Free freeform notebook with ink, voice transcription and Copilot with Microsoft 365
Free plan · paid from $9.99/month
The Best AI note-taking apps in 2026
- 10 apps ranked
- Updated Oct 2026
- Researched from official sources
Note apps now use AI to summarise, rewrite, transcribe recordings and answer questions about everything you've saved. Some are typed workspaces, some are built for handwriting, and some keep plain files on your own device. We checked the leading ones and ranked them with the same published rubric.
Our top picks
All-in-one workspace for notes, docs and tasks with AI that answers from your pages
Free plan · paid from $12/month
Beautifully designed docs and notes app with an AI Assistant that knows your content
Free plan · paid from £6.40/month
The full ranking
10 apps, best first- 1
Microsoft OneNote
Best forStudents and Microsoft 365 users who want free notes with optional Copilot
Free freeform notebook with ink, voice transcription and Copilot with Microsoft 365
Mobile appFree plan · paid from $9.99/month
Pros & cons
- Free app on every platform
- Excellent digital ink and freeform canvas
- Copilot comes with a Microsoft 365 plan many people already have
- Copilot requires a paid Microsoft 365 plan
- Freeform pages can get messy and feel corporate
8.2/10★★★★★Visit ↗ - 2
Notion
Best forPeople and teams who want notes, docs and projects in one AI-powered workspace
All-in-one workspace for notes, docs and tasks with AI that answers from your pages
Mobile appGroup planningFree plan · paid from $12/month
Pros & cons
- AI answers grounded in your own pages, with sources
- Built-in AI meeting notes
- Best-in-class collaboration
- Polished apps on every platform
- Full AI needs the $20–$24 Business plan
- Can be overwhelming for simple personal notes
8.1/10★★★★★Visit ↗ - 3
Craft
Best forApple users who want polished, well-structured notes and docs with AI
Beautifully designed docs and notes app with an AI Assistant that knows your content
Mobile appFree plan · paid from £6.40/month
Pros & cons
- Award-winning design and very easy to use
- Full offline support
- Affordable Plus plan
- Small monthly AI credit allowance
- Android app has a much lower Google Play rating (3.4) than the iPhone app
8.1/10★★★★★Visit ↗ - 4
Goodnotes
Best forStudents and tablet users who take notes by hand
Leading handwriting notes app with AI audio transcription, meeting minutes and summaries
Mobile appFree plan · paid from $11.99/year
Pros & cons
- Best-in-class handwriting experience
- Very cheap annual plans
- Merges meeting transcripts with handwritten notes
- Apps on every platform
- Free plan is limited to 3 files
- Android app is rated well below the iPad app
- Full AI needs the Pro plan
8.0/10★★★★★Visit ↗ - 5
Obsidian
Best forPower users who want local, private notes and full control over which AI they use
Free local-first Markdown notes with AI through plugins such as Copilot
Mobile appFree plan · paid from $4/month
Pros & cons
- Free and fully local, with no lock-in
- Pick any AI model, including local ones
- Huge plugin ecosystem
- Apps on every major platform
- No built-in AI; setup depends on third-party plugins
- Steep learning curve
- Sync between devices costs extra or needs a workaround
7.9/10★★★★★Visit ↗ - 6
Apple Notes
Best foriPhone, iPad and Mac users who want simple, free notes with built-in AI
Free built-in notes on Apple devices with Apple Intelligence writing tools and Image Wand
Mobile appFree
Pros & cons
- Free and already installed
- Seamless sync across Apple devices
- Handwriting with Apple Pencil
- No Android app; Apple-only apart from iCloud web
- AI features need a recent Apple Intelligence device
- Can't ask AI questions across your notes
7.9/10★★★★★Visit ↗ - 7
Capacities
Best forStudents and researchers building a structured personal knowledge base
Object-based notes for building a personal knowledge base, with an AI assistant on Pro
Mobile appFree plan · paid from $9.99/month
Pros & cons
- Generous free plan with unlimited notes
- Distinctive object-based structure
- Offline support and capture from WhatsApp, Telegram and email
- AI only on the paid plan, with a modest budget
- Mobile apps are rated poorly
7.8/10★★★★★Visit ↗ - 8
Evernote
Best forLong-time Evernote users who want AI added to a mature capture-everything app
Veteran notes app with an AI Assistant, AI transcription, AI Edit and semantic search
Mobile appFree plan · paid from $15/month
Pros & cons
- Mature capture, search and organisation
- Broad AI toolset on the Advanced plan
- Apps on every platform with offline access
- Expensive, and AI needs the top personal plan
- Very restrictive free plan
- Low rating from Android users
7.3/10★★★★★Visit ↗ - 9
Mem
Best forBusy professionals who want an AI to organise and follow up on their notes
AI-first notes app that tracks your tasks and recalls anything you've saved
Mobile appFree plan · paid from $9/month
Pros & cons
- No manual organising needed
- Turns notes into tracked tasks automatically
- Voice capture with structured transcripts
- Strict monthly caps on new notes, even on paid plans
- No Android app
- Small number of App Store ratings
7.0/10★★★★★Visit ↗ - 10
Reflect
Best forMac and iPhone users who want private, local notes with optional AI
Open-source networked notes with daily notes, backlinks and bring-your-own-key AI
Mobile appFree plan
Pros & cons
- Notes stay as local Markdown files you control
- Free on Mac and open source
- Private notes can be excluded from AI
- AI needs your own API key and separate billing
- Apple devices only
- Few independent reviews of the relaunched app
6.7/10★★★★★Visit ↗
Compare at a glance
Scroll sideways on mobile| # | App | Free plan | Paid from | iOS | Android | Web | Note quality | Ease of use | Features | Value for money | Platforms | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Microsoft OneNote | Yes | $9.99/month | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 7.5 | 8 | 8 | 8.5 | 10 | 8.2 |
| 2 |  Notion | Yes | $12/month | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 9 | 7.5 | 8 | 6.5 | 10 | 8.1 |
| 3 |  Craft | Yes | £6.40/month | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 8 | 9 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 8.1 |
| 4 |  Goodnotes | Yes | $11.99/year | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 7.5 | 8.5 | 7 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 8.0 |
| 5 |  Obsidian | Yes | $4/month | ✓ | ✓ | — | 7.5 | 6 | 7.5 | 9.5 | 10 | 7.9 |
| 6 |  Apple Notes | Yes | Free | ✓ | — | ✓ | 7 | 9.5 | 6.5 | 10 | 6 | 7.9 |
| 7 |  Capacities | Yes | $9.99/month | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 7.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 9 | 7.8 |
| 8 |  Evernote | Yes | $15/month | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 7.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 5 | 9.5 | 7.3 |
| 9 |  Mem | Yes | $9/month | ✓ | — | ✓ | 7 | 8 | 7.5 | 5.5 | 7 | 7.0 |
| 10 |  Reflect | Yes | — | ✓ | — | — | 6.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 4.5 | 6.7 |
Head to head
12 comparisons
Microsoft OneNote vs Notion
Microsoft OneNote vs Craft
Microsoft OneNote vs GoodnotesNotion vs CraftNotion vs GoodnotesCraft vs Goodnotes
Microsoft OneNote vs Obsidian
Microsoft OneNote vs Apple Notes
Microsoft OneNote vs Capacities
Microsoft OneNote vs Evernote
Microsoft OneNote vs Mem
Microsoft OneNote vs ReflectFor developers
Make AI note apps? Get yours reviewed here.
People compare AI note apps on this page before they choose. Paste your website after checkout and we'll research, score and publish your listing.
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- Scored with the same rubric
- Reviewed within 2 working days
- Included in comparisons
How we rank AI note-taking apps
Every app was checked on 7 October 2026 against its own website, pricing and app-store listings, plus independent 2025–2026 reviews. Each gets five scores out of 10, weighted into an overall score.
Ties are broken by the note quality score. To be listed, an app has to be a general note-taking app with built-in or officially supported AI features for writing, organising or searching your notes. The list is open: developers can submit an app, and we review it with the same rubric.
Features are scored half by our editors and half by this published checklist, ticked only where the app's own pages or app-store listing confirm it:
- Ask AI questions about your own notes
- AI writing help (draft, rewrite or summarise)
- Records and transcribes audio or meetings
- Handwritten notes with a pen or stylus
- AI organises notes or surfaces related notes automatically
- Web clipper or quick capture from other apps
- Works offline
- Useful free plan
- Apps for iPhone, Android and desktop
Rankings are editorial. Companies can't pay to change a score or a position, and any paid placement is labelled Featured.
Reviewed by Tech Arcade editors · Updated Oct 7, 2026
- Note quality30%
- Ease of use20%
- Features20%
- Value for money20%
- Platforms10%
Quick answers
What is the best AI note-taking app?
In our October 2026 comparison, Microsoft OneNote scored highest (8.2/10), just ahead of Notion and Craft (8.1). OneNote is free on every platform, with Copilot for summaries and chat on Microsoft 365 plans; Notion has the most capable AI across a whole workspace, including meeting notes; Craft is the most polished on Apple devices.
What is the best free AI note-taking app?
Apple Notes is free with Apple Intelligence writing tools on compatible devices, and Obsidian is free with community AI plugins such as Copilot that use your own AI subscription or API key. Capacities and Craft also have free plans, though their AI assistants are limited or paid.
Is Notion AI free?
Not fully. Free and Plus plans get a limited AI trial; full Notion AI, including AI Meeting Notes and Notion Agent, comes with the Business plan at $24 per member a month ($20 billed annually).
Which AI note app is best for handwriting?
Goodnotes is the leader for handwritten notes and adds AI audio transcription and summaries. Microsoft OneNote and Apple Notes also support pen input on tablets.
Do companies pay to be on this list?
No. Rankings come from the published rubric and can't be bought. Developers can pay for a Featured spot above the ranking; it's always marked Sponsored and never changes scores or positions.
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