These are the 5 best iOS note-taking apps for iPad and iPhone

You don’t necessarily need a word processor to quickly write something down, because a note-taking app offers a great solution. iPhoned lists the five best note-taking apps for iOS that should not be missing on your iPhone or iPad.

The best note-taking apps

iOS already has a good note-taking app by default. This is the Notes app, which is good enough for most people. The app has several formatting options and it is even possible to protect notes with a password. In Notes you can add photos and videos in addition to texts. Furthermore, the app also has the option to create checklists and you can process small drawings in your notes.

However, sometimes you want to do more or just try something different. Or you’re missing a certain feature that the Notes app doesn’t have. Don’t worry, the App Store has some excellent alternatives to Notes. We list the four best alternatives.

1. Craft: the first, the best

To get straight to the point: Craft is the best note-taking app at the moment. The app is well-arranged and has very nice controls, which you can use right away. In addition, the app is also completely free.

The special features with which you can easily edit the notes are also very useful. For example, you can move text by holding your finger on it and then dragging it. You can adjust the style of the text by swiping a block of text to the left or right. It all feels very natural and the app also looks slick. For these reasons, Craft tops the list of best note-taking apps for iPhone and iPad.

2. Noted: focus on audio recordings

Noted is mainly for making recorded notes, but typing short text is also possible. It is even possible to make and record a note at the same time. That saves you some time, for example when you are taking minutes during an important meeting. Thanks to the preview mode, you can also quickly check whether you have timed the correct fragment. Also handy: notes are stored in iCloud.

Noted is free, but you must first click through all the offers of a subscription to use the app. After that, the app is easy to use and you have processed your first (spoken) note in no time.

So to unlock all the features of the app, you need to subscribe. The full version includes unlimited cloud storage, a noise reduction function and an equalizer.

3. Google Keep it simple

A clear interface, that is the big plus of Google Keep. The app uses colored frames and to group notes with the same categories together. In addition to text, you can also record and save voice memos in Google’s note-taking app.

A very handy feature of Google Keep is that your audio recordings are automatically transcribed for you. That works surprisingly well and saves you quite a bit of time if you were planning to write out your recorded audio fragments.

Of the 5 best note-taking apps for iPhone and iPad, Google Keep is the most manageable when you take a lot of notes. The app has a no-nonsense look that allows you to quickly do more.

4. Drafts: clear and simple

The free version of Drafts is very simple and minimalist in design. However, Drafts has enough options, so that even the most demanding users can get started with it.

Drafts is excellent for the ‘quick note work’. Quickly type a short piece or take notes during a meeting? That is very easy. The appearance of the app is also made for that.

It sometimes takes a while to find where the functions of Draft are. When you start the app for the first time, the screen is very blank. In the corners of the screens you will find the icons where the functions are hidden.

In addition, Drafts has another handy function: the inbox. Once you’ve created a note, it’s added to this mailbox and you can choose follow-up actions. From emailing, setting reminders to posting directly to Twitter: it’s all possible. The inbox also gives you a very neat overview of all the notes you’ve made so far.

5. Notability: complete and comprehensive

The Notability app is very comprehensive and has a decent amount of features on board. You can use it to make standard notes, annotate PDF files, and sketch on images and photos. As with the other apps, Notability also allows you to make audio recordings. You can tag these recordings. This is useful, because you can easily find the recordings.

It is a pity that Notability does not have a free version, because the price of 8.99 euros is on the high side to try out the app. On the other hand, you are not tied to a monthly subscription if you like the app. Notability is certainly not a bad buy.

Also try these note taking apps

Besides these five note-taking apps, there are of course many more. Are these apps not quite what you are looking for? Then try Bear or Evernote. And well, sometimes the built-in Notes app is enough for your daily shopping list.

Note-taking apps are of course incredibly useful and with these best note-taking apps for iPhone and iPad you can go ahead. However, could you use more helpful tips? Then read our beginners guide. With a series of practical articles, we teach you all about the basics of the iPhone, so that you really get the most out of the device for which it is intended.