Notes Alternatives for Mac

There are many alternatives to Notes for Mac if you are looking for a replacement. The best Mac alternative is Joplin, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Notes and loads of them are available for Mac so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Mac alternatives to Notes are Notesnook, Microsoft OneNote, Zim and CherryTree.

filter to find the best alternatives

Notes alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools, but if you're looking for Todo List Managers or Task Management Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Android and Open Source. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Notes.
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Alternatives list

  1. Joplin icon

    Joplin

     879 likes

    Open source app for managing notes and to-dos with Markdown support. Syncs seamlessly across devices using services like Dropbox and OneDrive. Offers end-to-end encrypted synchronicity, offline access, rich import/export options, and a Web Clipper for browsers.

    114 Joplin alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • AppImageHub
    • Snapcraft
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    • Homebrew
    • Chocolatey
    • Termux
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Joplin screenshot 1
     
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    2
    Comments about Joplin as an Alternative to Notes
    RemovedUser
    Positive
    1

    Effective open source privacy respecting note-taking solution solution. Provides end-to-end encrypted(E2EE) auto-syncing capabilities and built-in support for popular solutions like Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive or the provided Joplin Cloud. The E2EE safeguards your data against misuse by Joplin or any other service provider you choose for your notes.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    ecxod
    Positive
    0

    The most important feature, for alternatives to Apple Notes is the capability to sync with the Imap Notes Folder of the email. Everything else is secondary.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Joplin icon
    Joplin icon
    • Joplin is Freemium and Open SourceNotes is Free and Proprietary
    • Joplin is Privacy focused and MinimalisticNotes is not according to our users
  2. Notesnook icon

    Notesnook

     178 likes

    Notesnook is a simple and cross-platform private notes app that keeps your notes organized and synced on your phone, tablet and computer. Take notes, capture ideas, create to-do lists, keep a journal, write your assignments and manage projects, we have got you covered.

    303 Notesnook alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Flatpak
    Notesnook screenshot 1
     
  4. Microsoft OneNote icon

    Microsoft OneNote

     1139 likes

    Comprehensive digital notebook offering organizers, shared notes, multi-device syncing, and optical character recognition, plus cloud-based data management for efficient information handling and accessibility.

    143 Microsoft OneNote alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Windows Phone
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch
    • Android Wear
    • Kindle Fire
    Microsoft OneNote screenshot 1
     
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    2
    Comments about Microsoft OneNote as an Alternative to Notes
    asphaltkisser
    Negative
    1

    One Note is overkill and more of an alternative the likes of Evernote.

    Guest
    Positive
    -4

    It's quite similar to native Notes, and it is rich in functionality.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Microsoft OneNote icon
    Microsoft OneNote icon
    • Microsoft OneNote is Freemium and ProprietaryNotes is Free and Proprietary
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  6. Zim icon

    Zim

     511 likes

    Zim brings the concept of a wiki to your desktop. Store information, link pages and edit with WYSISYG markup or directly typing some lightweight markup syntax and see it previewed as-you-type. Creating a new page is easy by either clicking on the "Create new note"...

    318 Zim alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Zim screenshot 1
     
  7. CherryTree icon

    CherryTree

     322 likes

    Hierarchical note-taking software that is free, open-source, cross-platform. Features include rich text, syntax highlighting, multi-level lists, embedded files, customizable interface, code execution, PDF export, spell check, images & tables, and comprehensive project management support.

    101 CherryTree alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
    CherryTree screenshot 1
     
  10. Turtl icon

    Turtl

     178 likes

    Whether it's bookmarks or passwords, files or shopping lists...Turtl organizes it all and makes it easy to find later. Sync across your devices. Leave nothing behind.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Self-Hosted
    • Google Chrome
    • Firefox
    Turtl screenshot 1
     
  11. Dendron icon

    Dendron

     71 likes

    Dendron is an open-source, local-first, markdown-based, note-taking tool built on top of VSCode. It supports all the usual features you would expect like tagging, backlinks, a graph view, split panes, and so forth.

    207 Dendron alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Visual Studio Code
    Dendron screenshot 1
     
  12. Rnote icon

    Rnote

     37 likes

    Rnote aims to be a simple but functional note taking application for freehand drawing or annotating pictures or documents. It eventually should be able to import / export various media file formats.

    22 Rnote alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Rnote screenshot 1
     
  13. Craft icon

    Craft

     44 likes

    Craft offers document creation with stunning visuals, seamless navigation, and effortless sharing. Nest notes, use AI for summaries, and export in multiple formats.

    97 Craft alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Craft screenshot 1
     
  14. UpNote icon

    UpNote

     40 likes

    UpNote is an elegant and powerful note app that works seamlessly across platforms: iOS, Android, Mac and Windows.

    314 UpNote alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    UpNote screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Comments about UpNote as an Alternative to Notes
    procreator
    Positive
    1

    Finally, an app that can replace Apple Notes. I was looking for a cross-platform Apple Notes alternative and this is it!

    UpNote icon
    UpNote icon
    • UpNote is Freemium and ProprietaryNotes is Free and Proprietary
  15. Bear icon

    Bear

     95 likes

    Flexible note-taking and writing tool featuring advanced markdown with in-line images, cross-note links, live preview, hashtags, Focus Mode, plain text storage, iCloud sync, one-tap formatting, smart data recognition, and multiple export formats for portability.

    251 Bear alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Online
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Bear screenshot 1
     
12 of 57 Notes alternatives