There’s a good discussion on using Tot (also mentions alternatives) here
SteveNY had a good comment
Some might need Drafts and there currently is a free version. Drafts Pro is currently $29.99/year and has more features (like dark theme) of course.
There’s also the new Quick Note feature on iPadOS 15 which might be an alternative.
Notes goes systemwide with Quick Note, a fast and easy way to take notes anywhere across the system. Whether browsing in Safari or finding a restaurant on Yelp, users can bring up Quick Note anywhere to jot down a thought and add links, providing an easy way to get back to exactly what they were looking at.
I use Drafts and plan to try Tot. Maybe I need a glider and not a 747?