Joplin-275x300.webp 275w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Tags-in-Joplin-937x1024.webp 937w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Tags-in-Joplin-768x839.webp 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Tags-in-Joplin-11x12.webp 11w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tags in Joplin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>You can use Joplin for free on your local device as long as you want, but there are also 3 pricing plans that offer more advanced options such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Syncing devices (Basic),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Publishing notes online (Basic),&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sharing a notebook with others (Pro), and&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Managing multiple users (Teams).&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, it\u2019s worth mentioning that Joplin is carbon neutral, so if you\u2019re trying to do better for the environment, this might be the right tool for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-joplin\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Joplin?&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, Joplin introduced several improvements on the desktop and mobile apps including more stable and consistent Markdown editing and smoother switching between notes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for<\/strong>: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Free&nbsp;<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u20ac0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Basic<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u20ac2.40\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Pro<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u20ac4.79\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Teams<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u20ac6.69\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"get-a-powerful-tool-for-your-note-taking-plaky-by-cake-com\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get a powerful tool for your note-taking \u2014 Plaky by CAKE.com&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Each of the Obsidian alternatives on this list is a sound choice, but they all cater to a unique set of needs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, there\u2019s a reason why Plaky is at the top of our list!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides note-taking abilities, Plaky also offers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Affordable plans<\/strong> \u2014 a robust free forever plan, followed by the Pro plan (automations, bulk actions, private boards) for $3.99\/user\/month and the Enterprise plan (SSO, custom subdomain, unlimited activity log) for $8.99\/user\/month<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>High-end security<\/strong> \u2014 end-to-end encryption with relevant certificates (ISO 27001, SOC2, GDPR)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Intuitive UI <\/strong>\u2014 user-friendly layout that makes everyone from IT experts to tech-warry people comfortable and at ease.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Lift your collection of scattered notes, thoughts, and plans to the next level. Try Plaky!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Try Plaky for free<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover Obsidian alternatives that will help you improve your note-taking without breaking the bank.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":17328,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-comparisons"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17327","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17327"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17327\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17366,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17327\/revisions\/17366"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}