Apple Notes vs Notion
Apple Notes: The free notes app built into every Mac, iPhone and iPad, synced with iCloud. Notion: Cloud workspace of pages and databases for teams, with Markdown import and export.
| Apple Notes | Notion | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, included with Apple devices | Free plan, paid from $10 per member per month |
| 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 plan with limits: 5 MB per file upload, 7 days of page history, up to 10 guests |
| License | Proprietary, included with Apple devices | Proprietary SaaS |
| Platforms | macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Web (icloud.com) | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Notes stored as | iCloud or on-device notes, with Markdown import, export and Copy as Markdown on the Mac | Notion cloud, block-based pages (Markdown import and export) |
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 Notion if
- you want docs, databases and tasks in one shared workspace
- you your team needs comments, permissions and guests
- you care more about collaboration than owning plain files
Strengths
- Databases, tables and project views alongside documents
- Built for teams: sharing, comments and guests
- Publish a page to the web as a notion.site page
Limits
- Content lives in Notion rather than in files you own; Markdown is an import and export format
- Workspaces with 2 or more members on the free plan have a block limit
- Per-member pricing adds up for larger teams
Pricing details
- Free: $0 per member per month
- Plus: $10 per member per month billed monthly
- Business: $20 per member per month billed monthly
- Enterprise: custom pricing
- The vendor advertises up to 20% off with yearly billing
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
Notion
Cloud workspace of pages and databases for teams, with Markdown import and export.
Proprietary
- Price: Free plan, paid from $10 per member per month
- Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
- Storage: Notion cloud, block-based pages (Markdown import and export)
Details come from each vendor's own website and were checked on 2026-11-15. Confirm current prices on the vendor page.