Best Note-Taking Apps for Students in 2025

Note-taking is a fundamental skill for students, either in high school or college. As digital learning takes center stage, several apps have come into the spotlight to boost productivity and organization. This is an in-depth review of the best note-taking apps for students, supported by facts and figures.

1. Why Digital Note-Taking is Essential for Students

85% of students employ digital tools for learning (Source: EdTech Report 2024).

Digital notes enhance accessibility, searchability, and collaboration.

Cloud storage guarantees that notes are never lost.

2. Most Important Features to Find in a Note-Taking App

Cross-Platform Support: Apps must be able to run on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

Cloud Sync: Easy access to notes anywhere, anytime.

Handwriting Recognition: Best for students who like to write rather than type.

Multimedia Support: Capability to embed images, audio, and video.

Collaboration Tools: Collaboration and real-time editing of group projects.

3. Top Note-Taking Apps for Students

1. Evernote

Users: 225M+ globally

Pricing: Free, Premium ($7.99/month), Business ($14.99/month)

Storage: 60MB/month (Free), 10GB/month (Premium)

Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

Features: Web clipping, OCR, PDF annotation

2. Microsoft OneNote

Users: 300M+ globally

Pricing: Free (with Office 365 subscription for additional features)

Storage: 5GB free, expandable with OneDrive

Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web

Features: Handwriting recognition, audio notes, real-time collaboration

3. Notion

Users: 30M+ active users

Pricing: Free, Plus ($8/month), Business ($15/month)

Storage: Unlimited pages & blocks (file uploads capped in free version)

Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web

Features: Database integration, Kanban boards, collaboration tools

4. Google Keep

Users: 1B+ downloads

Pricing: Free

Storage: Integrated with Google Drive (15GB free storage)

Platforms: Windows (via Web), macOS (via Web), iOS, Android

Features: Voice notes, color-coded labels, seamless Google integration

5. GoodNotes (iOS Only)

Users: 10M+ downloads

Pricing: $9.99 one-time purchase

Storage: Device-based + iCloud sync

Platforms: iOS, macOS

Features: Handwriting recognition, PDF annotation, Apple Pencil support

4. Which Note-Taking App is Best for You?

Handwriting: Evernote ❌ | OneNote ✅ | Notion ❌ | Google Keep ❌ | GoodNotes ✅

Cloud Sync: Evernote ✅ | OneNote ✅ | Notion ✅ | Google Keep ✅ | GoodNotes ✅

Collaboration: Evernote ✅ | OneNote ✅ | Notion ✅ | Google Keep ✅ | GoodNotes ❌

Free Version: Evernote ✅ | OneNote ✅ | Notion ✅ | Google Keep ✅ | GoodNotes ❌

Multimedia: Evernote ✅ | OneNote ✅ | Notion ✅ | Google Keep ✅ | GoodNotes ✅

5. Future Trends in Note-Taking Apps

AI-powered Summarization: Apps like Notion and Evernote are incorporating AI to summarize notes.

Voice-to-Text Features: Google Keep and OneNote enable voice note transcription.

Augmented Reality (AR) Note-Taking: Future apps might enable students to note down in a 3D environment.

6. Conclusion: Selecting the Right App for Your Needs

The best note-taking app depends on your needs:

For handwritten notes: GoodNotes

For organization & databases: Notion

For cloud-based storage & collaboration: OneNote or Evernote

For quick notes & reminders: Google Keep

The right app can boost productivity, organize studies, and enhance learning experiences. Make the right choice and level up your note-taking game!