Yes, Notes is completely free to download and use.

What do users think of Notes?

Notes users feel excited, based on 2.9M reviews with a 4.7/5 average rating. Users praise: Ease of Use. Common complaints: Bugs and Performance Issues.

What are Notes's main features?

Notes's key features include Smart Folders, Cross-Note Linking, Document Scanning. Standout differentiators: Smart Folders, Cross-Note Linking.

Is Notes available on iOS and Android?

Yes, Notes is available on iOS (App Store) and Google Play (Android).

Notes

Apple

Notes

Name: Notes
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.6925664 (5 reviews)
Author: Apple

v2.0

Apple

2.9M ratings

App Store →Play Store →

Report updated Apr 1, 2026

Notes

v2.0

Apple

2.9M ratings

Apple ecosystem users ranging from students to professionals who need a versatile, integrated tool for capturing thoughts, managing tasks, and organizing documents.

App Store →Play Store →

Productivity

What Is Notes?

Launched Mar 20, 2013
Updated Mar 2026

Apple Notes is a foundational productivity tool designed to capture, organize, and synchronize thoughts across the Apple ecosystem. It serves as a versatile, all-in-one repository for text, checklists, sketches, and scanned documents, leveraging deep iCloud integration to drive platform lock-in. Targeted at a broad spectrum of users, from students to professionals, the app positions itself as the default choice for Apple hardware owners. Its primary differentiator is its seamless, zero-friction synchronization and native OS integration, providing a level of accessibility that third-party competitors struggle to replicate.

What users think iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.

Excited

Ease of Use

Bugs and Performance Issues... Show more

What are the key features?

Smart FoldersDifferentiator

Automatically organize notes using rule-based filters like date, checklists, and attachments

Cross-Note LinkingDifferentiator

Connect ideas and content by linking one note to another using a shortcut

Document ScanningStandard

Built-in scanner to digitize paper documents directly into notes

What do users think? iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.

Excited

“Recent user voice shows a excited sentiment. Users appreciate ease of use, but report bugs and performance issues.”

What Users Love

Ease of Use

I LIKE THE EASY SYMPLE FILLING OF THIS APO

very easy to use

Pain Points

Bugs and Performance Issues

my to do list keeps being buggy

this app freezes a lot

High confidence · 99 reviews available

What are the pros and cons?

Pros

System-level integration
Zero-cost adoption
High-quality handwriting/scanning

Cons

Technical regressions/bugs
Lack of cross-platform support
Feature bloat

What is the market outlook?

Growth Opportunities

Local-first data management
Improved export functionality
Lite mode for purists

Market Threats

Specialized competitors (Notion/Obsidian)
Privacy-focused alternatives

Who competes with Notes?

The Nemesis

Evernote

★3.6 (1850K)

Evernote Corporation

Upset

The industry standard for cross-platform note-taking with deep document scanning, web clipping, and organizational features.

Contenders

Microsoft OneNote

★4.6 (1471K)

Microsoft Corporation

Frustrated

A direct competitor offering a free-form canvas, cross-device sync, and robust integration with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Notion: Notes, Tasks, AI

★4.6 (349K)

Notion Labs, Incorporated

Mixed

A powerful, block-based workspace that competes on advanced organization, database features, and collaborative document management.

Obsidian - Connected Notes

★4.1 (16K)

Dynalist Inc.

Mixed

Targets power users with local-first markdown storage and advanced bi-directional linking capabilities similar to Apple's linking features.

Bear: Markdown Notes

Shiny Frog Ltd.

Excited

A highly-rated, design-focused note-taking app that emphasizes tagging and organization for Apple platform users.

Same Space

Goodnotes: AI Notes, Docs, PDF

★4.7 (413K)

Goodnotes Limited

Intel available

Focuses heavily on handwriting and PDF annotation, competing for the iPad-centric user base.

Notability: AI Notes & PDF app

Ginger Labs

A premium competitor in the handwriting and audio-recording note-taking space, popular among students.

UpNote - notes, diary, journal

★4.7 (1K)

UpNote Company Limited

Provides a clean, fast, and cross-platform alternative that balances simplicity with advanced formatting features.

Standard Notes

★4.7 (4K)

Standard Notes Ltd.

Competes specifically on the privacy and end-to-end encryption value proposition.

Joplin

★4.2 (453)

Laurent Cozic

An open-source alternative that offers advanced organization and encryption for privacy-conscious users.

New Kids on the Block

Craft: Notes, Documents, AI

★4.8 (7K)

Craft Docs Limited

Rapidly gaining market share with a modern, block-based UI that emphasizes high-quality document design and collaboration.

What are the key takeaways?

Notes is a exciting productivity app that is completely free. With a 4.7/5 rating from 2.9M reviews, it excites its users from users. Users particularly appreciate ease of use, though bugs and performance issues remains a common concern.

Best for: Apple ecosystem users ranging from students to professionals who need a versatile, integrated tool for capturing thoughts, managing tasks, and organizing documents.

How much does it cost?

Model: free

Tiers:

Completely free to use with iCloud integration

The app serves as a value-add ecosystem utility for Apple hardware users, focusing on platform lock-in rather than direct monetization.

iOS Version

2.0

Android Version

VARY

Release Date

Mar 20, 2013

iOS Price

Free

Android Price

Free