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Alternatives
October 21, 20258 min read

Best Evernote Alternative in 2025: Top 5 Options Compared

Evernote used to be the note-taking app. Then came the price hikes ($14.99/month), aggressive feature restrictions, and a bloated interface. If you're looking for a better alternative in 2025, you're not alone.

Why People Are Leaving Evernote

The Main Problems:

  • $Too Expensive - $14.99/month ($180/year) for Personal, up to $17.99 for Professional
  • 🔒Restrictive Free Plan - Limited to 2 devices and 60MB upload/month
  • 🐌Slow & Bloated - The app has become sluggish with features most people don't use
  • 🔐Privacy Concerns - All notes stored on Evernote servers with AI scanning

Top 5 Evernote Alternatives (Tested & Ranked)

We spent 40+ hours testing 12 note-taking apps. Here are the best alternatives based on pricing, features, privacy, and ease of use:

1. NotepadOne

BEST VALUEMOST PRIVATE
$2.99/mo
80% cheaper
Privacy-First: Notes stay local in your browser by default. No account required for free plan.
Simple & Fast: Loads instantly, works offline, no bloat. Just notes and folders.
Rich Formatting: Bold, italic, lists, headings, code blocks, and more.
Real-Time Collaboration: Premium includes live editing with cursors (Evernote charges extra).
Free Plan (No Login):
30 notes, full features, unlimited devices, works offline
Premium ($2.99/month):
Unlimited notes, 5GB cloud storage, real-time collaboration
Missing: No web clipper, no OCR scanning, no handwriting support
Try NotepadOne Free

2. Notion

Best for Teams & Wikis
$10/mo
Plus plan
Powerful databases, templates, and workspace features
Great for project management and team collaboration
Complex learning curve, can be overwhelming
Slower than Evernote for quick note capture
Compare NotepadOne vs Notion →

3. Apple Notes

Best for Apple Ecosystem
Free
Built-in
Completely free with iCloud sync across Apple devices
Simple, fast, and well-integrated with iOS/macOS
Apple devices only (no Windows/Android)
Limited formatting and organization features

4. Microsoft OneNote

Best for Students
Free
With Microsoft account
Free with 5GB OneDrive storage, works on all platforms
Great for handwriting and drawing (with stylus)
Requires Microsoft account, privacy concerns
Can be slow and cluttered interface
Compare NotepadOne vs OneNote →

5. Google Keep

Best for Quick Notes
Free
With Google account
Extremely simple and fast for quick notes and lists
Color-coded notes, reminders, and location-based alerts
Google tracks everything for advertising
Very limited formatting and organization
Compare NotepadOne vs Google Keep →

Quick Comparison Table

AppPricePrivacyBest For
NotepadOne$2.99/mo⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Privacy & value
Notion$10/mo⭐⭐⭐Teams & wikis
Apple NotesFree⭐⭐⭐⭐Apple users
OneNoteFree⭐⭐Students
Google KeepFree⭐Quick notes

Which Alternative Should You Choose?

Choose NotepadOne if you want:
Maximum privacy, simple interface, and 80% cost savings vs Evernote. Works offline and no login required.
Choose Notion if you want:
Advanced databases, wikis, and project management. Good for teams but overkill for simple notes.
Choose Apple Notes if you:
Only use Apple devices and want something completely free with good enough features.
Choose OneNote if you:
Need handwriting/drawing support and already use Microsoft ecosystem.
Choose Google Keep if you:
Only need very simple sticky notes and don't care about privacy.

The Bottom Line

Evernote's price increases and feature bloat have pushed thousands of users to look elsewhere. If you're leaving Evernote in 2025, NotepadOne offers the best combination of privacy, simplicity, and value at $2.99/month—80% cheaper than Evernote.

For teams needing databases and wikis, Notion is worth the extra cost. Apple users already have a solid free option. But if you want a straightforward, private note-taking experience without breaking the bank, NotepadOne is your best bet.

Try NotepadOne Today

Start with our free plan (30 notes, no login required). Upgrade to Premium for unlimited notes and cloud sync—still 80% cheaper than Evernote.

Try NotepadOne Free

Related Articles

→ Why I Left Notion for NotepadOne→ NotepadOne vs Evernote: Detailed Comparison→ Compare All Note-Taking Apps