I am going to by no means pay for a note-taking app when these free choices exist

I am glad my tutorial profession ended earlier than lecture halls had been crammed with iPad Professionals and the fixed clacking of keyboards. Granted, the courses I took (as an English main) had been crammed with like-minded college students: those that purchased into the idea that bodily writing issues down with pen and paper someway additionally etched them higher into our massive brains.

However I just lately talked to some present college students, who all appear to swear by one paid app or one other. After wrapping my paper-oriented thoughts across the idea of paying for a digital sheet to take notes on, I took an extended, arduous take a look at the note-taking apps I take advantage of in my working day. Between my telephone, iPad, laptop computer, and exploring all of the paid-app choices, I made up my mind that placing any cash right into a note-taking app was a waste. Listed below are the free options I take advantage of and why I am going to by no means spend a cent on note-taking apps.

You do not want fancy apps when you take notes like this

Easy is healthier

Paid apps are simply lighting cash on fireplace in case your note-taking habits are so simple as mine:

Title

Subtitle

(repeat as wanted)

This traditional note-taking technique known as “outlining,” and I discovered to do it in sixth grade. Whereas some shade coding can completely spruce it up, you do not want fancy illustrations, sparkly highlighters, and even insane fonts — the vital factor is absorbing data, which may be achieved with essentially the most fundamental of pen strokes or keystrokes. Customary formatting like headings, subheadings, bullet factors, numbers, and letters is greater than sufficient to prepare the data you are gathering in any capability.

At its core, any note-taking app ought to have these components obtainable. Until you want extra or crave a bit of additional inventive freedom, that is all you want. Whereas I’ve many artistically inclined mates who love Goodnotes on their iPads and take frame-worthy notes, I additionally discover how a lot additional time and power they pour into their notes. Some declare that it helps them keep in mind the data much more, however to me, pace and effectivity take precedence. After utilizing a flowery notes app as soon as, I missed two or three very important factors in a gathering as a result of I could not determine which serif font and darkish blue to make use of for the highest heading.

There isn’t a room in my busy day for aesthetic alternative paralysis. As a full-time editor, social media marketer, freelancer, and social butterfly, I am going to discover vibrancy and shade exterior of my notes — in there, it is strictly enterprise. As a result of fundamental apps get the job executed superbly, listed below are those I take advantage of, plus a few different dependable mediums.

Apple Notes

For on a regular basis ideas and quick access

As somebody pretty locked into the Apple ecosystem, I deal with my Notes app like a private diary. I’ve a memorable piece of poetry written at 3AM in 2017 sitting beside a packing listing for spring break, plus novel concepts that I’ve but to jot down. As a result of my telephone is at all times on me, any fast thought, to-do listing, plan, or concept has a fast place to go it doesn’t matter what.

Like many of the firm’s native functions, Apple Notes is intuitive and easy, but additionally loaded with simply sufficient additional options to make the try-hards comfortable. If you wish to rapidly jot down a grocery or to-do listing, you may select a guidelines format. In the event you’re taking notes throughout a gathering or class, you might have the traditional bullet factors, dashes, numbers, and all the usual formatting you’d discover on any note-taking app or doc software program.

Since I’ve quite a lot of Apple units, I like that my Notes app syncs up throughout all my tech. If I am on my telephone and need to reference a notice I made on my iPad the day earlier than, it is proper there. Cloud-syncing is just about normal throughout most apps these days, however fixed accessibility on each my moveable and not-so-portable units is a game-changer. All my ideas are at all times obtainable to me.

However the Notes app feels fast and fleeting. It appears like a “thought drive-thru” you pop out and in of quite than a “thought café” the place you may quiet down in all day to work on a challenge. For that motive, I wanted one other platform to complement it with.

Google Docs

For work notes and long-form writing

Google Docs is a free, browser-based software I’ve used to jot down each college paper, freelance article, and even manuscript in my private life {and professional} profession. Whereas it has the identical traditional components because the Apple Notes app — and many extra — it is primarily a text-based software that appears like an important massive, unending pad of paper. As a result of it is browser-based, I may entry it wherever I can log into my Google account, so I am by no means with out my notes.

I choose Google Docs for long-form content material, particularly after I’m writing extra structured or official paperwork that require greater than quarter-hour of my consideration. These sorts of paperwork additionally have a tendency to want a number of units of eyes on them, and Google makes it extremely straightforward to share them with others to allow them to immediately edit, counsel edits, or remark. Sharing on Apple Notes is not as seamless — particularly if whoever you need to share it with would not have an Apple ID.

Opening Docs appears like extra of a dedication than simply popping into an OS-native app, which successfully makes me lock in on no matter I am engaged on as a substitute of treating it like a fleeting thought. It will get the job executed, and between that and Apple Notes, these two free apps scratch each fundamental note-taking itch I’ve.

Totally different units (and codecs) work for various individuals

iPads, Kindle Scribes, and the traditional pen and paper

I have been speaking about note-taking apps for this whole article, however there are nonetheless so many different strategies which may be just right for you as a substitute of an app. Admittedly, iPads aren’t my favourite note-taking instruments — I choose to make use of mine for streaming, gaming, and studying, however some individuals swear by the notes they take with their Apple Pencils. These customers often embrace college students sporting a Goodnotes subscription, however I do know loads of Notes App wizards, too. I simply dislike the sensation of the Pencil tip on the glass display screen.

Model

Apple

Storage

128 GB

CPU

A16

Working System

iPadOS

Nonetheless, there’s one other pill I swear by: the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. With even fewer formatting choices than Google Docs or the Notes app, taking notes on a Kindle Scribe is calming, intuitive, and truly feels like real paper, which my iPad may by no means obtain with out an costly third-party display screen cowl. I may share my handwritten notes with my Alexa Echo device, which I can reference and ask questions on by means of the Alexa app on my telephone. Amazon baked in some AI that I really discover fairly helpful for summarization, too.

Decision

150ppi

Storage

32GB, 64GB

Model

Amazon

Display screen Dimension

11-inch glare-free show

However when all of it boils right down to it, pen and paper is not damaged. Regardless of how handy or vital digital writing and note-taking are, writing one thing by hand on a chunk of paper nonetheless feels nice, satisfying, and innately human.