According to time management professionals, it is very harmful to keep all tasks, affairs and other current information in your head. This has a very negative impact on our productivity, taking away some of the brain’s “resources” for memorizing information on current tasks, instead of completing them. Nowadays, few people use paper to take notes; it is much more convenient to make notes and notes in special applications, especially since they are available on any platform and are presented in large quantities.

Apple gives us built-in Notes in OS X and iOS, which are quite convenient and, thanks to cloud syncing, a great tool. But not ideal. So let's look aside alternative applications, which could replace our native Notes.

Evernote hardly needs any introduction; many of us know and use this service for creating and storing notes. In terms of the number of functions and their implementation, at least one other application can hardly compete with it. You can create regular notes, lists, upload photos and videos, assign tags and create many notebooks on the same topic. Thanks to the iOS version and browser extensions, creating notes is incredibly easy and you can do it at any time, no matter what device you have at hand.

If you prefer to put everything into shelves so that you can quickly find the thing you need, Evernote is 100% your choice.

As the name suggests, Simplenote is a very simple application. However, it has all the necessary functions and even more: synchronization (there is a version for iOS), tags, quick search,note versions, statistics (word and character counter), sharing of lists and individual notes and the ability to stick the necessary notes at the top of the list. Plus, a clean, minimalistic interface, without unnecessary frills, is exactly how it should be in a simple functional notepad.

If you need an app for simple text notes, you won't find a better one than Simplenote.

NoteSuite

NoteSuite is also an app for regular text notes, but unlike Simplenote, it has formatting support. The application interface has a “tab” mode (quite nice), which facilitates simultaneous work with several notes or allows you to keep the necessary things always at hand. Thanks to formatting, you can create lists, and this allows you to use NoteSuite as a simple To-Do manager (of course, it’s a stretch, but if you need an all-in-one solution, then why not). There is also an iOS version (though only iPad), which synchronizes with Mac via iCloud. NoteSuite also has a browser extension for creating notes (similar to Evernote webclipper).

If text notes are enough for you, but you need formatting, pay attention to NoteSuite.

Notational Velocity

Another simple app with a simple interface for taking regular notes and an interesting concept. Notational Velocity has three panels: search, note list, and note detail view. To create a new note, we are asked to use the search field (we enter the title directly into it) and if the entered text is already present in one of your old notes, the application will immediately display a list of matches. When you press Enter, we will go into editing mode for an existing note. If the search did not find anything, click Enter Notational Velocity will create a new note with the title you entered.

If you need to quickly search and manage your notes using just your keyboard, you can try Notational Velocity, especially since it's free.

Which is currently at the testing stage, Apple developers have implemented the function of transferring notes from the popular Evernote service to standard application Notes. In this instruction we will talk about how the transfer process occurs.

Evernote is one of the most popular services for storing notes and recordings. And it was his “killer” that, after the release of OS X El Capitan, began to be called the standard iPhone app, iPad and Mac - Notes. With the update to OS X El Capitan 10.11.4, Notes has come even closer to this title, since now the entire database of notes and recordings from Evernote to Notes can be transferred by pressing just a few buttons.

Step 1: Launch the Evernote app on your Mac

Step 2: Select the notebook or tag you want to export notes from

Step 3: Click Edit -> Select all

Step 4: Go to Menu File -> Export notes

Step 5. In the window that opens, select the desktop as the save location and click “ Save»

Step 6. Launch the standard Notes application, go to the menu File -> Import Notes and select the notes file located on the desktop
Step 7: Confirm the import by clicking Import Notes

The system will warn you that some imported notes may not look the same as in Evernote. To the credit of the Apple developers, no significant inconsistencies were found in our notes database.

As for transferring notes from Evernote to Notes on iPhone and iPad, after following the instructions described above, the transfer will be carried out automatically, if, of course, your Mac and mobile device connected by one account iCloud and in settings cloud service Notes synchronization option is activated.

Let's be honest - technology has broken our brains. We no longer think the same way we used to. And we are unlikely to feel confident in the overloaded information field: our heads are bombarded with lists of tasks, interesting articles, videos and work-related moments.

According to my observation, this global challenge, the availability of any information just a few clicks away, has split the world into two camps. There are people who take notes and there are people who don't take notes yet.

There is no need to delve into philistine sociology. There are many more types that do not fit into my simple delimiting formulation. Some people took notes and abandoned them, others don’t think about their effective use, and others find this form of writing inconvenient. Instead of breeding additional classifications, I'll simply answer - they haven't tried Bear.

Bearish response to competitors

Bear is the most ambitious and daring note taker of recent years. But to adequately fit its benefits into the modern context, a little historical background is required. There are very few major players in the world of note taking.

They do not divide the market in the classical sense, but they set different concepts of use.

Eg, Apple Notes Until recently, they remained the most simple and ascetic note-taker. Until the company began to unlock their potential by adding formatting options and Pencil support. And yet, “notes” are still the maximum quick option jot down a note. They are simply default on all Apple devices. That says it all.

However, over time, clutter and slowness began to suck out the user base. Since then, the company has only increased its paid subscription rates.

Evernote has also developed a clear image - this serious instrument, which over years of use becomes a “second brain”, accumulating thousands of records.

The third hero of the note world - Keep, a cross-platform application from Google. An interesting transformation of sticky notes, with its own advantages. But conceptually, Keep is not far removed from the concept of a standard notebook.

hero with a thousand faces

What is Bear doing among these monsters? Effectively tramples the path to the hearts and smartphones of users. Its creators reasoned utilitarianly: what if you take the speed of Notes, add the ability organized storage notes and put cute themes on top? That's what they did.

But any note taker is primarily an editor, not a database. Bear is doing great in this area - the program supports simplified Markdown markup language.

I'll explain more in simple language: Thanks to this, you can easily format what you write, add headings, and highlight the text with bold or italic style. You can also insert separators, add several types of lists, attach links, files, and even todo items. The main thing is to quickly get comfortable with keyboard shortcuts and markings.

In Bear, you can not just write “as a draft”, but create a finished article for a blog or working document. It all depends on the tasks and is determined by the export parameters - you can export a note to HTML, PDF, DOCX, TXT, RTF, Markdown itself and even JPEG.

Can't forget to keep

Used for organization hashtag system. And until I got to detailed description, I’ll record a cry of surprise: how did Apple not think of such a simple and obvious idea? However, we ourselves know - for Lately This is not the main omission of local developers.

In a Bear note, you can add a hashtag by placing # in front of the word. Hashtag attachments are also supported, allowing you to create similar folders - just add a slash.

For example #texts/work. The chain can be continued indefinitely. And to use several words in the title of a section, you need to wrap them in a lattice first and at the end. Showing: #inspiration and relaxation#.

You can also easily use the search or pin the desired entry at the top. However, with the update to iOS 11, this feature will not surprise anyone.

The main advantage of hashtags is that they are easy and convenient to deal with. You can mark any part of the text and create a new one on the fly. For example, in Evernote you would have to fool around with separate notebooks. Apple has folders, but seriously, does anyone use them?

The only problem is that the chain of hashtags stretches over time. Memory fails, and errors generate new hashtags. The developers claim that they will soon add automatic input: after writing a few letters, the program will suggest the desired category. It will be great.

Little things that captivate

The development of Bear was carried out by a small Italian studio - however, the number of thoughtful nuances indicates a gigantic amount of work. The guys worked hard for good reason. The note taker captivates with convenient little things.

For example, here you can easily view statistics of what you have written, including a reading time counter. Bear supports code insertion, recognizing the syntax of one and a half dozen programming languages.

On a Mac, you can easily display a note in a separate window - try this trick with Notes. There is also a web clipper. It is not particularly functional, but it allows you to save the content of Internet pages. The editor is also customizable: in a couple of clicks you can change the font, text width and indents between lines.

Bear is also positioned as writing tool. There are makings for this. In addition to the rich formatting already described, you can remove the sidebars, leaving you alone with the text. On a desktop, just press ctrl+1; swipes are enough for touch interfaces.

In the future, they promise to refine the focus mode in more detail. But now custom themes work great: instead of the default light design, you can choose a dark option.

It makes it easier work at night. I also add the ideal operation of the Handoff mode - you can start a note on your computer and finish it from your smartphone or tablet.

Yes it's not free

It's time for platitudes. Everything good has to be paid for. In the case of Bear, you will also have to pay regularly.

The program offers to deduct according to 99 rub/month or 999 RUR/year for using the PRO version. I described its capabilities.

The free plan cuts off synchronization between devices and also removes theme support. Trial periods are significant - you can play with the note taker for free for a week or a month, depending on your further subscription.

Is the game worth the candle? Definitely yes.

Firstly, based on the activity of developers, it is clear where the money is going. They endlessly refine the application and also actively respond to user requests. Secondly, Bear is addictive. And if you refuse it, there are side effects: you want the usual functionality, enclosed in an elegant, customizable design.

Write down the results

Here we have to return to the opening question. Why do we need notes at all? This way we can competently control the information noise around us.

This post is more for workaholic Mac owners who use their Mac not for relaxation and entertainment, but for work. From task managers to digital organizers, from word processors to time trackers, we've made the largest selection of Mac productivity programs on the Internet.

Task Managers

– an excellent time management tool with an easy interface and a set of interesting functions. Anxiety sits in the menu bar and seamlessly syncs with iCal and Mail. Did you go to the doctor's appointment or buy a gift for your missus? Check the Anxiety box and the task will automatically disappear from both the list in the application and from iCal. The utility allows you to create multiple to-do lists and easily manage tasks.

Backboard – Love my Mac and Backpack account. Together they not only give me the ability to take notes and solve problems, but more importantly, do it quickly and easily!

CheckOff is a small task manager for the menu bar. One click is enough to see the entire list of upcoming tasks.

Chipt – Dashboard widget for Backpack. Add and edit entries on any page. Notes have the same format as Backpack. When adding an entry, information from the clipboard is entered automatically.

EasyTask Manager is your personal task manager with a nice and user-friendly interface. EasyTask Manager supports the GTD (getting things done) method and is aimed at home Mac users who don't need to share their work with their team.

EtreTask is a small, fast, easy-to-use to-do manager that was designed to make everyday work on the Mac more productive. It does not have as many functions as its competitors, but by all accounts it is a worthy thing.

MySlips is very simple and quick way write down your thoughts.

– the best way to overcome disorganization and learn to set priorities correctly, separating unimportant things from important ones. The perfect GTD tool, as flexible as any task manager, OmniFocus helps you work harder by offering powerful tool to identify and implement the highest priority tasks.

OneThingToday – There are many ways to get things organized. With OneThingToday, you define a priority task or project for each day. This helps you focus on your main goals and avoid scattered attention.

Pluto is a menu bar icon and handy tool for managing events, tasks, projects and notes in the most efficient and productive way.

Remember – todo-list for workflow management. We don't believe in big, clunky task managers that make working with them a task itself. Remember is your to-do list at your fingertips.

Remember the Task is a lightweight client for Remember the Milk that makes it easy to create priority to-do lists and check off tasks as they are completed.

SimpleList is a simple to-do list that does not interfere with your work. The program allows you to create lists of planned to-dos in the most convenient way.

Simple Task – One aspect that other task managers lack is simplicity. SimpleTask for Mac offers a beautiful interface and unparalleled ease of use.

Spark is a small todo manager with support for synchronization with iCal and Mail.

TaskCard offers a simple, visual way to organize your thoughts and tasks. Place TaskCards on your desk, just like sticky notes on your monitor, to help you remember or organize important to-dos into project lists.

TaskMate is a lightweight, small program with the ability to quickly add and remove everyday tasks.

Task Paper – A program for Mac and iPhone users that organizes your work using to-do lists. TaskPaper is a simple task manager that, unlike conventional organizers, does not interfere with your work and helps you quickly put things in order.

is a small application that will help eliminate chaos in your affairs. With a simple list-making concept, The Hit List allows you to plan, forget peacefully, and come back to what you forgot about at your convenience.

Things – Managing things is a difficult task. But the simplicity of the program should not be achieved at the expense of functionality. Download a free demo of Things today and get your business in order.

Today – With Today you'll keep track of priority tasks any day of the week, without launching iCal. Today syncs with your Mac calendar so you always have your schedule, events, and to-dos at your fingertips.

What ToDo is a new task manager for Mac OS X. Forget about notes on scraps of paper or in the palm of your hand - with What ToDo you will be organized, highly focused and able to achieve more.

Information aggregators

DevonThink - designed to collect and organize various pieces of information necessary for your work or study.

– Use Evernote to save ideas and everything you see and are interested in. Then find your saved recordings on any computer or device. For free.

Keeper – What if important information Could discovery be as easy on the Mac as Spotlight makes it? Meet Keeper - an easy and accessible utility for managing your notes.

Soho notes is the first digital note-taking app. Use it to write, organize, sync and share everything on your Mac, including text notes, PDFs, images, voice recordings, videos and web archives.

Thoughts is a very flexible post manager. A place where all your notes and files can be safely stored.

– allows you to store everything in one place. Text, documents, images, movies, audio, web pages, and bookmarks can be dragged into Together for secure storage, with labels, previews, and the ability to organize information any way you want.

VoodooPad is a place where you can put your notes and thoughts. You can store all your ideas, images and ideas in VoodooPad, which will develop and grow with you. In VoodooPad you can transfer folders, images, applications or links. With an advanced search system, nothing will be lost or forgotten.

Yojimbo stores small (or large) pieces of information you need in everyday life. Yojimbo's mechanism for aggregating, storing and retrieving information is so simple and convenient that it can easily change your life without changing your habits.

Notes

Dashnote – Quickly and easily access your Simplenote account from the dashboard in OS X. Stay organized without breaking a sweat. Let your notes automatically sync across all your devices.

Stapler is designed to be simple and effective method collect and manage thoughts and ideas. Great helper for brainstorming. Stapler cannot be classified into any category of applications, because the program is suitable for all your needs.

JustNotes is a simple, beautiful, and powerful note-taking app. A pleasant interface allows you to focus on the only important thing - keeping records. Completely free and syncs with SimpleNote for iPhone.

myRichTexts lite – sleek and easy to use text editor with built-in document manager. You don't have to think about documents anymore, text files, folders or how to restore them if lost. Just concentrate on writing, removing unnecessary things - the Dock and the menu bar.

is a minimalist notebook with convenient keyboard navigation. One of the most interesting interface elements is search string, which, in addition to its main function, serves as a tool for creating notes. Supports synchronization with SimpleNote for iPhone and iPad.

Nottingham is an elegant notebook in the Notational Velocity style. Simple and easy to use – “a breath of fresh air”. Ideal for storing all your thoughts. Most importantly, it keeps your information safe and secure by syncing it to your iPhone via Simplenote.

Quicknote is a combination notebook and clipboard manager that's useful for quickly jotting down ideas, tasks, quotes, code snippets, and more.

Scribblet is a simple and elegant snippet manager for the menu bar.

Tinderbox stores and organizes your notes, plans and thoughts. It will help to analyze and analyze them. Tinderbox also allows you to share ideas through a weblog or blog.

Time tracking and optimization

Active Timer is a small application that keeps track of the time spent on each application.

– Easily track your time in any app with a convenient timer in the menu bar. Use hotkeys to start and stop.

Chronograph is a program for Mac OS X that helps you track time spent on various tasks, projects, and create reports.

Clockworks is a tool for Mac users who are constantly behind on things. A desktop timer will allow you to keep track of every minute of your working or rest time. Unlike alternative solutions, Clockwork sports a clean and user-friendly interface that perfectly complements the Mac OS X desktop.

Fanurio is a time tracking and invoicing software that freelancers will appreciate.

Flex Time – Do you have a lot of free time? Spend it wisely! A versatile timer for solving routine tasks.

Harvest – Time is your most valuable business asset. Our intuitive and powerful reports will help you see where your time is going and enable you to make critical decisions for your business.

iBiz – For project management, time management, invoicing, and information at a glance, no other app comes close to iBiz.

Klok – Stop working for free. Time is your product. Every minute of your work that goes unaccounted for is a waste of your money. Accurate time tracking is essential to success.

Lumina gives you an easy way to track your time. The Lumina concept is based on three pillars: projects, tasks and time. Projects are a set of tasks. Tasks – the amount of time spent. Time is the smallest building block and the foundation of your success.

Mino – easy program for time tracking on Mac. Seamless integration with iCal allows you to easily add tasks to any iCal-enabled app.

MyMacTime is written for anyone who needs to track time spent on Various types tasks with minimal effort. myMacTime is a very flexible and easy to use program.

Office Time doesn't require any special knowledge or skills from you, but it offers powerful functionality that adapts to your work style.

On the Job is designed to help you track time and expenses and provide professional invoices to your clients. On The Job is a direct, easy-to-use way to focus on what matters most.

ProfitTrain – simple program for billing and time tracking for OS X.

Pomodoro desktop application to manage time on Mac. A simple and effective way to track your time based on the Pomodoro technique.

Project Calculator is a time tracking tool for Mac written specifically for freelancers and small companies.

RatRace will not only keep track of your working hours, but will also open your eyes to wasted minutes. The program will help develop assessment and forecasting skills.

RescueTime automated system time tracking.

Slife – With Slife we ​​increase the efficiency of your work by helping you understand where your time goes. By automatically analyzing your work routine, the application keeps track of time spent on projects, applications, websites and documents.

TimeBoxed is a timer application for Mac OS X with one function that it does very well.

- Time is money. Use it wisely. The powerful TimeNet timer will count your every second. Visual reports will show you where you are spending your time.

Timeout – The human body is not designed to remain in one position for long hours, with a mouse or keyboard in hand. Time Out is here to help. It will gently remind you that it's time to take a break.

Timepost offers a simple, easy and effective way to sync your time with the best web time tracking services.

TimeTable reads and filters iCal calendar data and calculates hours spent in meetings and events.

TimeTaskMaster is a timer, alarm clock and stopwatch in one bottle.

Vitamin-R is a collection of tools and techniques designed to solve the biggest problem for creative professionals: focusing and maintaining motivation.

All in one

Daylite is a task manager that will help you manage your business and your team. Daylite is more than a customer interaction system. The program can be used to manage projects, sales, contacts, tasks, goals, meetings, records and mail.

Bento – What is your passion? Sales, building relationships with clients, managing freelancers, running marathons, collecting coins? Whatever it is, Bento will help you do it better - faster, more fun and easier!

Pagico takes everything into account: projects, notes, tasks, events, files and more.

Soho Organizer – Tasks, calendars, contacts and notes. Soho Organizer offers three applications that work in tandem: SOHO Organizer, SOHO Notes and SOHO Print Essentials.

Mind maps and diagrams

Curio is designed for managing projects, organizing brainstorming sessions, and optimizing mental activity in general. Curio lets you visualize ideas and projects, plan and dossier on topics, organize information, search for data, and collaborate with others.

- first free manager mind maps written in Java.

MindCAD - Organize your ideas with a tool that enhances visual thinking. Drag text and images from Safari, Word, desktop, and more Mac applications OS X and place them anywhere on multiple pages of a single document.

MindJet - Help your team come together to create big ideas.

MindNode – MindNode Pro and MindNode are two elegant, easy-to-use mind mapping programs for Mac that will help you visually collect, categorize, and organize your ideas.

Mindmap is a powerful application for businesses and freelancers with a visual way to present and organize information.

– We present to you new level freedom in using associative cards. Create unique, expressive, and clear mind diagrams.

NovaMind is quick to learn and easy to use. With NovaMind, you can easily relieve information overload... forever!

OmniOutliner is an amazingly flexible program for creating, collecting and organizing content. Use OmniOutliner to conduct brainstorming sessions that generate new, truly great ideas.

Xmind is an excellent application for creating mind maps, optimizing mental activity and The best way exchange ideas.

Other

Blast keeps track of the files you use on your Mac and gives you quick access to them.

Helps you work and study more productively, eliminating all external irritants.

Think – Focus on one application – at any time.

Office packages

iWork - Documents. Tables. Presentations. Apple style.

Microsoft Office – the best choice Mac users to work with documents at home, at work, at school. The package offers many features for creating professionally designed documents, dynamic tables and effective presentations.

Neo Office - a full-featured suite office applications(word processor, spreadsheets and presentations) for Mac OS X. We wrote an office suite that adapts to the needs of each Mac driver, borrowing OpenOffice functions.

Open Office is a free office suite designed to provide an alternative Microsoft Office and iWork at both the format and user interface levels.

Text editors

Bean is a simple, easy-to-use word processor (more precisely, a “rich text” editor), written in order to create - conveniently, efficiently and comfortably.

Fraise is a free, easy-to-use text editor for Mac OS X 10.6. It will not confuse beginners and will not disappoint advanced users.

jDarkRoom is a simple full-screen text editor.

MarinerWrite is a powerful yet simple word processor for Mac OS X. With an elegant interface, hundreds of intuitive features, such as the ability to open Word documents, create original headers, footers, notes and footnotes, Mariner Write is everything you need to create professional-looking documents.

myWritings – Everyone knows how Word works. But the program is needed to solve a narrow range of problems, and each user has his own requirements and needs! myWritings is everything a Mac maker needs in his daily work.

Nisus Writer Pro is an innovative word processor for everyone. Fast, easy to use, with all the necessary functionality. Creating to-do sheets, lesson plans, etc. you always need to take notes – simply and quickly. The way Nisus Writer Pro can do it.

NovoEdit is an amazingly fast text editor based on the latest Mac OS X technologies, with support for Snow Leopard and flawless work with a 64-bit environment. The program understands all popular (and not so popular) file types, so no matter what you do: type text, write code for your program or website, NovoEdit will open, edit and save any of your files.

– convenient, elegant, easy to use, but at the same time powerful word processor. Developed exclusively for Mac OS X.

Selenium is an all-in-one research software. It doesn’t matter who you are - a student, a professional researcher, or just a person with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. By bringing together a browser, PDF manager, word processor, and bibliography manager, Selenium ensures that you don't have to switch between applications when doing research on the Web.

Ulysses is designed primarily for writers who work creatively with text and create long-form works. All existing word processors do not fully meet the needs of this user group. Ulysses focuses only on what is at the core of the literary process: the text and its content. is a simple spreadsheet processor, designed more for advanced users who are not limited to simple calculations. The program has almost all the necessary functions, including cutting and pasting, adding and deleting rows and columns, customizing the interface, parsing formulas, including recognizing cell ranges. Yes, and it's absolutely free.

MarinerCalc launches faster, takes up less space, and uses less memory than any similar spreadsheet processor on a Mac. The program has almost 150 functions and tools for analyzing information and sharing work results.

– With Tables, you not only organize your data, but you can perform calculations and make comparisons. The program supports basic arithmetic operations and has a rich set of special functions.

Anything to add?

Our selection of applications covers almost the entire range of office and home tasks. But you can complement and expand it. Share your favorite programs in the comments that make you more productive on your Mac.

The already expensive note-taking service Evernote in mid-2016 significantly tightened its policy towards users who prefer to stay on free subscription, and to those who pay in good faith for additional services. If you are tired of feeling discomfort and paying a lot of money, then it’s time to find a worthy alternative, and there is one!

Gradually, from a simple, but very convenient and quite functional note-taking device, Evernote turned into a clumsy processor, half of whose capabilities you most likely will not use. The repression affected the following things:

• the cost of paid subscriptions to Plus and Premium has increased by an average of 30% per month;
• You cannot sync notes on more than two devices.

Those users who do not plan to pay money were severely disadvantaged, and the list available functions as follows.

Personally, I think that a subscription not in the corporate segment is a banal pumping of money, and therefore let’s move on to more acceptable options, and there are plenty of them. Let's start from simple to advanced.

Notes on iOS

No matter how trivial it may sound, but regular " » starting with iOS 9. We talked a lot about them on the pages of our website (links below). Let's get started describing the pros and cons of standard notes.

Advantages:

Flaws:

• volume iCloud storage limited to subscription option;
• no clients for Android, WP and Windows (web interface only);
• There is no web clipper for the computer.

Regular " "are almost ideal for users who are comfortable with iOS and macOS. However, as soon as you need tools to interact with other team members or you have devices on other OSes, then you should look at something cross-platform.

Quip

Very powerful tool, allowing you not only to create notes, but also to work at the text and table processors like Word and Excel.

The first thing you will encounter is convenient import of documents and notes from Evernote, Google Drive, Dropbox and Box. There is no need to use any third-party utilities or instructions. All common formats are supported - .doc, .docx, .rtf, .txt, .xls, .xlsx, .csv.

You can create folders, documents and tables. Quip has a full layout with task lists, headings, images, links, other important things and even Markdown markup. And the best part is that all this is available for free and without restrictions for one user.

But the trick is that Quip is team-oriented. There are personal and public chats, comments (not only for the entire document, but for any part of it), notifications, mentions and customizable permissions. True, the team already needs to purchase a subscription.

Quip is also a truly cross-platform solution. There are free clients for iOS, watchOS, Android, Windows, macOS and a web version.

Microsoft OneNote

The OneNote client has long been pleasing users of all major platforms (iOS, Android, WP, Windows, macOS) with high-quality and, most importantly, complete free client. You can move from Evernote without any hassle using a special utility developed by Microsoft.

Five things I really like about OneNote:

• offline work with the client;
• web clipper for quickly sending web pages and other information from a desktop browser;
• no restrictions on synchronization between devices;
• cross-platform;
• EVERYTHING IS FREE!

All information is stored on OneDrive servers. And Microsoft is about to reduce the number of free gigabytes available for storing files from 15 to 5. Although this is more than enough for personal use.

As for the client himself, there are two important nuances. Firstly, the application does not “float like a butterfly”. Although the client has lost a fair amount of weight, he still feels a certain thoughtfulness in his work (especially at the launch).

And desktop versions, regardless of platform, cannot boast of minimalism. The interface reeks of clericalism.

Secondly, the structural hierarchy is not an acquired taste. The notes themselves are designed as tabs notebooks. When there are many such tabs and they have long names, navigation becomes uncomfortable. For some projects this type will be convenient, but for something simpler (when you want to quickly jot down a note) or complex, it may no longer be suitable.

And in the comments, be sure to tell us what kind of note-taker you use. Don't forget to mention its pros and cons.

P.S.: The WizNote note-taking tool, even despite its decent functionality, was not included in our list due to strict restrictions on the amount of information downloaded without a subscription and common problems with data synchronization.

Among other options, Nimbus Note was also considered, but it is impossible to work in iOS 10 and there is a limit of 100 MB of information that can be downloaded per month (paid subscription - 1,000 rubles per year).