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Free Evernote alternatives
Every pick starts with a genuine free tier, which makes it the easiest way to test a full workflow for zero dollars. Start free and upgrade only when it earns it.
What is the best free alternative to Evernote?
Obsidian is the free Evernote alternative we recommend first. Obsidian edges out Evernote in our testing, scoring 4.7 to 4.5 overall. It scores 4.7 in our testing, and at $0 it keeps the monthly bill reasonable. See the full ranked list below to compare every pick.
6 free alternatives worth your time
Obsidian
4.7 out of 54.7A local-first knowledge base you fully control.
Obsidian edges out Evernote in our testing, scoring 4.7 to 4.5 overall.
- Local-first with plain markdown files, your data is never locked into a proprietary format or cloud vendor
- Plugin ecosystem with thousands of community plugins covering every workflow from journaling to project management
Raycast
4.7 out of 54.7A blazing-fast launcher that replaces a dozen apps.
Raycast edges out Evernote in our testing, scoring 4.7 to 4.5 overall.
- Well established product with an active user base
- Regular updates and clear roadmap
Airtable
4.6 out of 54.6Connected app platform combining relational database power with spreadsheet simplicity.
Airtable edges out Evernote in our testing, scoring 4.6 to 4.5 overall.
- Combines the visual simplicity of a spreadsheet with the relational power of SQL.
- Interface Designer creates custom executive dashboards and client portals effortlessly.
Craft
4.4 out of 54.4Beautiful documents and notes for Apple users.
Craft starts at $10/mo, undercutting Evernote's $14.99/mo while covering the same core ground.
- Well established product with an active user base
- Regular updates and clear roadmap
Bear
4.4 out of 54.4An elegant Markdown note app for Apple.
Bear starts at $2.99/mo, undercutting Evernote's $14.99/mo while covering the same core ground.
- Well established product with an active user base
- Regular updates and clear roadmap
Apple Notes
4.2 out of 54.2The capable notes app built into Apple devices.
Apple Notes is the pick when you want the capable notes app built into apple devices., and it leads on ease of use.
- Well established product with an active user base
- Regular updates and clear roadmap
Evernote vs the free alternatives
| Tool | Our score | From | Free tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evernote | 4.5 | $14.99/mo | Yes | Researchers, executives, professionals, and archival users wanting premier Web Clipper capture, PDF optical character recognition (OCR), and handwritten note search. |
| Obsidian | 4.7 | $0 | Yes | Writers, researchers, and knowledge workers who want a private, extensible, local-first note-taking system built on plain markdown files they fully control. |
| Raycast | 4.7 | Free | Yes | A blazing-fast launcher that replaces a dozen apps. |
| Airtable | 4.6 | $20/seat/mo | Yes | Ops teams, marketers, product managers, and agencies needing relational databases, Interface Designer apps, and automated workflows. |
| Craft | 4.4 | $10/mo | Yes | Beautiful documents and notes for Apple users. |
| Bear | 4.4 | $2.99/mo | Yes | An elegant Markdown note app for Apple. |
| Apple Notes | 4.2 | Free | Yes | The capable notes app built into Apple devices. |
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