Best note apps for students (2026) | Dashpick

Full ranking

1. #1

   Notion

   All-in-one workspace for notes, tasks, and group projects—great when you want databases for courses and shared pages for clubs.

   Average score: 8/10

   • Templates for syllabi, reading lists, and assignment trackers
   • Offline and mobile polish improved but verify on your devices
   • Free tier generous—watch block limits on huge media libraries

   See comparisons

   • Notion vs ClickUp
   • Notion vs Coda
   • Notion vs Obsidian

   Detailed scores by criterion(expand)

   Criterion	Score
   Capture speed	8/10
   Organization	9/10
   Mobile study	8/10
   Student pricing	7/10
   Export & lock-in	8/10

2. #2

   Obsidian

   Markdown files you own, with plugins for spaced repetition—ideal for CS/engineering students who live in Git and care about portability.

   Average score: 8.4/10

   • Notes are plain text in a folder—easy backup and version control
   • Steeper learning curve than Apple Notes
   • Sync via paid options or DIY—budget time for setup

   See comparisons

   • Notion vs Obsidian
   • Obsidian vs Logseq

   Detailed scores by criterion(expand)

   Criterion	Score
   Capture speed	7/10
   Organization	9/10
   Mobile study	7/10
   Student pricing	9/10
   Export & lock-in	10/10

3. #3

   Apple Notes

   Zero-friction capture on iPhone/iPad/Mac with great pencil support—default choice when you’re all-in on Apple hardware.

   Average score: 8.2/10

   • Fastest path from lecture photo to searchable note on campus Wi‑Fi
   • Cross-platform support is limited—Windows/Android friends suffer
   • Export story weaker than Markdown-first tools

   See comparisons

   • Apple Music vs YouTube Music
   • Spotify vs Apple Music

   Detailed scores by criterion(expand)

   Criterion	Score
   Capture speed	9/10
   Organization	7/10
   Mobile study	9/10
   Student pricing	10/10
   Export & lock-in	6/10

4. #4

   GoodNotes

   Handwriting-first iPad experience for STEM sketches and annotated PDFs—pairs with pencil-heavy majors.

   Average score: 7.6/10

   • Excellent for problem sets and diagram-heavy lectures
   • Search handwriting quality keeps improving
   • Mostly Apple-centric workflows

   See comparisons

   • Rust vs Go

   Detailed scores by criterion(expand)

   Criterion	Score
   Capture speed	9/10
   Organization	7/10
   Mobile study	8/10
   Student pricing	7/10
   Export & lock-in	7/10

5. #5

   OneNote

   Freeform notebooks that mirror spiral binders—fits students deep in Microsoft 365 for school email and Teams.

   Average score: 8/10

   • Strong when your school hands out Office licenses
   • Ink and PDF annotation on Windows tablets
   • Structure can get messy—schedule monthly cleanup

   Detailed scores by criterion(expand)

   Criterion	Score
   Capture speed	8/10
   Organization	8/10
   Mobile study	8/10
   Student pricing	9/10
   Export & lock-in	7/10

6. #6

   RemNote

   Outliner + flashcards for memorization-heavy degrees—medicine, law, languages—where spaced repetition matters as much as capture.

   Average score: 7.4/10

   • Tight integration between notes and flashcard queues
   • Learning curve if you’re new to outliners
   • Verify offline behavior before exam season flights

   Detailed scores by criterion(expand)

   Criterion	Score
   Capture speed	7/10
   Organization	8/10
   Mobile study	7/10
   Student pricing	8/10
   Export & lock-in	7/10

7. #7

   Logseq

   Roam-like graph notes with block references—great for research-heavy programs that connect ideas across seminars.

   Average score: 7.8/10

   • Local-first Markdown files with powerful linking
   • Mobile experience improving but check your OS
   • Best for students who enjoy tinkering

   See comparisons

   • Obsidian vs Logseq

   Detailed scores by criterion(expand)

   Criterion	Score
   Capture speed	7/10
   Organization	9/10
   Mobile study	6/10
   Student pricing	9/10
   Export & lock-in	8/10

8. #8

   Craft

   Polished block documents with beautiful exports—nice for portfolios and essays when presentation matters as much as content.

   Average score: 7.8/10

   • Strong visual design for sharing study guides
   • Subscription for power features—budget accordingly
   • Great when you publish summaries for study groups

   Detailed scores by criterion(expand)

   Criterion	Score
   Capture speed	8/10
   Organization	8/10
   Mobile study	9/10
   Student pricing	6/10
   Export & lock-in	8/10