Apple Notes vs Evernote
Apple Notes: The free notes app built into every Mac, iPhone and iPad, synced with iCloud. Evernote: Long-running note app with tasks, calendar and AI features, on tiered plans.
| Apple Notes | Evernote | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, included with Apple devices | Free plan, paid tiers (Starter, Advanced, Flexible, Unlimited) |
| Free option | Notes is free on Mac, iPhone and iPad. Syncing uses your iCloud storage, and iCloud+ storage plans start at $0.99 per month for 50 GB | Free: 50 notes, 1 notebook, 1 synced device, 1 GB storage |
| License | Proprietary, included with Apple devices | Proprietary |
| Platforms | macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Web (icloud.com) | iOS, Android, Web, Windows, Mac |
| Notes stored as | iCloud or on-device notes, with Markdown import, export and Copy as Markdown on the Mac | Evernote cloud with offline notes |
Choose Apple Notes if
- you use only Apple devices and want something that just works
- you want quick notes, lists, sketches and audio with no extra cost
- you only need Markdown occasionally, through export or Copy as Markdown
Strengths
- Already installed on every Apple device, nothing to set up
- Drawings, audio recording with live transcripts, inline math, and attachments (per the Apple Notes User Guide)
- On the Mac you can import Markdown, export a note as Markdown, and use Edit > Copy as Markdown
- Optional end-to-end encryption for Notes with Advanced Data Protection for iCloud
Limits
- No native app for Windows, Linux or Android; other devices use icloud.com in a browser
- Notes live in Apple's library, not as a folder of Markdown files, so other editors cannot open them directly
- No plugin system or linked-note graph
Pricing details
- Notes itself costs nothing. It ships with macOS, iOS and iPadOS and works on the web at icloud.com
- iCloud+ storage plans listed on apple.com/icloud: 50 GB $0.99, 200 GB $2.99, 2 TB $9.99, 6 TB $29.99, 12 TB $59.99 per month
Choose Evernote if
- you want one app for notes, tasks and calendar
- you collect lots of clipped web pages and emails
- you do not need Markdown as your storage format
Strengths
- Tasks, calendar and external calendar connections in the same app
- Web clipping and email-in for collecting material
- Apps for every major platform
Limits
- The free plan caps you at 50 notes and one synced device
- Proprietary and cloud based, with no plain Markdown file storage
- Not built around Markdown, so formatting comes from its own editor
Pricing details
- Starter: 1,000 notes, 3 synced devices, 5 GB. Advanced: unlimited notes and devices (subject to safeguard limits)
- Exact prices were not shown on the plan comparison page when checked, so see the vendor page
- Paid plans have a 7 day trial, and eligible students get 40% off a one-year Advanced plan
Apple Notes
The free notes app built into every Mac, iPhone and iPad, synced with iCloud.
Proprietary
- Price: Free, included with Apple devices
- Platforms: macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Web (icloud.com)
- Storage: iCloud or on-device notes, with Markdown import, export and Copy as Markdown on the Mac
Evernote
Long-running note app with tasks, calendar and AI features, on tiered plans.
Proprietary
- Price: Free plan, paid tiers (Starter, Advanced, Flexible, Unlimited)
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Web, Windows, Mac
- Storage: Evernote cloud with offline notes
Details come from each vendor's own website and were checked on 2026-11-15. Confirm current prices on the vendor page.