What’s one of the simplest ways to take notes on Mac? The best way that matches your workflow and content material greatest, after all! That’s proper, choosing probably the most appropriate note-taking app for Mac is the important thing to your productiveness and satisfaction with the app’s performance.
However fear not, you don’t need to do it alone. On this publish, we will likely be taking a look at seven wonderful note-taking apps, exploring their options, and discussing how they will enhance into your each day routine.
Let’s dive in!
How to decide on one of the best note-taking app for Mac
To decide on one of the best Macintosh notes answer, browse our curated choice beneath and set up the one you like most. However earlier than we begin, right here’s a fast primer on what to search for in a note-taking app:
- Light-weight. Since a note-taking app is one thing you’ll in all probability preserve at your hand always, take note of how a lot RAM and CPU it consumes. If an app is completely sipping an enormous chunk of system sources, it should decelerate your Mac and ultimately hamper your productiveness. So light-weight is the best way to go.
- Quick so as to add notes and straightforward to entry. You should use a timer to check your app. The rule of thumb is that if it takes longer than 5 seconds to open an app and begin typing your notes, it’s not going to be environment friendly.
- Accommodates your particular note-taking habits. For instance, you’re somebody who takes notes throughout conferences and desires good templates for assembly notes. Not each app can cowl this use case, however after a fast analysis, you’ll determine on the market are nice options corresponding to NotePlan.
- Consumer-friendly. It would sound like a cliche however the best way your app is designed could have a direct impression in your productiveness. Go for instruments which might be simple to navigate, whether or not you’re a newbie or professional. And bear in mind, you don’t need to spend hours to arrange your note-taking area — it ought to be a fast and intuitive course of.
Tip: With Setapp, all of the note-taking apps we evaluate beneath are a part of one subscription, so you may merely attempt all of them and determine later. Enroll for a 7-day free trial.
Now that we’ve gotten this out of the best way, let’s take a look at the note-taking apps to presumably meet your necessities. With out additional ado, let’s get began.
Finest note-taking apps for Mac
Under, we check out seven wonderful Mac note-taking purposes — SideNotes, MarginNote, Unclutter, NotePlan, MarsEdit, and MindNode. We talk about every on the listing intimately, define the important thing options and spotlight some execs and cons that will help you get a balanced view on every of the instruments.
We tried to discover a stability between transient and concise whereas additionally supplying you with simply sufficient to make the best determination. Scroll down for our overview.
SideNotes
SideNotes is a handy Mac note-taker that may be swiped into life from the best facet of your display screen. Create notes, handle to-do lists, and add photographs and recordsdata to your notes. Colour code your gadgets for simpler administration. What’s extra, the app helps markdown formatting and has built-in sharing.
We love SideNotes as a result of it’s at all times only a swipe away, it’s discreet however accessible, has all the best instruments for note-taking and administration, and is built-in seamlessly into your Mac workflow.
Professionals:
- Simply accessible
- Constructed-in to-do listing performance
- Code-friendly
- Obtainable on Setapp
Cons:
MarginNote
MarginNote brings highlighting and margin note-taking from the bodily world and into the digital one. Spotlight bits of your textual content paperwork, add complete notes — each handwritten and typed, and rather more.
This app is ideal for actually entering into the nitty-gritty of your venture or research supplies. Actively working with textual content helps you digest and bear in mind the knowledge higher, and MarginNote is simply the software to do this, with out all of the paper waste.
Professionals:
- Performance to attract on high of paperwork
- Excellent for complicated, multilevel notes
- Flashcard performance
- Obtainable on Setapp
Cons:
Unclutter
Systemize your recordsdata and take notes? This Mac notes app does all of it. Attempt Unclutter if you wish to take notes, but in addition add recordsdata and use clipboard historical past to maintain higher monitor of your work and gadgets.
We now have to confess, we’re followers of Unclutter not only for its note-taking capabilities however for file administration. Dragging and dropping a file or folder onto the Information tile of the app after which transferring the merchandise instantly the place you want it when you want it? This straightforward answer frees up quite a lot of psychological area spent on remembering which recordsdata go the place. Simply calm down and let Unclutter handle all of the stuff in your plate!
Professionals:
- Constructed-in file administration
- Clipboard historical past
- Sections can be utilized as desktop sticky notes
- Obtainable on Setapp
Cons:
NotePlan
Probably the greatest notes options for Mac is NotePlan, and we’re not simply saying that as a result of it appears to be like so good. The app has a helpful built-in calendar and a bunch of word enhancing and structuring performance, enabling you to actually get your ideas and concepts so as.
Ever end up in a gathering and somebody says “as we’ve mentioned final time” and you don’t have any thought what they’re speaking about? NotePlan is ideal for people who find themselves drowning in assembly invitations and struggling to maintain monitor of all of it. The app lets you create transient assembly notes, agenda, and motion factors, preserve monitor of previous occasions, and present up ready each time!
Professionals:
- Excellent for detailed, extremely structured notes
- Markdown performance
- Constructed-in calendar
- Obtainable on Setapp
Cons:
MarsEdit
In case your major use for note-taking software program on Mac is creating content material on your weblog, MarsEdit is simply what you want. The app is designed that will help you make full-fledged weblog posts and publish them to built-in weblog providers.
Now, you don’t need to be an influencer or a full-time blogger to want MarsEdit. This wonderful software could make it simple so that you can publish to a number of platforms, plan content material, create and backup drafts and posts for any objective, whether or not skilled or passion, — all with out getting distracted from what you actually need to say.
Professionals:
- Splendid for anybody operating a weblog
- Good previews
- Constructed-in publishing
- Obtainable on Setapp
Cons:
MindNode
Excellent for group, planning, structuring, and refining concepts, MindNode is but an alternative choice on your note-taking wants.
This mind-mapping and note-taking software is as versatile and complete as you need it to be. Must take down just some key factors and perceive your predominant circulation? Straightforward. Need to create an in depth plan with quite a few simultaneous steps and extra data? No downside! MindNode can deal with your most eclectic concepts and seamlessly match something you throw at it whereas conserving it neat, structured, and really glanceable (simply zoom out of your map to view all of its parts).
Professionals:
- Thoughts-mapping functionality
- Cute icons
- Complete thought structuring instruments
- Obtainable on Setapp
Cons:
Attempt each note-taking app totally free
Choosing the right note-taking software program on your Mac could make or break your productiveness. Whether or not you might be engaged on a venture, creating a bit of software program, planning a visit, designing a advertising marketing campaign, finding out, or operating your weblog, choosing the word app tailor-made to your wants is among the greatest issues you are able to do on your productiveness and inspiration.
Get impressed by our collection of seven wonderful note-taking apps that may flip your workflow round and develop into invaluable helpers in creating content material, producing concepts, and getting outcomes with out leaving something out. Produce wonderful plans with NotePlan, jot down concepts with out breaking your circulation with SideNotes, create thoughts maps with MindNode, work in your weblog posts with MarsEdit, monitor concepts and gadgets with Unclutter, get your arms soiled with highlighting and handwritten notes in MarginNote.
And one of the best information? You may attempt all the note-taking apps we’ve talked about right now together with your Setapp subscription! That’s proper, all of the apps — SideNotes, MarginNote, Unclutter, NotePlan, MarsEdit, and MindNode — are on Setapp. Get all of them, a number of, or simply the one you want most and develop into a real note-taking aficionado.
Not on Setapp? Attempt our app suite totally free with the 7-day trial and discover these and lots of extra apps that will help you save time, enhance productiveness, and clear up duties you face on the each day!
FAQ
What’s the greatest note-taking app for Mac?
The perfect note-taking app is the one which accommodates your note-taking habits, is straightforward to navigate, and may be accessed quick whenever you want it. Relying in your workflow, there’ll at all times be execs and cons you’ll decide individually, however right here’s our normal suggestion:
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use MarginNote to take notes whereas finding out
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MindNode is nice for visualizing notes and concepts
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NotePlan is your excellent selection should you prefer to take notes throughout conferences, wish to hyperlink your notes with calendar occasions, and customarily depend on note-taking at work
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Unclutter and SideNotes are nice unsophisticated choices for jotting down notes as shortly as potential
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MarsEdit works greatest for running a blog functions.
All these apps are a part of Setapp, so that you don’t have to purchase them.
How you can take handwritten notes on Mac?
With some languages (Chinese language and Cantonese), you should use Trackpad Handwriting (choose it as an enter supply in System Preferences > Keyboard > Enter Sources). If you wish to jot down notes utilizing Trackpad in any language, in your note-taking app, contemplate MarginNote. Nevertheless, it’s typically not the quickest methodology, so if you wish to take handwritten notes regularly, it’s greatest to make use of an iPad and Apple Pencil, after which sync your notes to Mac.
How you can take notes on MacBook for school?
MarginNote is arms down unbeatable note-taking software program for college students, whereas it helps you to interlink notes with research supplies, and preserve all the pieces organized, in a single neat area. You may annotate your books, create notes, and switch notes into thoughts maps utilizing this single software.
