Best note taking app for iPad Users

Whether your life includes researching, writing, or brainstorming, your iPad can be a sleek multimedia notebook. When looking for a note app for iPad users, you want the best iPad notes app for your work style and needs. 

If you are researching sneaker history, you will want an app that lets you integrate photographs along with your text notes, but if your notes serve as a diary of your daily cooking experiments, you may want an app that integrates with a calendar. With so many options, your choice can be overwhelming. 

I’ll show you the best finds that you can try immediately. So, let’s get started.

NotePlan – best note taking app for iPad users who integrate their calendars

If you’ve ever wanted to merge your calendar with a notes app, NotePlan could be just what you need. It has a flexible notes section that works well with your calendar. If you have a specific project or task in mind, there’s probably a template for it. For instance, the time-blocking template is perfect for scheduling dedicated time to focus on your tasks or projects.

NotePlan can be really useful for things like:

• Managing your time and planning your day
• Keeping a workout journal and tracking health goals
• Monitoring progress on personal and professional plans
• Jotting down diary entries or things you want to remember daily
• Organizing notes for class or study sessions

NotePlan works well for professionals and students who want to organize their schedules and manage tasks effectively. 

2. GoodNotes – best iPad note taking app for handwritten notes

Many people prefer handwriting their notes and learn better as a result. If this describes you, consider using the best note-taking app for iPad with Apple Pencil, which combines the benefits of both methods. GoodNotes is an excellent choice.

You can write your notes by hand if that’s what you like, and the app turns them into searchable text that you can access on your iPad, iPhone, or Mac. GoodNotes even checks your spelling for you (honestly, as someone who struggles with handwriting, I was really impressed with how well it converted my scrawl into typed text).

If you’re a student, a creative type, or just prefer jotting down notes, it’s definitely worth giving a shot. Plus, if you use a lot of PDFs, GoodNotes lets you annotate them, which is a nice bonus.

3. Craft – best notes app for iPad collaborations and creative projects

Craft is a handy note-taking app packed with features that also work as a text editor and project management tool. You can jot down typed or handwritten notes, add photos from your camera roll, make drawings or sketches, attach files, and even include math formulas or code. I love taking multimedia notes, but I still have a lot to discover within the app.

Thanks to Craft’s Markdown formatting options, it’s super easy to turn rough notes into polished documents that you can share with your team or clients. Sharing is a breeze; you can export your notes as an email, Markdown document, or PDF, so you don’t have to worry if your collaborators aren’t using Craft or Apple devices.

If your teammates also use Craft, you can collaborate in real time by sharing documents through Spaces. With all these great features, Craft is perfect for anyone who needs to tidy up their notes and create attractive working documents, as well as for those who are working together on projects.

4. MindNode – best for visual note-taking and brainstorming

If you are a visual learner, you may like to incorporate sketching, outlining, or mind mapping into your note-taking. MindNode is an easy-to-use app that allows these. The app syncs seamlessly to an iPhone, iPad or Mac. If you come up with an idea you want to share, export your visual note as an image, text file, or PDF. 

MindNode’s key features include: 

• Creates mind maps, topic clusters, and flowcharts with customizable nodes for brainstorming
• Exports mind maps as a PDF, image, or text
• Integrates with Reminders and other productivity apps
• Syncs seamlessly across iPad, iPhone, and Mac

If you are a creative professional or visual learner, you may prefer MindNode’s graphic options. Students may enjoy using it as a study aid for outlining and clustering related concepts. 

5. Apple Notes – best free option for casual users

Since my devices are all in the Apple family, the built-in Notes app is super convenient for me. If a friend mentions a book they enjoyed or a Netflix show, I can use Notes to jot down the name and then access it later on my iPad or MacBook. The app is pretty basic compared to some of the feature-rich competitors, but it is so easy to use. 

I use it daily for quick notes like directions to an appointment, recommendations from friends, or other things I want to remember. The interface is clean, and the functions only seem basic compared to other premium apps. Apple Notes still has useful features:

• The iPad version integrates well with an Apple pencil.
• You can add media, including photos or video from your camera roll, into your notes. I sometimes use it to make notes about a specific video clip or photo I took.  
• It automatically syncs across all Apple devices and computers through iCloud.
• You can organize your notes using tags and folders.
• If you have Sequoia MacOS 15 or later, you can include math formulas and expressions in your notes, and the system will automatically solve them.

If you already own an Apple device, Notes is free, already installed, and syncs across the Apple ecosystem. I use it daily for casual notes just because it is so easy. 

Factors to consider when choosing a note-taking app for iPad

With so many note-taking apps available, you want to choose the one with the features that match your work style and needs. Here are a few things to consider:

• Do you prefer to handwrite, sketch, or draw? If you use an Apple Pencil, you may be happy with an app that supports it. 
• Do you like to incorporate your notes into your calendar, tasks, and reminders?
• Will you be collaborating or sharing the notes with others?
• Do you need to include media like photos, videos, or voice memos?
• What are the organizational tools and features? Most note-taking apps use some combination of tags, folders, or categories. Does the app make sense?
• How easy is it to open when you need to make a note, find a note, and read your notes?

Choosing the best note taking app for iPad: Solved

With the right app, your iPad is perfect for taking and reading your notes. Think about how you prefer to take notes and choose the app that seems right to you. With so many options, the best is often the one with the UI that feels most intuitive to you. 

If you are unsure which note taking app is right for you, why not try a few? You may just click on one. Apple Notes has already been installed on your Apple devices and computers. Craft, MindNote, and NotePlan are all available with a Setapp subscription. With just one low monthly fee, you have access to over 250 iOS and macOS apps. Get all the apps risk-free with a 7-day free trial!

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