All we have to remember things when we need them despite our forgetfulness. Although the exact solution to that issue comes to mind as taking notes, you can’t carry a pen and paper with you everywhere. But your smartphone is always in your pocket. Almost every phone, including iPhones, have a stock note-taking app but none of them is the best. Today, we want to help you to find out the best note apps for iPhone on the market.
There are plenty of note apps on the App Store and many of them have different features in addition to what the stock note apps offer you. While some apps have advanced features like allowing you to create checklists, attach files to notes, or sync between devices, the others are just focusing on a simple note-taking experience.
Without further ado, let’s find out what are the best notes apps for iPhone users.
Best Notes Apps for iPhone
Selection of a third-party note app is an individual choice and the best option depends on what you expect from an application. Because people may want to take notes for different purposes such as remembering a phone number, writing a short story, or recording a bright idea.
Whatever your aim is in using a third-party note app, you should be sure to have one of the best note apps for iPhone. We don’t want you to waste your time by trying every note app. Therefore, we’ve made some research for you and have compiled a list of the best note-taking apps to use on your iPhone.
Read Also: Best Note-Taking Apps for Mac – TOP 10
1. Evernote
Price: Free/premium plans
Compatibility: iOS 13.2 or later
A list of iPhone note-taking apps can’t be said to be completed unless Evernote is included. Because we’re sure that every user will like at least a feature of it. There is a multitude of features on Evernote and this makes it an excellent all-in-one note-taking app for iPhone users.
Things you can do with Evernote are more than typing notes, attaching media files to the notes, and changing the size or color of the pen. In addition to these simple jobs, it lets you create to-do lists, and tables, search between notes, and integrate with other apps like Slack and Microsoft Teams.
Moreover, you can add voice records and blend them with different kinds of notes like video clips, images, screenshots, music, sketches, and texts.
It is free but some of the premium features like additional widgets and more uploading limits may require you to have a premium membership starting from $8.99 monthly.
Read Also: 10 Best Widgets for iPhone Home Screen
Evernote at a glance:
- Create tables, add images, videos, to-do lists, and sketches
- Create links between notes
- Organize docs and files
- Scan physical documents
- Works well with Siri
- Cross-platform support
2. Bear
Price: Free / subscription plans
Compatibility: iOS 11.0 or later
If you want to use a versatile iPhone notes app instead of your phone’s stock note-taking app, give a chance on Bear. This wonderful app allows you to take notes on each device with advanced note tools. After taking notes, it allows you to encrypt your notes to keep them safe.
Just like other apps on the list, Bear lets you create to-do lists and checklists, and add pics and other media files like videos and audio files. Moreover, you can use your Apple Pencil to sketch anything on the note canvas.
Best Deals: Check the price of Apple Pencil on Amazon
The application provides you with a markup editor for a better writing experience so you’ll feel more comfortable when typing fast. You are able to export your note files into PDF, HTML, DOCX, MD, and more formats.
The app lets you sync your data across devices with iCloud as long as you subscribe to one of its premium plans. Bear premium includes many more features like cross-linking between note files, different encryption methods, themes, and more exporting options.
Bear at a glance:
- Advanced encryption methods for single notes
- Create to-do lists and checklists, and add media files
- Use Apple Pencil to draw sketches on notes
- Markup editor supporting +20 programming languages
- Export into PDF, JPG, HTML, DOCX, etc.
- Syncs across devices
- Connect note docs with links
3. Notion
Price: Free/Pro plans
Compatibility: iOS 15.0 or later
Providing you with a rich note-taking experience, Notion is among the best note apps for iPhone and iPad devices. At first, you might get confused while trying out all of its features, yet that’s not surprising. Because there are tons of tools waiting to be discovered inside.
Notion allows you to create different formats of notes, including to-do lists, checklists, code snippets as well as media files like images, videos, and voices. Besides these features, Notion also lets you add a comments section in any line of your notes and this ability makes the app unique.
The app syncs across your devices in addition to its web extension. Moreover, you can enjoy collaborating in real time with teammates.
Using Notion is free for personal purposes, yet you have to subscribe for advanced features like collaboration.
Notion at a glance:
- Includes plenty of advanced features
- Create code snippets, to-do lists, and checklists as well as add media files
- Add comments to any lines of notes
- Sync across devices in addition to its web extension
- Collaborate on notes with teammates
- Free for personal use
4. Simplenote
Price: Free
Compatibility: iOS 13.0 or later
As the name suggests, the Simplenote app is a pretty simple and pure app that provides you with only the most essential features. Therefore, it would not be wrong to say that it is a distraction-free application. Creating to-do lists, adding tags, and pinning the most used notes are among these features.
Moreover, Simplenote allows you to protect your notes with a passcode. Besides these simple features, it also has some advanced features including a Markdown editor and publishing posts directly in WordPress.
Just like the Bear app, you can collaborate with friends on a single note file and sync your notes across devices. In addition, it has a dark theme to protect your eyes at night.
You can’t create folders, but you can add tags to organize note files. If you want to take notes in just simple text format, this app is for you.
Simplenote at a glance:
- Supports only text-based notes
- Create to-do lists, pin the most used notes
- Add tags to organize files
- Protect note files with a passcode or biometric methods
- Publish texts directly in WordPress
- Supports Markdown editor
5. Microsoft OneNote
Price: Free/premium plans
Compatibility: iOS 15.0 or later
OneNote, a product of Microsoft Company, is another handy note-taking app for iPhone users. With this app, you can create to-do lists, draw sketches, take handwritten notes, and add images and other media files to notes as well as graphs.
It allows you to search among the notes and pin important notes. Moreover, OneNote lets you lock note files with a password or biometric protection methods. Additionally, you can add tags or create notebooks to arrange files.
Collaboration on notes and auto synchronization across devices are among the other features of OneNote.
Upnote at a glance:
- Create to-do lists, draw sketches and handwritten notes
- Add images, videos, sounds, links, web clips
- Search notes, pin them, add tags
- Lock files with a pass or biometric ID
- Create sections and notebooks to sort files
- Auto syncs across devices
6. Noteshelf
Price: $9.99
Compatibility: iOS 13.0 or later
Another one of the best note-taking apps for iPhone and iPad devices is Noteshelf which supports adding rich media formats to notes. It lets you create diagrams, annotate texts and PDF files and highlight them.
Besides images, it also allows you to add voice recordings to documents. You can create folders to organize different types of note files. It also has different exporting methods to third-party apps like Evernote, cloud storage apps, or social media accounts.
Providing a dark mode, Noteshelf allows users to take handwritten notes with a pencil. Furthermore, using Apple Watch, you can take notes by speaking. Additionally, the app supports Face ID and Touch ID locking methods for notebooks.
Noteshelf can be used with Siri on basic tasks like searching, opening, or creating folders. It also provides an auto-backup system for Dropbox and OneDrive.
Noteshelf at a glance:
- Supports adding media files, handwritten notes, and audio recording
- Create diagrams, and to-do lists, highlight and annotate PDF files
- Create notebooks to arrange files
- Export notes to Evernote, cloud systems, or social media accounts
- Lock notes with Face ID and Touch ID
- Auto-backup for Dropbox and OneDrive
- Use Siri for basic tasks like creating, searching folders and notes
7. GoodNotes 5
Price: Free/in-app purchases
Compatibility: iOS 14.5 or later
Searching for a handy note-taking app with advanced presentation tools? GoodNotes 5 might be what you’re looking for. It allows you to organize the app with unlimited folders and subfolders in addition to in-built themes and layouts.
The most outstanding feature of GoodNotes 5 is providing presentation tools that allow students or teachers to convert their devices into digital whiteboards. With these tools, you can mirror the screen of GoodNotes to a smartboard with AirPlay or HDMI cables.
Read Also: 8 Best Screen Mirroring Apps for Android & iOS
Moreover, GoodNotes lets you back up note files to cloud systems such as iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.
GoodNotes at a glance:
- Create unlimited folders and subfolders
- Provides presentation tools to mirror the app’s screen onto whiteboards
- Backup to iCloud, Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive
- Compatible with Apple Pencil
- Customize the app with in-built themes and layouts
8. Notability
Price: Free / subscription plans
Compatibility: iOS 14.0 or later
Allowing you to take notes in your way, Notability is a perfect iPhone notes app, especially for those who want to be free when jotting down. It lets you doodle something, move or resize your sketches and copy them.
Creating to-do lists and checkboxes as well as making presentations of notes are quite easy with Notability. It is also possible to customize the app’s layout to work with multi notes simultaneously. The app allows you to blend different file types like text, audio recordings, and videos in one document.
The prominent feature of Notability is its in-app community where you can share or publish your notes with others. Moreover, sharing your notes with third-party apps like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive is easy with Notability.
Notability at a glance:
- Draw sketches, move or resize them
- Create to-do lists and checklists
- Make presentations
- Blend different note formats
- Customize canvas layout
- Join its community to share or publish notes
- Share files with Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive
9. Notebook
Price: Free/Pro plans
Compatibility: iOS 11.0 or later
Notebook by Zoho is among the most impressive note apps for iPhone. You will experience the convenience of using the Notebook application while syncing note files between different platforms. Because it is available in almost every operating system such as Android, iOS, MacOS, iPadOS, and Windows.
Since it’s a card-based notes app, each note document will be saved in a different card appearance. It is possible to add tags, and colors or change the cover of these note cards.
The app allows you to take pictures with the in-built camera, as well as scan documents. If you have a pencil, you can enjoy taking handwritten notes. Additionally, Notebook lets you add various note types into one file such as text, videos, audio, to-do lists, sketch, and more.
Zoho Notepad at a glance:
- Sync across all platforms including Android, Mac, iOS, and Windows
- Add tags and colors as well as change the cover of note cards
- Take photos and scan documents with an in-built camera
- Draw sketches and take handwritten notes with a pencil
- Blend different note formats like text, video, image, audio, and sketch
10. Standard Notes
Price: Free
Compatibility: iOS 13.0 or later
If your priority is security when using a note taking app, Standard Notes will be best choice for you. Because it’s an open source application that has a %100 end-to-end encryption system. Moreover, it lets you lock note files with password, Touch ID or Face ID protection methods.
Besides security features it has, Standard Notes also allows you to add tasks, create to-do lists, customize the layout and more.
Beautiful themes, markdown, codes, spreedsheets and auto daily backups are some of the other features of Standard Notes.
Standard Notes at a glance:
- Safest app on the list with end-to-end encryption
- Open source note-taking app
- Lock files with password, Touch ID, or Face ID
- Add tasks, create to-do lists, customize the app
- Provides markdown and code editor as well as spreadsheets and daily backups