Best Free Note Taking Apps in 2026: 9 Picks by What You Need
Short answer: on iPhone and Mac, Apple Notes is the best free default. If you also use Windows or Android, OneNote is the most complete free app. For capturing thoughts fast, BrainDump and Google Keep are quickest to open and type in. For open source, choose Joplin.
We make BrainDump, so we've tried to be fair: it's on this list for what it does well, and we say where another app is the better pick. Free plans change, so check each app's pricing page before you commit.
Quick comparison
| App | Platforms | What's free | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Notes | iPhone, iPad, Mac (web on Windows) | Fully free, 5 GB iCloud shared | Apple users who want zero setup |
| Microsoft OneNote | Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, web | Free, 5 GB OneDrive | Big notebooks for school and work |
| Google Keep | Android, iPhone, web | Free, 15 GB Google storage shared | Short notes and reminders |
| BrainDump | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Vision Pro, web | Free base plan, Focus adds more AI | Fast capture, write first and sort later |
| Obsidian | Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android | App free, Sync is paid | Linked notes stored as local files |
| Notion | Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, web | Free for one person | Wikis, databases and planning |
| Joplin | Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android | Free and open source | Open source, sync with your own cloud |
| Simplenote | Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android, web | Entirely free | Plain text, nothing else |
| Bear | iPhone, iPad, Mac | Free without sync | Beautiful Markdown writing on Apple |
Best free note taking app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: Apple Notes
Apple Notes is already on your device, syncs through iCloud, and has grown into a capable app: folders, tags, checklists, tables, scanned documents and Apple Pencil handwriting. It's completely free, using your iCloud storage. The catch is that it lives on Apple devices; on Windows you only get a browser version on iCloud.com.
Best free note taking app across Windows and Android: OneNote
Microsoft OneNote is free with a Microsoft account and runs on almost everything. Its notebooks, sections and pages suit school and work notes, and it handles handwriting and audio too. It can feel heavy for a quick thought, since every note lives somewhere inside a notebook. OneNote vs BrainDump
Best for quick lists and reminders: Google Keep
Google Keep is sticky notes done well: colored cards, checklists, reminders, and it's free with a Google account. Great on Android and fine on iPhone, but web only on Windows and Mac, and it gets messy once you have hundreds of notes. Google Keep vs BrainDump
Best for fast capture: BrainDump
BrainDump opens straight to a blank page, so you can type the second you have a thought, with no title and no folder to choose. You sort later, by hand or with AI. The free base plan includes note-taking, Freewrite, merging notes, sync through iCloud or a free account, and a few AI uses a month. It runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision Pro, Windows and the web.
Where it's not the best pick: no native Android app (the web app covers it), no handwriting, and it isn't built for big structured wikis. If that's what you need, Notion or OneNote fit better.
Best for linked notes you own: Obsidian
Obsidian stores your notes as plain Markdown files on your device and lets you link them into a personal knowledge base. The app is free, including for work; syncing between devices is a paid add-on (or you set it up yourself). Powerful, but it rewards people who enjoy building a system. Obsidian vs BrainDump
Best for planning and databases: Notion
Notion is free for one person and does far more than notes: databases, wikis, project boards. If you want one place to plan everything, it's hard to beat. For jotting a thought down fast, it can feel slow. If it's too much, see our Notion alternatives.
Best open source note taking app: Joplin
Joplin is free and open source, with apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android. You can sync through Dropbox, OneDrive or your own server, and notes can be end-to-end encrypted. The design is plain, but nothing is locked away.
Best for plain text: Simplenote
Simplenote is entirely free, with no paid plan at all. Plain text, tags and fast sync everywhere. No images, no formatting beyond Markdown, and few new features. Simplenote vs BrainDump
Best for writing on Apple devices: Bear
Bear is a lovely Markdown editor for iPhone, iPad and Mac. The free version works on one device; sync needs Bear Pro. Bear vs BrainDump
How to choose
- Only Apple devices, want it simple: Apple Notes.
- Windows or Android in the mix: OneNote, or BrainDump if quick capture matters most.
- Thoughts come fast and disappear: BrainDump or Google Keep.
- Want to own your files: Obsidian or Joplin.
- Want one tool for everything: Notion.
Looking specifically for a capture app? Our best brain dump apps comparison goes deeper, including picks for ADHD.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free note taking app?
It depends on your devices. On iPhone and Mac, Apple Notes is the best free default. Across Windows, Android and iPhone, Microsoft OneNote is the most complete free app. For quick capture, BrainDump and Google Keep are the fastest to open and type in. If you want a free, open source app, look at Joplin or Obsidian.
Which free note taking app works on iPhone and Windows?
Microsoft OneNote, Notion, Obsidian and BrainDump all have apps for both. Google Keep has an iPhone app but only a web version on Windows. Apple Notes has no Windows app and only works there through iCloud.com.
What's the best free note taking app for iPad?
For typed notes, Apple Notes is free and built in, and it also handles handwriting with Apple Pencil. If you mostly handwrite in notebooks, GoodNotes has a free tier capped at 3 notebooks. For fast typed capture that syncs to Windows too, BrainDump is free to start.
Is there a good open source note taking app?
Joplin is fully open source and free, with apps for every major platform. Obsidian is free but not open source; its notes are plain Markdown files you own. Both work well offline.
Want a notes app that's ready the moment you open it? Try BrainDump free on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows or in your browser.