| App | Where notes live | Starting cost | Devices and offline use | Planning use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian | Plain Markdown files on your device, with no proprietary cloud server | Free for personal and commercial use; official Sync is an optional extra from $4/month billed annually | Works offline; notes are accessible on the device at any time | Choose it for a long-lived personal archive you fully control |
| Notion | Hosted workspace, without end-to-end encryption | Free plan with a 5MB file-upload cap; Plus is $10 per member a month | macOS, Windows, iOS, Android and web | Choose it for project databases and shared workspaces |
| Apple Notes | Apple’s cloud, with end-to-end encryption when Advanced Data Protection is on | Free with an Apple ID | Apple-only: Mac, iPhone, iPad and web at iCloud.com | Choose it for iPad handwriting with Apple Pencil and fast capture |
Figures come from Awesome Tools’ Obsidian profile and Atlas Workspace’s Notion and Apple Notes comparison.
The best note taking app depends on where you want your notes to live: Obsidian for plain files you own, Notion for a hosted workspace, Apple Notes for Apple Pencil handwriting on iPad.
Notes often hold private plans and account details, so it pays to read how to choose a password manager alongside this comparison. The sections below work through the choice by situation, starting with the contrast that matters most: local files versus a hosted workspace.
Obsidian versus Notion: local files or hosted workspace
Obsidian stores notes as plain Markdown files on your device rather than in a proprietary cloud database, according to Awesome Tools. Because no proprietary cloud server is involved, you can keep working offline. The app adds a fast graph view, backlinks and thousands of community plugins on top of those files.
Notion takes the opposite approach. Atlas Workspace describes a workspace that supports tables, boards, calendars, galleries, timelines, relations, formulas and rollups. That structure is what makes Notion strong for project tracking, and it is also why it behaves differently from a folder of text files.
- Choose Obsidian if you value ownership, offline access and a note archive that should still open in many years. Linked notes and backlinks reward people who build a personal knowledge base over time.
- Choose Notion if your notes are really structured information such as task lists, content calendars or project trackers. Its database views do things plain text cannot.
- Wait or look elsewhere if you only want to jot quick thoughts. Both apps reward some setup, and a simpler app may serve you better.
Best note app for iPad
Apple Notes is the strongest choice for an iPad with Apple Pencil. Atlas Workspace calls it strong on iPad with Apple Pencil, and lists Math Notes, scans and sketches among its features. It is also free with an Apple ID.
Notion has no native handwriting and is text-first on iPad, so it suits typed pages rather than pen-first note-taking. Obsidian is built around Markdown, a plain text format, which also makes it a typing tool more than a handwriting one.
Apple Notes has one clear limit. It is Apple-only, with apps for Mac, iPhone and iPad and web access at iCloud.com. If you also use a Windows or Android device, the web version is your only route on those machines, so a mixed-device household is better served by Notion’s wider platform list.
Microsoft OneNote appears in Apple’s App Store roundup of note-taking apps alongside Notion, described as an app to capture notes, ideas and memos. It is worth a trial if you already work in Microsoft’s apps. Test its pen behaviour on your own iPad before moving a handwritten archive into it.
Quick capture on a phone
For fast capture, the best app is the one already syncing with the devices you carry. Apple Notes covers scans and sketches on Apple hardware, and Obsidian keeps every note on the device so it is reachable without a connection.
Apple’s own App Store roundup lists Notion as a notes, tasks and project management app, which fits capture that turns into a to-do. The same roundup places Microsoft OneNote among its note-taking picks.
- Short lists and reminders: pick the app that is already on your home screen and syncs without effort. For most iPhone owners that means Apple Notes.
- Captures that become projects: Notion keeps the note and the task in one place, at the cost of more setup.
- Offline-first capture: Obsidian’s local files mean nothing depends on a server when you are away from a signal.
Exporting notes and switching apps
Obsidian is the easiest to leave. Its files are open, non-proprietary Markdown, and Awesome Tools notes that you are free to move all your data at any time. Markdown is a universal plain text standard that any text editor can open, so there is no ecosystem lock-in to untangle.
Hosted apps need more care. Notion’s structure is built from databases, relations, formulas and rollups, so run a trial export of a representative page and check the result before building a large workspace. Apple Notes runs only on Apple devices and iCloud.com, so leaving the Apple ecosystem means planning a migration route before you need it.
A practical rule follows from this. If you expect to keep notes for a decade or more, favour formats you can open without the app. If your notes are working documents with a shorter life, a hosted workspace is a reasonable trade for its convenience.
Sync methods and what they cost
Obsidian’s core app is free for personal and commercial use, and its official Sync is a paid add-on. Awesome Tools puts Sync from $4/month billed annually ($5 monthly), with end-to-end encryption included in that price. Publish, for sharing notes as a website, is $8/month per site billed annually.
Notion’s pricing is per person. According to Atlas Workspace, the free plan has a 5MB file-upload cap, Plus is $10 per member a month, and Business is $20 per member a month and includes Notion AI. For a 5-person team on Plus, that comes to $1,800 over three years.
- Solo user wanting free sync: Apple Notes on Apple devices costs nothing to start, while Obsidian’s sync is an optional paid extra.
- Teams: Notion’s per-member pricing grows with headcount, so price the whole group before committing.
- Large attachments: a 5MB upload cap on Notion’s free plan suits text and small images, so keep bigger files in a separate service. The guide to the best cloud storage covers that side.
For picking tools beyond notes, the best productivity apps guide covers task and planning software that can sit next to any of these.
Choosing by situation
- Student or iPad user with an Apple Pencil: Apple Notes, for handwriting, scans and sketches at no cost.
- Researcher or writer building a lasting archive: Obsidian, for local Markdown files, backlinks and easy portability.
- Project manager or small team: Notion, for tables, boards and timelines in one workspace, accepting the per-member cost.
- Microsoft-centred user: trial Microsoft OneNote, which Apple lists among its note-taking apps, and test it against your own devices.
- Privacy-minded user: Obsidian keeps notes on your own device, and Apple Notes offers end-to-end encryption with Advanced Data Protection.
If you are undecided, start with the free option that matches your main device and move only when a real limit appears. Obsidian and Apple Notes both cost nothing to begin with, and Notion’s free plan is enough to test its database views.
Frequently asked questions
Do notes sync across devices for free?
Apple Notes does on Apple devices, because iCloud starts at a free 5GB tier, according to Atlas Workspace. Obsidian’s app is free, but its official Sync is a paid extra.
Does Obsidian work without an internet connection?
Yes. Obsidian keeps notes as local files on your device, so you can work offline.
Is Apple Notes end-to-end encrypted?
Yes, when Advanced Data Protection is turned on. The same comparison lists Notion as having no end-to-end encryption.
Can several people edit a note in real time?
Notion is the better fit for that. Obsidian has no native real-time multiplayer editing like Notion or Google Docs.
