Finding the ideal notes app

JohnAtl · July 10, 2021, 11:51am

This was previously mentioned by @grs , and I think it needs its own topic.

https://noteapps.info allows you to search by the features you need, and provides you with a list of apps fitting your criteria.

Bmosbacker · July 10, 2021, 12:29pm

Unfortunately, the site is not completely accurate. I don’t blame the site creators, it would be nearly impossible without significant resources to keep up with app changes.

For example, the site says that Craft doesn’t allow for daily notes. Craft does but this is a recent update. The site says that PDF’s can’t be opened within Craft but they can as shown below. There are other errors/omissions as well. I suspect this is true of many of the apps listed.

Again, I’m not criticizing the site. My point is that one has to be careful in assessing note taking apps based on this site. That said, it is a useful starting point for further investigation of note taking apps.

The screenshot below shows a PDF dragged into Craft from the Files app on the iPad. On the left is the opened PDF in Craft, ready for annotations.

anon85228692 · July 10, 2021, 12:59pm

I am hoping for the love child of Obsidian and Craft, and I have bet on Craft, since its foundations make it more likely that it might move towards Obsidian that the other way around.

A man can wish.

ryanjamurphy · July 10, 2021, 1:33pm

I’m just going to belligerently quote myself. (Oddly, the post I was replying to in the source thread seems to have been deleted, but it was another big list of apps and features.)

A comparative chart of modern notes apps

Careful with these lists. They are illustrative, but I think it’s important to build your own, so to speak.

They typically feature two kinds of gaps:

They’re missing apps; and

They’re missing features.

For an example of (1), the list you linked, @vgrovpro, doesn’t even include DEVONthink. Steve Yang’s list is much more exhaustive and it still is missing some apps: Artificial Brain Networked with linear notebook app

For an example of (2), none of these lists can really get at the depth of certain features effectively. For instance, Obsidian’s plugin ecosystem will likely surpass any other because of some key fundamentals in the app’s design. Saying both Obsidian and e.g., Roam “have an API” doesn’t quite qualify what Obsidian’s API really means.

TL;DR: There is no “best” app, but there’s definitely a best app for you. Make your own lists of key features and then find the apps that fit them and compare those.

hbowie · July 10, 2021, 3:03pm

I will just once more mention my little app, Notenik. Free and open-source. Available from the Mac App Store. Frequently enhanced and updated. Rated 4.9 in the Mac App Store. Certainly not for everyone, but probably deserves a wider audience than it currently enjoys. Learn more at Notenik.net. Happy to entertain improvement suggestions. (But no, for now at least, there is not an iOS version.)

JohnAtl · July 10, 2021, 3:53pm

@Bmosbacker @hbowie there are options to add apps and submit corrections on the site, if you all are so inclined.

Shl1ck · July 11, 2021, 2:59pm

iTextEditors - iPhone and iPad text/code editors and writing tools compared This is a go to site for comparison of lots of notes editors. Not great for picking a favoruite, but great for eliminating those with missing features that you need.
I use BBedit with Brett’s Marked 2. Every day, several times. With shortcuts of course.

hbowie · July 11, 2021, 4:27pm

@JohnAtl Yes, submitted my app! Thanks for the link! Hadn’t known about this site!