Quick Answer
The best free note-taking app for most Windows users is Microsoft OneNote, which is free and syncs through 5 GB of Microsoft cloud storage. Obsidian is the best choice for local files you control, Joplin for free encrypted sync, Google Keep for quick notes, and Standard Notes for private notes across unlimited devices.
Key Takeaways
- OneNote on Windows is the supported app now. OneNote for Windows 10 became read-only after October 14, 2025.
- Obsidian’s app is free with no sign-up, while its own Sync service costs $4 a month billed yearly.
- Joplin’s encrypted sync works with Dropbox, OneDrive and Nextcloud, but you must turn encryption on yourself.
- Evernote Free allows only 50 notes, 1 notebook and 1 connected device, and Evernote Web counts as that device.
- Simplenote stays free, but its help page says the app is no longer in active development.
Most free note-taking apps look alike until you hit the wall. One caps your notes, another caps your devices, and a third makes it awkward to leave later. Free limits matter more than feature lists.
This guide compares published limits only, using each vendor’s own plan pages and documentation as of October 2026. Prices are US prices unless noted. Windows gets extra attention, because three of these picks run in a browser there rather than as a Windows app.
Which free note-taking apps are best in 2026?
The table lists 8 picks plus Evernote Free, which most people now know for its limits.
| App | Free limit that matters most | On Windows | Offline | End-to-end encryption | Export |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft OneNote | 5 GB shared cloud storage | Microsoft Store app | Yes, cached copy | Not listed; section passwords only | ZIP, via the web version |
| Obsidian | None on the app; Sync is paid | Desktop app | Yes, local files | With paid Sync | Markdown files on your disk |
| Joplin | No plan limit listed; you supply the sync storage | Desktop app | Yes, offline-first | Yes, once you enable it | JEX, HTML, PDF |
| Standard Notes | Plain text and tags; no folders | Desktop app | Yes | Yes | Encrypted or plaintext |
| Google Keep | No Windows app named by Google | Browser | Yes, per Google | Not listed; encrypted in transit and at rest | Google Takeout, Google Docs |
| Notion | 5 MB per file, 7 days of page history | Desktop app | Page by page, apps only | Not described by Notion | Markdown, CSV, HTML, PDF |
| Apple Notes | 5 GB iCloud storage | Browser (iCloud.com) | Not stated by Apple | Locked notes, or with Advanced Data Protection | PDF, Markdown |
| Gemini Notebook | 100 notebooks, 50 sources each | Browser | Not listed | Not listed | Notes to Google Docs |
| Evernote Free | 50 notes, 1 notebook, 1 device | Desktop app | Yes | Not listed | ENEX, HTML (desktop app) |
1. Microsoft OneNote: best for most Windows users
OneNote is the default pick on Windows because the app is free and gives you a real notebook structure with sections and pages. Microsoft’s guide to moving to OneNote on Windows calls it the primary, supported way to take notes on a PC.
OneNote for Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, and it is now read-only. A File menu means you are on the current app. Only synced notes carry over, so sync the old app first, and uninstall it only after your notes appear in the new one.
Notes sync through your Microsoft account, and Microsoft’s storage FAQ says the free 5 GB is shared with OneDrive files, Outlook.com attachments and Microsoft 365 apps. Extra storage starts with Microsoft 365 Basic at $19.99 a year for 100 GB. OneNote keeps a cached copy on your device, and offline changes sync when you reconnect.
The weak spot is leaving. Notebook export runs only through OneNote for the web, only for personal OneDrive accounts, and Microsoft says its import feature is deprecated. Password-protected sections use 128-bit AES, but Microsoft warns that nobody can unlock a section if you forget the password.
2. Obsidian: best for owning your files
Obsidian stores notes on your own device as plain Markdown files, so offline use and export are solved from day one. The Obsidian pricing page describes the app as free without limits, with no sign-up required. Apps cover Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android.
Sync is where the money comes in. Obsidian Sync costs $4 per user a month billed yearly, or $5 billed monthly, and Obsidian says it uses AES-256 end-to-end encryption. Obsidian’s help docs also explain free routes such as OneDrive. On Windows, mark the vault folder “Always keep on this device,” and avoid iCloud Drive, which Obsidian warns can cause duplicated or corrupted files.
3. Joplin: best free app with encrypted sync
Joplin is a free, open-source app for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. Joplin’s documentation describes an offline-first design with notes in Markdown, plus import from Evernote that keeps attachments and metadata.
Sync runs through a service you choose, including Nextcloud, Dropbox and OneDrive, so your free limit is whatever that storage account gives you. Paid Joplin Cloud starts at €2.99 a month, and Joplin’s plans page lists euro prices only.
End-to-end encryption is off until you turn it on in settings on one device and set a master password. Joplin says it cannot be recovered, and your encrypted notes are unreadable without it. Export options include JEX for backups, HTML and PDF.
4. Standard Notes: best free option for private notes
Standard Notes puts encryption first, and it is the strongest free fit for private notes on several devices. The Standard Notes plans page lists end-to-end encryption, unlimited device sync, offline access, tags, full export (encrypted or plaintext) and daily encrypted email backups at $0.
The trade-off is features. Free notes are plain text, with no folders, no Web Clipper and note history for the current session only. Paid plans cost $90 or $120 a year.
5. Google Keep: best for quick notes and lists
Google Keep is the fastest way to save a list, a photo or a voice note. The Google Keep product page covers notes, lists, photos, drawings and audio. Google says you can edit without a connection and changes sync later.
Windows users open Keep in a browser at keep.google.com, because Google’s page names no Windows app. Reminders also changed: Google moved them to Tasks, so alerts now come from Calendar or Tasks, and location-based reminders are gone. Google says Keep data is encrypted in transit and at rest and isn’t used for advertising, which is not the same as end-to-end encryption. Export runs through Google Takeout, or one note at a time to Google Docs.
6. Notion: best for notes mixed with projects
Notion works best when your notes sit alongside tasks and databases rather than in a simple list. The Notion pricing page gives one person unlimited pages and blocks on the Free plan, with a 5 MB limit per uploaded file and 7 days of page history. Workspaces with more than one member hit a block limit.
Offline use is the catch. Notion’s help docs say it works only in the desktop and mobile apps, not in browsers. Free users must switch on “Available offline” page by page, subpages don’t follow automatically, and only the first 50 rows of a database download. Automatic downloads of recent and favorite pages are for paid plans.
Free and Plus plans get a limited trial of AI responses, and Notion says full Notion AI is on Business and Enterprise plans. Our comparison of Notion AI and ChatGPT covers what that AI does. Export covers Markdown, CSV, HTML and PDF. Notion also warns that Windows can fail to open large export ZIPs because of its 260-character path limit, and 7-Zip can help.
7. Apple Notes: best if you already use Apple devices
Apple Notes is the simple choice for iPhone, iPad and Mac owners, since it syncs through iCloud and the free tier includes 5 GB, according to Apple’s iCloud page. Plans start at $0.99 a month for 50 GB. An On My iPhone account is available for notes that should stay on that phone.
Windows access is limited to the browser at icloud.com/notes. Notes locked with a device passcode can’t be viewed on iCloud.com. Locked notes are end-to-end encrypted, while other notes get that protection only if you turn on Advanced Data Protection, which also disables iCloud.com access until you turn it back on. Apple’s Mac guide covers export to PDF and Markdown.
8. Gemini Notebook: best for working from your sources
Gemini Notebook, the Google tool that used to be called NotebookLM, is a research tool rather than a place to keep every note. You add documents, ask questions that cite those sources, and generate study guides or audio overviews.
Google’s plans page gives the free tier 100 notebooks with 50 sources each, and each source can run to 500,000 words or 200 MB. Usage limits are compute-based, refresh every 5 hours and stop at a weekly cap. The mobile app can’t edit notes, and notes export to Google Docs as one-way copies. Our list of the best free AI tools covers other options for this kind of work.
What happened to Evernote Free and Simplenote?
Evernote Free no longer works as a long-term archive. Evernote’s plan comparison lists 50 notes, 1 notebook, 1 connected device and 1 GB of monthly uploads, and Evernote’s help center says Evernote Web counts as a device and notes in the trash count toward the cap. Go over the limit and you can still view, edit and export notes, but you can’t create new ones until you are back under it.
Free users can export from the desktop app as ENEX or HTML. Evernote’s help pages also say its terms let it change limits without advance notice.
Simplenote is still free, with apps for Windows and other platforms, but Simplenote’s help page says it is no longer in active development and receives only maintenance. The same page says notes are not encrypted at rest and advises against storing sensitive information. Simplenote misses our picks for those reasons.
Which free note-taking app should you use?
Match the app to the job you do most often:
- General notes on a Windows PC: OneNote.
- Long-term notes you can always take with you: Obsidian, because the files are plain Markdown.
- Leaving Evernote: Joplin, which imports Evernote notes with attachments.
- Sensitive notes on several devices for free: Standard Notes.
- Shopping lists and quick reminders: Google Keep.
- Notes tied to tasks and projects: Notion.
- iPhone, iPad and Mac only: Apple Notes.
- Studying or researching from your own documents: Gemini Notebook, which pairs well with our guide to AI tools for students.
How do you avoid getting locked in?
Test the exit before you have thousands of notes:
- Export a few notes now and open the file somewhere else. Markdown opens in any text editor, while a OneNote export needs OneNote.
- Keep a backup outside the app’s sync service. Sync copies mistakes and deletions as well as good edits.
- Store your encryption password safely, because Joplin, Apple and Microsoft all say a lost note password can’t be recovered for you.
- Keep passwords out of notes altogether. Our guide to the best free password managers covers a safer home for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free note-taking app for Windows?
Microsoft OneNote is the best free note-taking app for most Windows users, because it is free from the Microsoft Store and syncs through a Microsoft account. Obsidian and Joplin are better choices if you want notes stored as local files.
Is OneNote really free?
OneNote is free on Windows, and Microsoft says the OneNote on Windows app is available from the Microsoft Store. Notes count against the 5 GB of free cloud storage that comes with a Microsoft account, shared with OneDrive files and Outlook.com attachments.
What is the best free alternative to Evernote?
Joplin is the best free alternative to Evernote for most people, because it is open source, works offline and imports Evernote notes with attachments and metadata. Evernote Free allows only 50 notes, 1 notebook and 1 connected device.
Which free note-taking apps have end-to-end encryption?
Standard Notes includes end-to-end encryption on its free plan, and Joplin offers it free once you enable it and set a master password. Apple Notes protects locked notes this way, and Obsidian adds it through paid Sync.
Which free note-taking apps work offline?
Obsidian, Joplin, OneNote and Standard Notes all work offline according to their documentation. Notion’s free plan works offline only in its apps, for pages you download one at a time.