Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Evernote VS Notability

Compare Evernote VS Notability and see what are their differences

Evernote logo Evernote

Bring your life's work together in one digital workspace. Evernote is the place to collect inspirational ideas, write meaningful words, and move your important projects forward.

Notability logo Notability

Combine handwriting, photos and typing in a single note to bring your projects to life. Use a wide range of note-taking and sketching tools to capture every detail. You can even add and annotate PDFs in Notability.
  • Evernote Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-18
  • Notability Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-02

Evernote

Release Date
2000 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
California
Founder(s)
Phil Libin
Employees
250 - 499

Evernote features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Evernote is available on multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, ensuring that users can access their notes from any device.
  • Organizational Tools
    Evernote provides a range of organizational tools such as notebooks, tags, and a powerful search feature to help users keep their notes well-organized.
  • Web Clipper
    The Evernote Web Clipper allows users to save web pages, articles, and screenshots directly to their Evernote account, making it easier to gather and organize online resources.
  • Collaboration Features
    Evernote supports collaboration, enabling users to share notes and notebooks with others, which is useful for team projects and group work.
  • Integration with Other Apps
    Evernote integrates with a variety of third-party applications such as Google Drive, Outlook, and Slack, enhancing its functionality and ease of use.

Possible disadvantages of Evernote

  • Cost
    Evernote offers a free version, but its premium features and higher storage limits come at a subscription cost, which may be a drawback for budget-conscious users.
  • Learning Curve
    New users may find Evernote's extensive features and options overwhelming at first, requiring some time to fully understand and utilize all its capabilities.
  • Syncing Issues
    Some users have reported occasional syncing problems, where changes made on one device are not immediately reflected on others.
  • Limited Offline Access
    The ability to access notes offline is restricted in the free version, which may be inconvenient for users who often work without internet access.
  • Privacy Concerns
    There have been concerns about the privacy and security of the data stored in Evernote, as it involves uploading personal information to their servers.

Notability features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Notability provides an intuitive and straightforward user interface, making it easy for users of all ages and technical abilities to navigate and use the app.
  • Multi-Platform Availability
    The app is available on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, allowing users to access their notes across multiple Apple devices seamlessly.
  • Versatile Note-Taking
    Notability supports a wide range of note-taking formats, such as handwritten notes, text notes, audio recordings, and even web clips, enabling users to capture information in various forms.
  • Robust Annotation Tools
    Users can annotate PDFs and other documents easily with a variety of tools, including highlighters, pens, and shapes, enhancing the document review process.
  • Cloud Syncing and Backup
    Notability offers cloud syncing with services like iCloud, Google Drive, and Dropbox, ensuring that users' notes are backed up and accessible from anywhere.
  • Audio Recording Synchronization
    The app offers a unique feature that allows users to record audio while taking notes, with the ability to sync playback to match the timing of handwritten or typed notes.
  • Customizable Organization
    Users can organize their notes using dividers and subjects, allowing for a high degree of customization in how their notes are categorized.

Possible disadvantages of Notability

  • Platform Limitation
    Notability is only available on Apple devices, which excludes users who are on Android or Windows platforms.
  • Cost
    Although Notability offers a free version, many of the more advanced features are behind a premium subscription, which may be viewed as costly compared to one-time purchase apps.
  • Limited Export Options
    While the app supports exporting notes in formats like PDF, there are fewer options for exporting notes in other common formats like Word or Excel.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Some users may find the more advanced tools and functionalities a bit complex, requiring additional time to learn and master.
  • Occasional Syncing Issues
    At times, users have reported experiencing delays or problems with the app's ability to sync notes across devices seamlessly.
  • Storage Consumption
    Given that Notability allows users to save audio recordings and high-resolution images within notes, the app can consume a significant amount of device storage space over time.

Evernote videos

10 Reasons why You Should Be Using Evernote in 2019

More videos:

  • Review - スキャンアプリ Evernote Scannable Review
  • Review - Evernote Food app review for iPhone 4s
  • Review - Best Handwriting Note Taking App to use with Evernote 2018 | Penultimate vs ZoomNotes vs Noteshelf2
  • Review - Skitch Screen Capture & Annotation, from Evernote for Everyone
  • Review - how I get organized with Evernote
  • Tutorial - How to Use Skitch for Screenshots for Internet Marketing & More
  • Tutorial - iPadagogy - App Review - Skitch Video Tutorial

Notability videos

Notability on the iPad | Walkthrough & Review ✏️

More videos:

  • Review - NOTABILITY VS. GOODNOTES 5 - Best iPad Note-Taking App (2021)
  • Review - The ULTIMATE Notability vs GoodNotes 5 Comparison Video! (2022)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Evernote and Notability)
Note Taking
93 93%
7% 7
Task Management
91 91%
9% 9
Todos
94 94%
6% 6
Project Management
96 96%
4% 4

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Evernote and Notability

Evernote Reviews

  1. Olivia_Sass
    Simple and efficient app

    The app helps keep everything organized and is really easy to use. I’ve been using it for a while now, and I really like it.

  2. Boyd Richardson
    · Writer at SE ·

    If you're someone who likes to keep everything in order and easily accessible, you'll want to check out the Evernote app. This app is designed to help you keep track of all your notes, ideas, and to-do lists in one place, and it does so with style.

    From my experience using the app, I found that it's incredibly user-friendly and has a sleek design. You can easily create notes, organize them into notebooks, and even add tags to make it easier to find what you're looking for later on. Whether you're a student trying to keep track of your class notes or a busy professional juggling multiple projects, Evernote has you covered.

    🏁 Competitors: Notion
    👍 Pros:    High capabilities|Supports multiple languages|Syncs|Easy integration
    👎 Cons:    Free plan with limited options|Syncing issue
  3. Deepak Kumar
    · Technical Reviewer at Screenshot Chrome Extensions ·
    Intuitive Software

    The thing that I personally like about Evernote is that before I have used word as my note taking application, than on my smartphone I have had used Google Keep and so my notes were just unorganized mess. But with Evernote now I can have my notes at one place and unified. Also the fact that I can log to another device and my notes are "just there" is really nice. And also I like graphics user interface of Evernote.

    👍 Pros:    Easy to use|Saves a ton of time|Sync across all my devices|Chrome extension available
    👎 Cons:    Few webpages takes time to load|Paid plan to use on multiple devices

11 Best Google Keeps Alternatives for 2024
It depends on your needs. Evernote offers advanced note-taking features and organization, suitable for complex tasks. Google Keep is simpler and integrates well with other Google services, making it ideal for basic note-taking and quick reminders.
Source: upbase.io
20 Obsidian Alternatives: Top Note-Taking Tools to Consider
Evernote is a note-taking tool with fantastic web-clipping capabilities. This handy app lets you clip, save, and sync notes from anywhere on the web to all your devices.
Source: clickup.com
The 6 best note-taking apps in 2024
Not only is Joplin the best open source note-taking app on our list, but it's also the best free Evernote alternative too. For a number of reasons I'll explore below, I don't feel Evernote merits a spot on this list right now; however, because Evernote has been such a staple of the note-taking app space, most other apps compete by trying to be different. OneNote is awesome,...
Source: zapier.com
The best note-taking apps for collecting your thoughts and data
That being said, the paid version of Evernote still does what it does well, especially if you’re one of those users who has stuck with it for a while. The basic look and feel of the web app hasn’t changed much, although the homepage now shows recent notes, a scratch pad, and recently captured websites. (The homepage can be personalized with other widgets if you have a paid...
15 Best Free Daily Planner Apps for 2024 (Features, Price)
Capability to store handwritten notes. Integration with apps like Slack, Outlook, etc., for seamless collaboration. Ability to scribble notes and create list templates. Offline usability for added convenience. Pricing: Evernote offers a free plan, and its paid plan starts at $7.99/user per month.
Source: affine.pro

Notability Reviews

15 Best Notability Alternatives 2022
Notability is one of the most popular and reliable apps when it comes to creating handwritten, typed, or visual notes. Despite its notoriety, Notability is not without its shortcomings and may not be the best note-taking app for everyone.
Which App is Best for Taking Notes?
Notability also offers a unique audio recording option. You won’t find it in Good Notes. When using the app, users can record audio files while taking notes. When playing back audio, Notability will animate when the text was added to the page during the recording so that it’s easy to know what prompted you to write something down.
Source: medium.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Evernote seems to be a lot more popular than Notability. While we know about 66 links to Evernote, we've tracked only 5 mentions of Notability. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Evernote mentions (66)

View more

Notability mentions (5)

  • Why do they make it so complicated?
    You are using a third party app (https://notability.com) for notes. It’s very likely it has it set to sync with iCloud as a default - in order for you to be able to access said notes from other devices as well. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Anyone else dislikes studying with soft copy notes?
    When I used ipad in sec school I found Notability to do wonders in making/editing notes, bonus if you have an apple pencil to go with it. Editing PDF, adding pics, arranging texts and diagrams, exporting, importing etc. Source: about 2 years ago
  • GoodNotes 5 is Now the Better Option than Notability
    If you were looking for a great writing option in the past, you often would have been recommended Goodnotes 5 or Notability, as often times it simply came down to personal preference. Both offered similar feature and worked great on the iPad with the Apple Pencil, so it was easy to see why both were pretty evenly matched with only a couple features or abilities to seperated them. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Pen down some thoughts in my journal after catching up with a designer friend.
    Oh nice! I think IPads have digital journals you can use so you can still doodle, draw maps, etc. Here’s one I found that’s highly rated: Notability. Source: about 2 years ago
  • What are your most used tools/products for essay writing?
    Notability - allows me to take notes on my iPad during lectures. Source: over 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Evernote and Notability, you can also consider the following products

OneNote - Get the OneNote app for free on your tablet, phone, and computer, so you can capture your ideas and to-do lists in one place wherever you are. Or try OneNote with Office for free.

Notion - All-in-one workspace. One tool for your whole team. Write, plan, and get organized.

Workflowy - A better way to organize your mind.

Joplin - Joplin is a free, open source note taking and to-do application, which can handle a large number of notes organised into notebooks. The notes are searchable, tagged and modified either from the applications directly or from your own text editor.

Simplenote - The simplest way to keep notes. Light, clean, and free. Simplenote is now available for iOS, Android, Mac, and the web.

Google Keep - Capture notes, share them with others, and access them from your computer, phone or tablet. Free with a Google account.