Compare note-taking apps and tools in 2026
Choose using 7 criteria
This page was machine-translated from Japanese. Read the Japanese original
"In the end, which memo app is the best?" We will answer the question objectively with the 7 standard of startup speed, UI, security, fee, offline, export, and cross-platform. It is clear at a glance with the HTML comparison table.
A comparison of 10 leading note-taking apps in 2026—SimpleMemo, Apple Notes, Google Keep, Notion, Evernote, Obsidian, Bear, Drafts, Standard Notes, and OneNote—across 7 criteria: launch speed, UI, security, pricing, offline use, export, and cross-platform support. Our picks are SimpleMemo for speed, Notion for features, Standard Notes for security, Google Keep for a free option, and OneNote for business use. SimpleMemo (SimpleMemoFast, iOS), discussed here, is ready for input 0.4 seconds after launch, offers up to 3 messages per day at no charge, and automatically appends sent notes to a Obsidian vault.
2026 year memo app market overview
As of 2026, the memo app market is more diversified than ever. There are hundreds of memo apps in the "Work Efficiency" category of App Store alone, each of which is trying to establish its own position.
The following 3 is a major trend.
1. AI integration in full swing — Many major apps, such as Notion AI, Evernote AI, and Apple Intelligence, are now equipped with AI functions as standard. Automatic suggestions for summaries, tagging, and related notes are becoming common functions. However, the fullness of AI functions varies greatly from app to app.
2. Increased privacy awareness — More and more apps offer end-to-end encryption (E2EE) by default. Not only privacy-first apps like Standard Notes, but also Apple Notes has enhanced locking functions. Security comparison of memo apps is now an important selection criterion.
3. A split between focused, fast apps and feature-rich, heavier apps — All-in-one apps such as Notion and Evernote keep expanding, while lightweight apps such as SimpleMemo and Drafts also attract users by focusing on 1 thing. The launch-speed benchmark shows this difference clearly.
In order to choose the best app from such a variety of options, it is essential to objectively compare with the evaluation criteria that suit your purpose. In this article, based on the official information of each company and the measurement of the developer's startup time (iPhone 16e, warm activation), we will make a cross-comparison with 7 criteria. Since the record of the usage period is not published, it is not a real experience review.
7 evaluation criteria
The points to look at when choosing a memo app vary from person to person, but we have set the universally important 7 criteria. Each standard is evaluated at the 4 level of A (excellent), B (good), C (standard), and D (with challenges).
10 App Comparison Table (7 Standard Evaluation)
※ You can check all items by scrolling sideways. The evaluation is the 4 level from A (excellent) to D (with challenges).
| App name | Startup speed | UI / UX | Security | Price | Offline | Export | Cross PF | General |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleMemo | A | A | B | A | A | B | C | A |
| Apple Notes | B | A | B | A | A | C | D | B |
| Google Keep | B | A | C | A | B | C | A | B |
| Notion | C | B | B | B | B | B | A | B |
| Evernote | C | B | B | C | B | B | A | B |
| Obsidian | B | C | A | A | A | A | B | A |
| Bear | A | A | B | B | A | A | D | B |
| Drafts | A | B | B | B | A | A | D | B |
| Standard Notes | B | B | A | A | A | A | A | A |
| OneNote | C | B | B | A | B | C | A | B |
※ The evaluation is based on the latest version as of 3 month in 2026. Please also view the detailed comparison page and individual comparison page of each app.
Detailed evaluation of each app
1. SimpleMemo（SimpleMemo）
Start 0.4 seconds, one tap transmission. " It is a memo application specialized in instantly capturing what comes to mind. Developed as an alternative to Captio, it adopts a unique workflow of sending notes to yourself by email.
Strengths: Light startup speed (0.4 seconds, developer measurement until input can be entered with warm startup), UI that has been cut to the limit, full offline support. The fact that you can take notes without interrupting your thoughts sets you apart from other apps.
Weakness: iOS only (not compatible with Android), organizing and searching for notes depends on the email client side. Image attachment and rich text editing are not supported.
People who are suitable: Those who want to eliminate the "spill" of ideas, those who want to use it as an in-box capture of GTD. For more information, please see How to use the guide.
2. Apple Notes (memo app)
A genuine memo app that is included in the iPhone from the beginning. In the 2026 version, the summary function and smart folder of Apple Intelligence have been enhanced, making it more functional than before.
Strengths: No additional installation required, perfect synchronization between Apple devices with iCloud, handwriting memo support, PDF scanning function. The UI is sophisticated and intuitive.
Weakness: It cannot be used except for Apple products (not available for Windows and Android users). Export options are limited, making it difficult to migrate a large number of notes to other apps.
Suitable people: Those who are unified with Apple products, those who do not want to install additional apps. Click here for a detailed comparison of SimpleMemo vs Apple Notes.
3. Google Keep
A free memo and task management app provided by Google. It features a card-type UI like a sticky note, and you can visually organize notes with color coding and label functions.
Strengths: Completely free, no capacity limit, Android / iOS / Web compatible cross-platform, Google with calendars and documents. The reminder function is convenient.
Limitations: Unsuitable for long notes (up to 20000 characters per 1 note), labels instead of a folder hierarchy, and limited export formats. E2EE is not provided.
Suitable people: Manage shopping lists and To-Do, use a lot of short notes, and users of the Google ecosystem. Comparison of SimpleMemo vs Google Keep is also a reference.
4. Notion
"All-in-one workspace" that integrates notes, task management, database, Wiki, and project management into 1 apps. 2026 has further strengthened the ecosystem with the evolution of Notion AI and the integration of Notion Calendar.
Strengths: A variety of views such as databases, kanbans, calendars, and galleries. It also supports template function, API cooperation, and team use. Scalability is the best among all apps.
Weakness: Slow startup, overspec to take simple notes. The cost of learning is high. Block restrictions for free plans (eased as of 2026, but not completely unlimited).
Suitable people: Those who want to centralize project management and notes, knowledge sharing in the team. Detailed comparison of SimpleMemo vs Notion.
5. Evernote
A long-established memo app. After the acquisition by Bending Spoons, it was revived with the renewal of the UI and the introduction of the AI search function. The performance of Web Clipper is still the best in the industry.
Strengths: Powerful Web Clipper, text search in PDF, OCR search for handwritten characters, and organization by tags and notebooks. Compatible with all platforms.
Weakness: Free plan restrictions are strict (up to 50 notebooks, notebook 1, 1 units). Paid plans are expensive (the current paid plans are Starter and Advanced. Check the price on the official website). The app is heavy and takes a long time to start.
Suitable people: People who have a lot of clipping of web articles, people who want to search for a large number of notes. Comparison of SimpleMemo vs Evernote.
6. Obsidian
Markdown-based knowledge base app. " With the concept of "second brain", the relationship between notes is visualized with interactive links and graph views. Since it is based on local files, the ownership of the data is entirely on the user's side.
Strengths: Local Markdown file (no vendor lock-in), 1,600 or higher plug-in, two-way link + graph view, personal use is completely free.
Weakness: The cost of learning is high for beginners, official synchronization (Obsidian Sync) is paid (Standard is $48 per year, Plus is $96 per year), and the operability of mobile apps is inferior to desktops.
Suitable people: Markdown school, researchers and writers who want to do knowledge management in earnest. Comparison of SimpleMemo vs Obsidian.
7. Bear
Beautiful Markdown editor dedicated to the Apple platform. In Bear 2.0, the editor has been greatly improved to support table, drawing, and code block highlighting.
Strengths: Beautiful UI, fast startup and search, flexible organization with hashtags, and a variety of export formats such as Markdown / PDF / HTML / DOCX.
Weakness: Apple exclusive (Windows / Android not compatible), subscription system (annual $29.99), no collaboration function.
Suitable people: Apple users who are particular about design, people who write blog manuscripts with Markdown. Comparison of SimpleMemo vs Bear.
8. Drafts
A text input hub app with the concept of "text first to Drafts". When you start it, an empty note will open immediately, and you can send the text you wrote to another app via action.
Strengths: Instant input start (startup speed comparable to SimpleMemo), powerful action function can be sent to OmniFocus, Slack, mail, Notion, etc., customization by JavaScript.
Weakness: Apple dedicated, Drafts Pro (year 2,200 yen) is required to create and edit actions, and you need to get used to your own workflow concept.
Suitable people: People who are looking for an app that will be the "starting point" of text, power users who value automation and collaboration.
9. Standard Notes
An open source memo app that puts privacy first. End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is enabled by default, and even the operating company cannot read the contents of the memo.
Strengths: E2EE standard equipment, design philosophy aiming for the durability of 100, all platform support, open source, encryption can be used even in free plans.
Weakness: You can't use editor extensions such as rich text and spreadsheets unless you have a paid plan ($90 per year). The UI is functional, but not as beautiful as the Bear.
Suit people: People who prioritize security and privacy, journalists, and professionals dealing with confidential information. Security comparison article explains in detail.
10. Microsoft OneNote
A free digital notebook app provided by Microsoft. It features a canvas-type UI that allows you to place notes in a free layout with a hierarchical structure called Notebook > Section > Page.
Strengths: Completely free, Windows / Mac / iOS / Android / Web full support, integration with Microsoft 365, free layout, handwriting support, team use with shared notebooks.
Weakness: 2.6 seconds until you can enter (measurement on this site, iPhone 16e, warm start), synchronization may be slow, export options are limited (mainly OneNote format), some people feel that the free layout is difficult to use.
Suitable people: Corporate users who use Microsoft 365, those who want to share the minutes of the meeting with the team. Comparison of SimpleMemo vs OneNote.
Recommended memo apps by purpose
"Which one is better in the end?" It depends on what you value the most. We will suggest the best app for each typical 5 use case.
Summary - "The best memo app" changes depending on the purpose
Comparing the 10 app with the 7 standard, the conclusion is that "there is no best for everyone". However, if your top priority is clear, the choice will be surprisingly simple.
I will organize the points again.
- Startup speed is the most important → SimpleMemo(0.4 seconds start)
- Security is the most important → Standard Notes (E2EE standard)
- Multifunctionality is the most important → Notion(all-in-one)
- Free is the most important → Google Keep(free without restrictions)
- Business use → OneNote (Microsoft 365 integration)
- knowledge base construction → Obsidian(two-way link)
- Beautiful Markdown Editor → Bear (Apple only)
Combining multiple apps is also an effective approach. For example, the workflow of "capturing ideas with SimpleMemo and organizing and managing with Notion" is supported by many users as a way to combine speed and multifunction.
For an individual comparison of each app, see the comparison page list, and for more detailed benchmark data, please see the Startup Speed Benchmark article.
In 2026, there are more and more options for memo apps. I hope this comparison table will help you find the best 1 for you.
