In today’s fast-paced digital world, note-taking apps have become essential tools for personal organization, work productivity, and collaboration. Two of the most popular options are Notion and Apple Notes. Each app offers unique features and advantages, making it difficult to decide which one is best suited for your needs.
Whether you’re looking for a robust project management tool or a simple note-taking solution, it’s important to understand what each app offers before making your choice. In this article, we’ll compare Notion and Apple Notes in various aspects, from their core features to their pricing, to help you determine which app is the better fit for you.
What Is Notion?
Notion is an all-in-one workspace app designed for taking notes, managing tasks, and organizing information. It allows users to create detailed and customizable databases, manage projects, and keep track of documents in a unified platform. Notion’s versatility makes it popular among students, professionals, and teams who need a flexible tool that can handle a wide range of needs—from simple note-taking to complex project management.
Notion Features
Customizable Workspaces: Notion allows users to create and organize content in a variety of ways, including lists, tables, kanban boards, calendars, and more.
Database Management: One of Notion’s standout features is its ability to create databases, which are highly customizable and can include text, images, links, and files.
Collaboration: Notion supports real-time collaboration, making it ideal for teams to work together, share notes, assign tasks, and track progress.
Templates: Notion offers a wide variety of pre-built templates for note-taking, project management, and personal organization.
Multimedia Support: You can embed videos, images, and web links directly into your notes, making it a rich medium for storing all types of content.
Notion Pricing
Notion offers a free plan with basic features and limited storage, suitable for individual users. For more advanced features and additional functionality, such as unlimited version history and enhanced collaboration tools, users can opt for paid plans:
Personal Plan: Free (with limited features)
Personal Pro Plan: $4 per month (unlimited file uploads, version history, etc.)
Team Plan: $8 per user/month (collaborative tools, permissions, etc.)
Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing (advanced security and administrative controls)
What Is Apple Notes?
Apple Notes is a built-in note-taking app available on all Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It’s designed for simplicity and ease of use, providing users with a straightforward way to jot down quick thoughts, to-do lists, and more. Apple Notes offers a seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem, allowing users to sync their notes across all Apple devices using iCloud.
Apple Notes Features
Simplicity and Speed: Apple Notes is known for its simplicity, allowing users to quickly create and access notes without unnecessary distractions.
Multimedia Embedding: Users can add photos, sketches, and documents to their notes, making it more versatile than just plain text.
Collaboration: Notes can be shared with others for collaborative editing in real-time, which is handy for group projects or shared to-do lists.
Folder Organization: Apple Notes offers basic folder organization to help users group their notes and keep things tidy.
Security: Notes can be locked with a password or Face/Touch ID, ensuring that sensitive information remains secure.
Apple Notes Pricing
Apple Notes is completely free to use and comes pre-installed on all Apple devices. The only cost associated with Apple Notes comes from the need for extra iCloud storage if users exceed the free 5GB of cloud storage provided by Apple. Additional iCloud storage can be purchased:
50GB Plan: $0.99 per month
200GB Plan: $2.99 per month
2TB Plan: $9.99 per month
Notion vs. Apple Notes: Features Compared
When choosing between Notion and Apple Notes, it’s important to compare their features across key categories that matter most to users. Below, we’ll dive into a side-by-side comparison of the two apps based on various features, including organization and structure, ease of use, collaboration, formatting, multimedia support, and cross-platform availability.
Feature #1: Organization and Structure
Notion excels in providing a highly customizable organizational structure. With Notion, you can create everything from simple to-do lists to complex databases, allowing users to structure their notes in whatever way suits their needs. You can organize content in various formats such as:
Pages: Customizable pages that can hold any type of content, from text to multimedia.
Databases: You can create databases, tables, and kanban boards that allow you to manage complex projects, tasks, and other information in a highly structured manner.
Nested Pages: Notion allows users to create nested pages within each other, providing a highly hierarchical organization system.
Apple Notes, on the other hand, offers a simpler and more straightforward structure. It primarily focuses on organizing notes into folders and subfolders, which is ideal for users who don’t require complex database features. You can also organize notes by tags, but the customization options are limited compared to Notion.
In summary:
Notion: Highly customizable with advanced organizational tools (e.g., databases, kanban boards, nested pages).
Apple Notes: Simple and straightforward organization using folders and tags.
Feature #2: Ease of Use and Speed
Notion has a steeper learning curve due to its wide range of features and customization options. Setting up complex systems, such as databases or interconnected pages, can take time. However, once familiar with the interface, users can enjoy powerful features tailored to their needs. The app is also responsive, but its complexity might slow down users initially.
Apple Notes is the complete opposite when it comes to ease of use. It’s incredibly intuitive and designed for quick note-taking with minimal effort. Since it’s built into the Apple ecosystem, users can start writing immediately after opening the app. It’s perfect for those who want a simple, no-frills experience. Notes open quickly, and adding new entries is fast and seamless.
In summary:
Notion: Slightly more complex with a steeper learning curve, but highly powerful once mastered.
Apple Notes: Extremely user-friendly with a fast setup and note-taking process.
Feature #3: Collaboration and Sharing
Notion shines in collaboration features. It allows real-time collaboration, meaning multiple users can edit a document simultaneously, similar to Google Docs. Notion also offers a wide range of sharing options, such as:
Sharing a specific page with team members.
Setting permission levels (view, comment, edit) for each collaborator.
Commenting on specific sections of the note for feedback.
Apple Notes also allows for collaboration but is more limited in comparison to Notion. Notes can be shared with other Apple users via iCloud, and you can allow others to edit the note in real time. However, the sharing features are not as robust as Notion’s, and collaboration capabilities are primarily confined to notes rather than comprehensive project management.
In summary:
Notion: Excellent for real-time collaboration, detailed permission management, and comments.
Apple Notes: Basic collaboration features for simple note-sharing.
Feature #4: Formatting and Customization
When it comes to formatting and customization, Notion offers unmatched flexibility. Users can choose from a variety of formatting tools, such as:
Text formatting (bold, italic, underline, strikethrough).
Adding checkboxes, bullet points, numbered lists, and toggle lists.
Creating templates for repeated tasks or projects.
Embedding various media like files, images, and links.
Extensive customization options for database layouts.
Apple Notes offers basic formatting features such as:
Text formatting (bold, italics, underlining).
Checklists for to-dos.
Simple text alignment (left, center, right).
Limited options for embedding multimedia, though you can add images, PDFs, and scanned documents.
Overall, Notion offers far more customization and formatting options, allowing users to tailor their notes to specific needs. Apple Notes, by contrast, offers a more straightforward and minimalist approach.
In summary:
Notion: Highly customizable with detailed formatting and versatile content types.
Apple Notes: Basic formatting options with limited customization.
Feature #5: Multimedia and Handwritten Notes
Notion supports embedding various types of multimedia into your notes. You can add images, videos, audio clips, files, and even integrate web links or third-party services like Google Drive or Figma. Notion is ideal for users who want to store and organize multimedia content alongside their text-based notes.
For handwritten notes, Notion does offer some support via integrations with apps like Apple Pencil, but it’s not as robust as Apple Notes in this respect. Notion’s main strength lies in its database and organizational features, not its handwritten note support.
Apple Notes has strong support for multimedia content, particularly images, PDFs, and scanned documents. Additionally, Apple Notes is known for its excellent handwritten note-taking capabilities, especially on iPads with the Apple Pencil. The Sketch feature in Apple Notes allows users to draw and write directly on their notes, making it ideal for those who prefer to handwrite or sketch diagrams.
In summary:
Notion: Strong multimedia embedding and file storage, but lacks a dedicated feature for handwritten notes.
Apple Notes: Excellent for multimedia integration and handwritten notes, especially with Apple Pencil.
Feature #6: Cross-Platform Availability
Notion is highly cross-platform and works across a variety of devices, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It also has a web-based version, which makes it accessible from any browser. Notion’s cloud-syncing feature ensures that your notes and changes are updated across all devices, so you can easily access your content on the go.
Apple Notes is mainly limited to the Apple ecosystem. It works seamlessly across iPhones, iPads, and Macs, and syncs through iCloud. While Apple Notes is available on the web via iCloud, its functionality is far more limited compared to the native apps on Apple devices. This means that users without Apple devices may find Apple Notes less useful, especially in professional or cross-platform environments.
In summary:
Notion: Fully cross-platform with support for all major operating systems and web browsers.
Apple Notes: Limited to Apple devices, with some cloud support for non-Apple users.
Notion vs. Apple Notes on Reddit
Reddit is an excellent platform for gathering user opinions and experiences, and it’s no different when it comes to comparing popular note-taking apps like Notion and Apple Notes. Various Reddit communities, such as r/Notion, r/Productivity, and r/Apple, offer insights from real users who share their experiences, preferences, and use cases for each app. Here’s a breakdown of the general sentiment around Notion and Apple Notes based on Reddit discussions:
Notion on Reddit
Users on Reddit often praise Notion for its powerful customization and flexibility, especially when it comes to managing projects, tasks, and personal knowledge bases. Some common points of praise include:
Customization and Versatility: Notion is often hailed for its ability to create customized workspaces, organize information in a structured way, and manage both simple and complex projects. Users appreciate the ability to create databases, kanban boards, and calendars, all in one place.
Collaboration: Reddit users who collaborate with teams often note Notion’s excellent real-time collaboration features. Being able to work on shared documents and track tasks collaboratively is a huge plus for teams in fields like content creation, project management, and more.
Learning Curve: While Notion gets high marks for its versatility, many Reddit users mention that it takes time to learn how to use all of its features effectively. Some users find the app’s interface to be overwhelming, especially for newcomers who may not be familiar with database management or page structures.
Free Plan: The free plan is a big draw for many Redditors, particularly for individuals and small teams. However, some complain that certain advanced features (such as unlimited file uploads) are locked behind the paid plans.
Apple Notes on Reddit
On the other hand, Apple Notes is often praised for its simplicity, speed, and seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem. Some of the most common points discussed on Reddit about Apple Notes include:
Ease of Use: Reddit users often highlight how quickly they can create and access notes in Apple Notes. The app is designed for simplicity, making it ideal for those who need to jot down quick ideas, checklists, or reminders without any hassle.
Apple Ecosystem Integration: Many Reddit users who are embedded in the Apple ecosystem love how Apple Notes syncs effortlessly across all their Apple devices using iCloud. The ability to quickly access notes on an iPhone, iPad, and Mac is frequently mentioned as a major advantage.
Handwritten Notes and Sketches: Apple Notes gets a lot of positive feedback for its support of handwritten notes and sketches, especially on iPads with Apple Pencil. Many Reddit users in creative fields (like artists, designers, and students) appreciate the ability to draw and write directly in their notes.
Limitations in Features: Some Redditors mention that Apple Notes lacks advanced features found in apps like Notion, such as database management or customizable workspaces. It’s great for simple note-taking, but users looking for a more comprehensive tool for project management or detailed organization may find Apple Notes lacking.
Privacy and Security: Apple Notes is frequently praised for its robust security features, including the ability to lock notes with a password or Face ID, which is a key concern for users storing sensitive information.
Comparing Sentiments on Reddit
When comparing the two apps on Reddit, the general sentiment seems to be that:
Notion is the go-to app for those who need a powerful and customizable tool for managing complex tasks, projects, and databases. It’s perfect for users who want to structure their information, collaborate with teams, and have full control over their workspace.
Apple Notes, on the other hand, is favored by those who need a simple, fast, and seamless note-taking app integrated into the Apple ecosystem. It’s perfect for users who want to quickly jot down ideas, create checklists, or take handwritten notes without any unnecessary complexity.
In summary:
Notion is ideal for users looking for advanced features, customization, and collaboration, while Apple Notes shines for those who prefer simplicity, speed, and deep integration with Apple devices.
Reddit serves as a valuable platform for understanding real-world user experiences, and the general consensus is clear: both apps have their strengths, and the choice between Notion and Apple Notes depends on your specific needs and the complexity of your note-taking or project management tasks.
Meet Corexta—The Best Alternative to Notion vs. Apple Notes
While Notion and Apple Notes are two of the most popular note-taking apps on the market, there is another tool that’s gaining traction as a powerful alternative—Corexta. Whether you’re looking for advanced project management capabilities, seamless collaboration, or a user-friendly interface, Corexta offers a unique set of features that can serve as a robust solution for your note-taking and organizational needs.
Why Corexta Stands Out
Corexta brings together the best aspects of both Notion and Apple Notes but with added advantages that cater to various types of users, from individuals to large teams. Here’s why Corexta is quickly becoming a top choice:
All-in-One Platform: Unlike Notion, which can sometimes feel overwhelming due to its complex features, Corexta focuses on simplicity while still offering powerful tools. It combines the ease of note-taking with advanced project management features, making it a go-to solution for both personal and professional use.
User-Friendly Interface: Corexta’s intuitive design ensures that users can quickly create, organize, and manage their notes and projects. It doesn’t have the steep learning curve that comes with Notion’s deeper functionalities, making it ideal for people who want to hit the ground running without spending too much time learning the system.
Seamless Collaboration: Corexta shines when it comes to team collaboration. Just like Notion, it allows real-time collaboration, but with a streamlined user interface that makes sharing and editing documents quick and efficient. You can assign tasks, track progress, and manage team workflows without getting bogged down by unnecessary features.
Customizable Workspaces: For users who love Notion’s customization options, Corexta doesn’t disappoint. You can tailor your workspaces, set up task boards, and organize notes to fit your needs. Whether you’re managing a small team or organizing personal projects, Corexta offers enough flexibility to help you work efficiently.
Cross-Platform Availability: Like Notion, Corexta works across multiple devices and operating systems. Whether you’re using a desktop, tablet, or smartphone, you’ll have access to your notes, tasks, and projects wherever you go. Corexta syncs in real-time, ensuring your data is always up to date.
Security and Privacy: Corexta takes data privacy and security seriously, providing end-to-end encryption to protect your sensitive information. This makes it a solid choice for users who are concerned about security but want the flexibility of a cloud-based platform.
Corexta’s Key Features
Note-Taking and Task Management: Corexta allows you to organize both your notes and tasks in the same workspace, eliminating the need for separate apps for project management and note-taking.
Advanced Search and Filters: Corexta includes a powerful search functionality, enabling users to quickly locate notes, tasks, or files. You can filter your search based on tags, categories, or dates to find exactly what you need, saving you valuable time.
Collaboration Tools: From assigning tasks to sharing notes with your team, Corexta simplifies collaboration. It also allows you to leave comments, track revisions, and see real-time updates, ensuring everyone stays on the same page.
Multimedia Integration: Like Apple Notes, Corexta supports multimedia integration, allowing you to embed images, videos, and documents within your notes. You can also draw and annotate images directly, making it perfect for creative teams or users who prefer visual organization.
Customizable Templates: Corexta provides a library of customizable templates that can help users get started quickly. Whether you’re creating a to-do list, a project timeline, or a meeting agenda, you can choose a template that suits your needs and modify it accordingly.
Affordable Pricing Plans: Corexta offers various pricing tiers, making it an affordable choice for individuals, small businesses, and large enterprises. Its pricing is competitive compared to Notion and Apple Notes, offering more features at a similar or lower cost.
Corexta vs. Notion and Apple Notes
While Notion is ideal for users who need highly customizable workspaces and complex project management capabilities, Corexta strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and power. It provides an intuitive platform that is just as effective for teams and individual users, with the added benefit of an easier learning curve.
On the other hand, Apple Notes is best suited for users who prioritize quick, seamless note-taking on Apple devices. While Apple Notes excels in ease of use and syncing across devices, Corexta offers a more versatile solution with advanced task management and customization options that Apple Notes simply lacks.
If you find Notion too complex or Apple Notes too limited, Corexta might be the perfect alternative for your note-taking and productivity needs. With its blend of powerful features, ease of use, and collaboration tools, Corexta offers an all-in-one solution for individuals and teams looking for a flexible, user-friendly platform. Whether you’re organizing personal projects or managing a team, Corexta gives you the tools to stay productive and organized without the overwhelming complexity of other apps.
