Software Alternatives & Startups

NotePlan VS Trello

Compare NotePlan VS Trello and see what are their differences

NotePlan

Make plans inside an individual markdown note for every day in your calendar. Use it as a journal for your daily tasks and plan todos in advance. For Mac, iPhone and iPad.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Trello

Infinitely flexible. Incredibly easy to use. Great mobile apps. It's free. Trello keeps track of everything, from the big picture to the minute details.

Rating
4.6 · 9 reviews
Pricing
Freemium Free trial $12.5 / Monthly (Per user - Business Class)

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Trello should be more popular than NotePlan. It has been mentioned 248 times since March 2021.

social mentions
36 vs 248
Note Taking popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

NotePlan
Trello
Website noteplan.co trello.com
Pricing
Open source
Freemium Free trial $12.5 / Monthly (Per user - Business Class) Official pricing
Company Startup from the United States
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

NotePlan 7 features
Trello 6 features
  • Markdown Support
    NotePlan supports Markdown, allowing users to write notes in a clean and easy-to-format manner.
  • Calendar Integration
    It integrates seamlessly with your calendar, providing a consolidated view of notes, tasks, and events.
  • Task Management
    Users can manage tasks and to-do lists directly within the app, making it great for productivity.
  • Cross-Platform Sync
    NotePlan offers cross-platform syncing, enabling access to notes on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS devices.
  • Daily Notes
    The concept of daily notes helps in journaling and keeping track of daily activities.
  • Tagging System
    An efficient tagging system helps in organizing and finding notes quickly.
  • Quick Capture
    The quick capture feature enables jotting down thoughts and tasks swiftly.

Possible disadvantages

  • Price
    NotePlan is not free and may be considered expensive for casual note-takers.
  • Learning Curve
    The extensive features might require some time for new users to learn and adapt.
  • Limited Platform Availability
    It’s only available on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, leaving out Windows and Android users.
  • No Web Access
    There is no web access, which can be a limitation for some users who prefer browser-based tools.
  • No Collaboration Features
    NotePlan lacks robust collaboration features, which makes it less suitable for team projects.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Trello's drag-and-drop interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible for users of all skill levels.
  • Collaborative Features
    Trello allows for real-time collaboration, with features like comments, mentions, and attachments, making team communication seamless.
  • Customization Options
    Users can customize boards with different backgrounds, labels, and stickers. Additionally, Trello offers Power-Ups to extend functionality.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    Trello is available on iOS, Android, and web, allowing users to stay connected and manage tasks from multiple devices.
  • Integration Support
    Trello integrates with a variety of other tools such as Slack, Google Drive, and Jira, enhancing its functionality and adaptability.
  • Free Tier
    Trello offers a robust free tier that includes many essential features, making it a cost-effective option for individuals and small teams.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Some advanced project management features, like Gantt charts and time tracking, are not available or require third-party integrations.
  • Notification Overload
    Users can receive a high volume of notifications, especially in larger teams, which can become overwhelming and reduce productivity.
  • Scalability Issues
    While suitable for small to medium-sized projects, Trello may struggle with more complex project management needs, particularly for large-scale enterprises.
  • Storage Limitations
    The free version of Trello has storage limitations, which can be restrictive for teams that need to share and store large files.
  • Dependence on Third-Party Integrations
    Many advanced features and functionalities depend on third-party integrations, which can lead to additional costs and potential security concerns.
  • Limited Reporting and Analytics
    Trello lacks comprehensive reporting and analytics features, making it difficult for teams to gain insights into their productivity and project performance.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

NotePlan
Trello

Overall verdict

  • Overall, NotePlan is a good choice for those who prefer a minimalist yet powerful tool for managing notes and tasks. It effectively caters to individuals looking for a cohesive system that integrates note-taking with scheduling, making it a viable option for personal and professional productivity needs.

Why this product is good

  • NotePlan is a well-regarded productivity tool because it combines the functionalities of note-taking, to-do lists, and a calendar in a single application. Its strengths include seamless integration with macOS and iOS, Markdown support for note formatting, and an intuitive interface that makes it easy to manage tasks and notes. Users appreciate its focus on personal productivity and the ability to link notes with tasks and calendar events, which aids in organizing projects and daily plans efficiently.

Recommended for

    NotePlan is particularly recommended for users who are deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem and prefer using apps that offer robust integrations with iOS and macOS. It is ideal for people who like using Markdown for note-taking and those who want a lightweight app that can manage tasks and notes simultaneously in a linked manner. Additionally, individuals who value a clean, distraction-free interface for productivity will likely find NotePlan to be a good fit.

No analysis of Trello yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

NotePlan 4 videos + Add
Trello 3 videos + Add

NotePlan 3 Review

More videos

  • - Noteplan 3 - Link your Notes with Apple's Reminder and Calendar App
  • - Walkthrough of NotePlan 3 — Notetaker, calendar, digital bullet journal all in one app
  • - The Best Bullet Journal App | NotePlan 3 Review

How to Organize Your Workflow - Trello Review!

More videos

  • - Why I'm LEAVING Trello 😲 | Trello 2019
  • - Trello - A Quick Overview

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
NotePlan
Trello
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
5% 5%
95% 95%
2% 2%
98% 98%

User comments

Share your experience with using NotePlan and Trello. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

NotePlan no reviews yet
Trello 4.6 · 9 reviews

We have no reviews of NotePlan yet. Be the first one to post

  • Simple and visual, but hits a wall on bigger projects
    SaaSHub review
    · Aug 2026

    We've been using Trello for about a year to keep our team tasks in order. Getting started was honestly a breeze - the kanban board is super intuitive and everyone got it within minutes. Moving cards around, adding...

  • Trello: Simple, Visual, and Surprisingly Powerful
    SaaSHub review
    · Aug 2025

    Trello makes project management feel effortless. Its board-and-card setup is intuitive, letting you organize tasks and track progress with just a glance. The free plan is generous, and Power-Ups add extra muscle when...

  • Top 10 Productivity Apps for MacOS 2025
    dev.to · Apr 2025

    Trello is great for keeping track of all the stages of a project. It’s basically a visual to-do list on steroids. I use it when I need to plan something with more structure than just ticking things off — like...

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

NotePlan 36 mentions
Trello 248 mentions
  • Ask HN: YAML or Markdown for Personal Notes?
    Https://noteplan.co, if you're on a macOS/iOS device. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: What Process/Applications Do You Use for Todo/Knowledge Management?
    I'm using NotePlan (https://noteplan.co) and loving it. It's a macOS/iOS app (there's a somewhat limited Web version). IMO, the best balance between PKM and task manager/calendar management. I've also tried Amplenote... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: How do you manage ideas, tasks, notes and other stuff?
    I've been using NotePlan (https://noteplan.co) with the Projects + Reviews plugin. It's been a game changer for me. The (almost) perfect combination of tasks + notes. I also manage my personal stuff with it. It's a paid macOS app but,... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago

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Alternatives to NotePlan and Trello

When comparing NotePlan and Trello, you can also consider the following products.

  • Obsidian

    A second brain, for you, forever. Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files.

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  • Asana

    Asana project management is an effort to re-imagine how we work together, through modern productivity software. Fast and versatile, Asana helps individuals and groups get more done.

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  • 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.

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  • Jira

    The #1 software development tool used by agile teams. Jira Software is built for every member of your software team to plan, track, and release great software.

    Compare Jira to NotePlan or Trello:

  • TickTick

    TickTickis a cross-platform to-do list app & task manager helps you to get all things done and make life well organized.

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  • Basecamp

    A simple and elegant project management system.

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