Note-Taking Apps Pricing Comparison 2026
5 products · dataset dated April 21, 2026 · Prices may have changed
In our April 21, 2026 pricing snapshot, Bear had the lowest recorded USD starting rate at $2.99/mo. This excludes unavailable prices and other currencies; billing units and included services can differ. The snapshot includes 5 note-taking apps products: Bear, Evernote, Notion, Obsidian, Roam Research. Current vendor prices may differ. 4 of 5 had listed free plans.
Note-Taking Apps in 2026: What the Data Shows
Market Overview
Note-taking tools differ in structure and storage. Notion combines documents with databases and shared workspaces. Obsidian stores local Markdown files. Evernote focuses on a searchable note archive, Roam uses linked outline blocks, and Bear emphasizes writing and tags on supported Apple devices.
Key Buying Criteria
Try capturing, finding and exporting the same notes. Check offline access, attachments, mobile support and collaboration on your devices. Test exports of links and attachments rather than assuming a migration will be effortless.
Comparison notes
Consider Notion for shared pages and structured data, Obsidian for local Markdown, Evernote for a searchable archive, Roam for block-based outlining, and Bear for focused writing with tags. Verify current limits and any paid sync or publishing requirement before purchase.
What to Watch Out For
Free plans can restrict attachments, history or devices without being time-limited trials. Sync and publishing are separate services. Multi-year subscriptions commit money upfront. Obsidian made its Commercial license optional; its core app can be used at work for free.
| | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | |||||
| Starting Price | $2.99/mo | $14.99/mo | $20/mo | $5/mo | $15/mo |
| Renewal Price | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Free Plan | Recorded | Recorded | Recorded | Recorded | Not established |
| Free Trial | 7 days | 7 days | Not established | Not established | 14 days |
| Pricing Model | flat-subscription | Tiered | per-member | freemium-addons | per-user-premium |
| Plans | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| | | | | | |
| Features | |||||
| | | | | | |
How We Track Prices
This comparison uses a category snapshot dated 2026-04-21. Prices and terms may have changed. Check each vendor's current offer before buying.
Each amount uses its recorded currency; no currency conversion is applied. Prices in your region may differ due to local pricing and taxes. We show the lowest recorded paid tier unless otherwise noted. Billing units and plan limits differ; confirm current terms before buying. Some products offer introductory pricing that increases on renewal - we show both where applicable.
Affiliate links may earn us a commission. Product order is not a recommendation.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
See how note-taking apps products stack up against each other - plans, pricing, and features side by side.
Explore Alternatives
Explore Individual Product Pricing
Deep dive into each note-taking apps product - full plan breakdowns, renewal prices, features, and comparison notes.
More Ways to Explore Note-Taking Apps
Quick Pricing Summary
| Product | From | Free Plan | Pricing check |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2.99/mo | Recorded; confirm terms | 2026-04-21 | |
| $5/mo | Recorded; confirm terms | 2026-04-21 | |
| $14.99/mo | Recorded; confirm terms | 2026-04-21 | |
| $15/mo | Not established | 2026-04-21 | |
| $20/mo | Recorded; confirm terms | 2026-04-21 |
Note-Taking Apps analysis on the StackScored blog
Building Your Business Stack?
Decision-makers comparing tools often need more than one category. Here are related comparisons:
Frequently Asked Questions
- How should I compare note-taking apps costs?
- Match the plan, billing unit, included usage and commitment length before comparing numbers. A starting price is not a quote for your team. Check required add-ons, taxes and any renewal rate with the vendor.
- Which note-taking apps products list a free plan?
- Notion, Obsidian, Evernote, Bear list free plans in this snapshot. Check current eligibility and feature or usage limits before signing up.
- Are these hands-on product reviews?
- These pages compare recorded pricing and features. They do not establish hands-on testing, customer satisfaction or which product is best for your business.
- How current are these prices?
- Use the dataset date shown on this page. Plans, limits and billing terms may have changed; confirm the total for your requirements on the linked vendor site.