7 Best Note Organization Apps to Completely Change Your Life
Figuring out the best tools for your note-taking style takes a lot of trial and error. These are the best note organization apps that will make your note-taking more efficient.
Taking notes in school is one of the most important things to master. Good notes can have a huge impact on your overall grade. However, it can be difficult to know exactly what to use to take the best notes possible.
As an avid note-taker and note-perfectionist myself, I have tried out SO MANY different note-taking apps. They all have a lot to offer and it mostly just depends on what you're looking for as a student. The 7 note organization apps below are all great note-taking options.
However, it's still important to take the time to figure out what features they offer and which ones will work best for you. The best note organization apps are the ones that meet as many of your needs as possible.
This post is all about the best note organization apps to make your study a whole lot easier.
Best Note Organization Apps
1. Google Docs
Google Docs is a simple tried and true method for note-taking. While Google Docs is great because you can make one Doc for each class and section the units or chapters off with big headings, it is a little difficult to organize. Also, Google Docs tends to be where most people write essays. It can get a little confusing.
However, Google Docs is free and if done writing it can be a great note-taking option. Here are some tips I would suggest. Don't create a new Doc for every class, lesson, or unit. Create one Doc for each class and separate units or lessons by larger headings or different colors if you like. If there's anything you can't write take a picture of it and upload the picture into the Doc.
This can provide you with some really comprehensive and easy-to-read notes. Google Docs is a great tool because you just need to have an account in order to use it for free!
2. Notion
Notion is my FAVORITE organizational app. A huge complaint people have about it is that it's too confusing. While I agree that there's a steep learning curve, there is so much potential lying at the end of the curve. There is endless customization when it comes to Notion. If there's anything you don't like about any of these other note-taking platforms, you can probably fix it in Notion. By dividing content into pages, subpages, and sections, you have easy navigation. You can also find all of your notes super easily.
Notion is such a great way to get organized and still make everything look cute. With a website like Notion, the possibilities are endless. You could create a whole page for each of your classes and then create entire pages within that for each lesson, unit, or class lecture.
Notion is also elite for group projects. It's kind of like Google Docs in the sense that multiple people can work on something at once. However, on Notion you can also set team task benchmarks and assign someone to each task. With a collaborative page, everyone can check things off as they finish them. This is a game-changer for holding people accountable for their part in group projects.
Notion is so customizable which makes it a great note-taking app. Set aside some time or a weekend to work on getting yours set up how you like it. Be sure to use other people's templates if you're truly feeling lost.
3. Notability
Notability is another note-taking app I've used for years. It works best on iPads, and next to Notion, it is my absolute favorite. Notability has features that allow you to record a lecture while you take notes on it. You can upload different templates to help with note-taking or daily schedules, and some of the templates even include other people's notes from a certain class.
Notability is actually a life-saver for me and I highly recommend it to anyone who is considering trying it out. The downside of notability is that it isn't free. There is a free version which I would recommend if you absolutely cannot pay, however, the paid version has so many benefits that I actually think are worth it.
I honestly can't recommend Notability enough. One of the best Notability features is the voice recording feature. I think that any note platform that has this is superior. It allows you to record lectures, meetings, or interviews while simultaneously taking notes. Overall, the voice recording feature enables you to capture key points and details, making comprehension and retention easier.
Notability also has handwriting recognition technology that converts handwritten notes into typed text. I've found that it's not super advanced and sometimes gets some words wrong, but it's still a helpful feature to have.
4. GoodNotes
GoodNotes is a note-taking app that is very similar to Notability. They offer the same features in terms of an assortment of pen, pencil, and highlighter color options including making your own colors. They both offer the laser feature, text, uploading media, and a whole host of organizational tools.
The only difference for me is the select feature that both GoodNotes and Notability have, which allows you to make the piece of writing you select bigger and smaller on Notability. This is literally the only difference in terms of functionality, however, it matters to me so I prefer Notability.
However, if that's not an issue for you, then I would actually recommend going with GoodNotes. Notability requires you to pay monthly for the premium version whereas GoodNotes allows a one-time payment. This is obviously more beneficial and a lot cheaper. So if the select feature isn't something you REALLY need, I would recommend GoodNotes.
5. OneNote
OneNote is a great option for people taking notes on their laptops. GoodNotes and Notability are great iPad note-taking apps, but they don't work on computers. OneNotes feels and looks natural when you're using it on a laptop. It also has an excellent search function that makes it super easy to locate certain note topics.
You can easily join notes together, and sync your notes across multiple devices. I think that note-taking organizations can make or break a note app. Thankfully, OneNote has an efficient organization for individual notes and tasks. It backs everything up to cloud storage and depending on how you feel about cloud storage that could be a negative or positive characteristic for you.
There is such a broad range in the type of note-taking you can do on OneNote. Being able to access their notes offline, makes it a reliable tool for note-taking and reference even when an internet connection is unavailable. A distinct feature of OneNote is the OneNote Web Clipper. It lets you save web pages, articles, and screenshots directly to your notebooks. This way you can capture and organize online research, references, and inspiration seamlessly.
6. Google Keep
Google Keep is another super efficient note-taking platform. Along with it being super simple to use it allows color-coding and labeling for notes which makes it easy to organize. Google Keep also has reminders and notifications for tasks that can be really efficient for use. It's always helpful when you find a platform that lets you accomplish multiple things at once.
It's kind of like Google Calendar and a note-taking platform merged into one thing. It has location-based reminders. Similarly to OneNote, Google Keep has a great search system that makes it easy to search for notes. Another thing that can be a game-changer with note-taking platforms is being able to access your documents offline. If that's also important for you, Google Keep has you covered.
As an added bonus, Google Keep also lets you make voice recordings directly within your notes. This can be helpful for recording while a teacher explains a confusing topic, or if you want to. explain something out loud and save it for a cumulative test. Google Keep is truly a great computer, note-taking platform.
7. Obsidian
Just like the other laptop-based note-taking platforms, Obsidian has a great note-searching program. It makes it quick and easy to find exactly what you're looking for.
Obsidian offers a graph view feature which can help understand the relationships between notes. Again, you can access your notes offline. This makes it a reliable tool for note-taking and reference even when an internet connection is unavailable. It has a lot of the same positive features that the other note-taking platforms have.
However, Obsidian also has a pretty active community of users who are able to share information. You can share and receive notes, and tips from other users with related content. In summary, Obsidian offers a powerful and versatile platform for note-taking, knowledge management, and productivity, with a strong emphasis on community engagement, open-source development, and user empowerment.
This post was all about the best note organization apps.
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