Best Note Taking & Knowledge Bases
Compare note-taking apps for students, writers, researchers, and teams. Compare features, pricing, and find your fit with our decision quiz.
Note Taking & Knowledge Bases Comparison Table
| Feature | Notion | Obsidian | Evernote | OneNote | Bear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | Yes (limited) | Yes | No |
| Starting price | $8/mo | $0 (free forever) | $10.83/mo | $0 | $2.99/mo |
| Best for | All-in-one workspace | Local markdown | Web clipper | Microsoft users | Apple writers |
| G2 score | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Markdown | Partial | Native | No | No | Native |
| Offline | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Attachments | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Web clipper | Yes | Plugin | Excellent | Good | No |
| Templates | 10,000+ | Community | 100+ | Built-in | Themes |
| Collaboration | Yes | Publish add-on | Yes | Yes | No |
Prices and features updated 2025. Click tool names to visit their site (affiliate links where available).
Decision Quiz: Find Your Note Taking & Knowledge Bases
1. Do you want files stored locally, not cloud?
Top Picks by Use Case
Notion
Best for: All-in-one workspace — Starting at $8/mo
Yes | G2: 4.7
Obsidian
Best for: Local markdown — Starting at $0 (free forever)
Yes | G2: 4.8
Evernote
Best for: Web clipper — Starting at $10.83/mo
Yes (limited) | G2: 4.4
OneNote
Best for: Microsoft users — Starting at $0
Yes | G2: 4.5
Bear
Best for: Apple writers — Starting at $2.99/mo
No | G2: 4.5
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