Get organized and productive with the leading note-taking app. Download Evernote for Windows, Mac, iOS, or Android and create your free account. Evernote is a web-based project management tool that offers project collaboration, scheduling and task management functionalities within a suite. This solution is designed to cater businesses of all sizes. Evernote allows users to create project task lists and assigns them people so team members can collaborate and give status updates when. If you are a person who needs more features than what Evernote offers, Notion is just for.
Evernote has stood at the top of the digital note-taking game ever since its inception. With around 225 million loyal customers, it has brought every other note-taking app to its knees.
The reason why it has managed to garner such a wide customer base is because of the abundance of features in its toolbox. But, this hasn’t stopped its users from facing problems compelling enough to look for a change.
Evernote’s free plan doesn’t offer a lot of features. The monthly upload limit is only 60 MB, which is nothing if you like to add graphics, voice notes, or any other form of media to your notes. There are other note-taking apps in the market that offer a lot of features for free or at a cheaper rate. Apart from this, the app’s main USP – its vast array of features, also seems to be working against it. Users have complained that too many features have made the app slower and there’s a steep learning curve when it comes to understanding its UI.
If you’re one of those users that have faced these problems and are actively looking for a switch, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of best Evernote alternatives, and we’ve tried to add tools that don’t just offer what Evernote does but try to bring something more, or something different to the table.
Google conducts more than 63,000 searches per second in today’s time. This fact represents how much information we consume on a daily basis. So why should something as necessary as note-taking burn a hole through our pockets, right? This is why the Evernote alternatives we’ve added are free, along with freemium plans that are not ridiculously expensive.
Let’s dig right in….
List of best Evernote Alternatives
Explore these best alternatives to evernote for all digital note taking tasks, so that you could be more productive:
1. Microsoft OneNote
Touted by Microsoft as ‘your very own digital notebook’, Onenote is a note-taking app that gives Evernotes a tough competition when it comes to its feature palette. Through Onenote you can:
- Record audio
- Sketch (on a tablet or a phone)
- Add pictures
It’s easy to switch devices with Onenote because everything you note in the app gets saved on the cloud. Onenote acts as a digital whiteboard, so you can arrange text, images, audio on your note page however you like. It offers a very good organizational structure- you organize pages into sections, and sections into notebooks.
Onenote comes with collaboration features as well. You can send people your notebooks directly via email or send them a URL of the same. And just like in Google Docs, you can allow people to view or edit your notes.
Some noteworthy features:
- It comes with an immersive reader. Once you add text into your immersive reader tab, hit play, and it starts reading the text for you. You can change the voice speed as well.
- It comes with a web clipper extension that matches up to Evernote’s web clipper. It allows you to ‘clip’ or select pages from the web and adds them directly to your notes.
- Unlike other Evernote alternatives, you can save your emails directly to Onenote. This is an incredible feature in terms of convenience, as we all receive a sea of emails on a daily basis and this allows you to save the ones that are important.
- It syncs with your whole Microsoft suite, so you can directly add content or tables form your Microsoft documents, spreadsheets, etc.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Mac, Web, Windows
2. Simplenote
Simplenote is famous for its speedy, simple and clean interface. A note-taking app with multiple features isn’t always a good thing, especially if you’re looking for something basic. Too many features make the app software more complex to understand and also slow it down in terms of functionality.
If your requirements for a note-taking app are minimalist and you don’t really need to add videos, images, documents or files to your notes, them Simplenote is the best Evernote alternatives for you. It’s precisely for text-based note-taking only.
Some noteworthy features:
- It saves revisions in the ‘time machine’ style which is a good plus. You can go back to the previously saved version if something gets deleted by mistake.
- It contains Markdown language which allows for simple formatting and link addition.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Mac, Web, Windows, Linux
3.Bit.ai
Bit.ai is a document collaboration platform designed for the modern-day workplace and use cases. A Bit document essentially works as an empty canvas or more of a new age modern document where you can add files, rich embeds, checklists, images, videos, and even embed Gifs to make your document come alive. You can also add PDFs and spreadsheets. It encompasses the features you use today, streamlined with less clutter, and is powered with innovative features to make your work life a breeze as you share knowledge and content internally and with clients.
Some noteworthy features:
- You can track your documents and see how many people have opened it, how far they have scrolled through it, how much time they’ve spent on it, etc.
- You can add tag teammates and give instant comments and feedback on your Bit documents.
- Bit integrates with over 70+ apps to tie all types of digital data
- Bit documents have multiple theme styles that you can change with a simple click of a button to change the look and appearance of your entire document. No more fiddling with each header and paragraph for consistency.
- Bit documents support Markdown, Latex, Code Blocks, Rich Embeds and much more.
Bit is a great platform whether you want to just take notes and collect research or you want to create professional documentation in a structured way. It is by far the best Evernote alternative and online document collaboration tool for teams to seamlessly work together and collaborate in real-time.
Platforms: Web, Mobile
4. Quip
Quip is a productivity software that combines documents, spreadsheets, team chats, and tasks in one place. It can be used both for team collaboration or personal use, although given its features, it’s more suitable for professional use.
You can use Quip documents for:
- Creating checklists
- Taking meeting notes
- Documentation
- Making project plans
It has a notifications and updates bar that keeps you on top of your team’s activities on the documents that you have access to. You can also read everyone’s comments and feedback on documents.
Some noteworthy features:
- Quip allows you to favorite documents that you visit regularly. It also shows how many updates and changes have been made to those documents since you last visited.
- You can create chat rooms and directly chat with your team-mates without having to go back and forth on other messaging apps.
- You can add tasks, mention teammates and set a reminder for your team-mates. Quip will then notify them as the deadline approaches. This makes for some really good collaboration management and reduces the risk of errors.
- You can add spreadsheets and edit those spreadsheets in the Quip document itself.
Quip is surly a good Evernote alternative for big teams in an organization!
Platforms: Web, Android, iOS
5. Zoho Notebook
Zoho Notebook is another note-taking app that gives a tough competition to Evernote. Each notecard in Zoho is custom-designed to praise the note you are taking.
You can also sync your notebooks to the cloud and access them across any device you use!
Through Zoho you can:
- Create normal notes by adding text, images, videos, audios, etc.
- Checklists
- Drawing and sketches.
Zoho works by allowing you to make ‘notecards’ for each of the above categories.
Some noteworthy features:
- Zoho Notebook comes with easy customizability. You can add attractive covers to your notebooks, decide whether you want to view your notebooks in widget mode or landscape mode.
- It comes with some really awesome in-app, gestures that viewers seem to love. You can flip through your note cards to find the one you’re looking for. With a simple pinch, you can display all your note cards in widget style.
- It comes with a web clipper as well so that you can save pages from the web.
Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, web, Windows.
6. Google Keep
Google Keep is pretty simplistic when compared to Evernote. It can be a great alternative to Evernote due to its simplicity. It doesn’t come with a plethora of features, but it makes for a very visual experience with its large ‘sticky-notes’ like an assortment of notes.
Like other note-taking apps, it offers basic features. You can add text, videos, audios, sketches, checklists to your notes. It has an easy drag and drop interface to change the placement of your notes.
Some noteworthy features:
- You don’t have to open your to-do list to check off pointers. You can do it right from where you have an overview of your note. This feature might not seem like much but it does go one step further in terms of offering accessibility.
- Speaking of taking it one step further, Google Keeps offers location-basedreminders. Suppose you set a reminder to buy something at a grocery store and set the grocery store’s address. Now whenever you’re close to the grocery store or just passing by, Google Keeps will send you a reminder on your smartphone about your note.
- There is easy collaboration in this app as well. You can share your notes with other people and give them access to make changes.
Platforms: Web, Android, iOS.
7. Workflowy
Workflowy is a web-based organization tool that allows people to create check-lists, research papers, team projects, and much more. When you log into Workflowy, it shows you a blank sheet of paper with a single bullet point. This means that it is essential for list-making.
Some noteworthy features:
- Workflowy goes beyond simple list-making and allows you to add many sub-points, sub subpoints and so on to your lists. This can help you in creating detailed lists. Rather than being limited to single one pointer lists, you can add subpoints as well to give more context and add more information.
- It also gives quick links for different points in a note. So if you star a particular point, Workflowy will create a quick link and you can directly access that point on a different page and elaborate if you want.
Workflowy is a great Evernote alternative for people who are looking to create elaborate outlines or brainstorm ideas with their team. It allows for collaboration as well, so you can share notes with people via emails.
Platforms: Android, Mac, Linux, Windows, iOS
8. Turtl
Evernote Demo 2020 Download
Turtl calls itself the ‘secure, collaborative notebook’. It’s an open-source alternative to Evernote and it is similar to other note-taking apps in terms of what you can add in your notes. It allows you to add text, images, files, and documents.
One different thing that it offers is client-side encryption. Everything you add on a Turtl notebook is encrypted and can’t be accessed by the vendor.
There are no formatting options, so it has to be done manually via Markdown language. You have to create ‘boards’ which are essentially notebooks, and then you can start with your note-making.
Some noteworthy features:
- It contains a browser extension so you can easily bookmark pages on the web.
- It supports TeX math expressions in notes for math wizards.
- You can share and collaborate with anyone without compromising your security.
Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, Firefox, Chrome
9. Zim
Zim is a note-taking app with a twist. It is a ‘desktop wiki’ that allows you to manage information using wiki-style navigation. Zim requires you to add notebooks and then create different pages on it. You can then connect these pages together through hyperlinks.
Zim allows you to add text, images, attach files to your pages. When it comes to formatting, it offers simple features. You can create bullet lists, checklists, heading, format characters.
There are export options in this app as well. Normally you’d have to copy and paste the whole thing and lose all your formatting while doing so. If you want to export your wiki pages on a web page or a document file, you can export them in:
- HTML
- Markdown
- LaTeX
- ReStructuredText
Zim offers a number of plugins as well to extend its functionality as well. You can add tables, different editors, symbols, calculators and much more!
Platforms: Linux, Windows, Mac
10. Box Notes
Box Notes is an Evernote alternative that offers note-taking with team collaboration. Around 20 people can work simultaneously in the same document. Teams can take notes, brainstorm, create check-lists, make business reviews and much more.
If your team or company heavily relies on Salesforce, then Box Notes is the tool for you.
You can add tables, text, images, hyperlinks. You can save documents as templates as well to make work simpler. You can bookmark notes, track changes and updates as well.
Box doesn’t really offer anything different than other note-taking apps but it is a great tool if you want to use it for collaboration.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, Mac
Parting Words
There are a lot of note-taking apps and Evernote alternatives that are available, but what we’ve compiled for you is the best of the lot. These free applications will allow you to do much more than Evernote’s free plan.
Keep in mind what features and requirements you have when it comes to note-taking. Many users don’t really need a lot of Evernote’s extra features, in which case it is advisable to move to a simpler and lighter alternative to Evernote.
Happy choosing!
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I’ve been searching high and low for a Forex trading journal that will help me review my trades, but won’t take a ton of time to fill out. After a lot of trial and error, I have found the answer in Evernote.
Evernote Demo 2020
In this post, I’ll show you how I use Evernote as a FX trading journal and give you some tips and tricks that have helped me make the process more painless.
How to Journal Your Forex Trades
Before we get started with how to journal trades, if you do not know how to export or write notes on charts, these videos will get you started. You will need this to add charts to Evernote.
If you already know how to do this, skip to the Using Evernote section.
Exporting Your Forex Charts
This video will show you how to export charts in two different ways. One is the standard Metatrader export method, the other is a technique that you can use for any chart that you want to capture.
Quick reference:
- Metatrader 4 – File –> Save as Picture
- Mac screenshot – Command + Control + Shift…then press 3
- PC screenshot – Print Screen (button)
Using TradingView
TradingView is amazing trading software that also makes it easy to export charts.
Editing and Making Notes on Your Chart
After you have a chart, you will want to resize it and add words, arrows and possibly funny faces to your chart. This video will show you how to do it. I will show you how to do it in Photoshop, since that is what I use, but I will list some options after the video. Some are free and some are paid.
Recommended image editing software:
- Photoshop – The Lamborghini of image editing software. A great product, but you do not have to spend that much money.
- Photoshop Elements – Basic image editing that is a lot cheaper and probably good enough for most trading purposes.
- GIMP – Runs on Windows and Mac. Very similar to Photoshop, for the price of free.
Using Evernote as Trade Journal Software
Now that we have that out of the way, this quick video will show you how easy it is to get started with Evernote. The great part is that you Evernote is free if you upload less than 60 MB per month. It work on both PC and Mac and you can download an app to your iOS, Android or Windows device.
Of course, you don’t have to use Evernote, there are many other alternatives. You could just use Microsoft Word or even a free Blogger blog.
I use Evernote as my trading journal app because it makes it really easy to organize my notes and I can access my trading log from any internet connected device.
But what you use is up to you.
Tagging Trades in Evernote
One useful thing that you can do is tag your trades, so they are easier to study later. For example, you could tag all of your losing trades, to see if you are making a common mistake.
You could also tag all of the trades that were taken using a particular system. Try not to make it too complex, but a basic set of tags can go a long way to helping you review your trading log faster.
See Good and Bad Trades at a Glance
Remember a losing trade is not necessarily a bad trade and a winning trade is not necessarily a good trade. The only thing that matters is if you followed your trading plan and if you took an A+ setup.
But it can be difficult to keep track of how well you are doing. You could use another spreadsheet, but who needs another one of those…right?!
The easiest way that I have found to do this is to use emojis in the title of the note.
I track four things:
- Is this journal entry complete?
- Entry rating, out of a possible 5 points. How would I rate the quality of the entry setup?
- Exit rating, out of a possible 5 points. Did I follow the exit rules for this strategy?
- Was this a winning or losing trade?
Here’s an example from my own journal.
As you can see, this makes it really easy to see how well you are trading, just by taking a glance at your list of notes. Feel free to use emojis that make sense to you.
To add an emoji, you can do the following:
- On Mac, press Control + Command + Space Bar to bring up the emoji menu.
- On Windows, open the touch keyboard from the icon in the lower right corner. Then click on the smiley face.
- On mobile, just use the emoji button on your keyboard.
What About MyFxBook?
MyFxBook used to be pretty good, as I mentioned here. It still works, but it doesn’t always work well.
As I mentioned here, there really needs to be a dedicated journaling site, with automatic trade updates…that actually works.
FXStats (formerly Tradingrex) comes close, but the new owners are not interested in making the product better and only want to collect affiliate commissions from annoying popup ads. It’s a shame because that site as so much potential.
I’m working on a solution, but until that’s ready, I recommend using Evernote with MyFxBook. If Evernote isn’t quite your thing, you can also try using Trello.
Other Things to Journal
Now that we have the basic stuff out of the way, let’s get into two other things that we can journal that will make us better traders. These things cannot be journaled in MyFxBook, so that is where something like Evernote is especially helpful.
The first thing that I will be journaling is the possible setups that I occasionally see in the market. It is a good way to create notes that I can go back to later and possibly turn into new trading methods.
I can remember a few times in the past that I noticed patterns that could be a good trading system, but I forgot them because I didn’t write them down.
For example, say that you are sitting at your computer one night and see that the AUDJPY seems to bounce particularly hard off of the 00 levels…more than other pairs. You should note that down, so you can backtest it later.
You might also observe a Big Shadow on the GBPNZD 30 minute chart. Is that a good pattern to trade on that pair and timeframe?
Only one way to find out…
I will also be recording trades that I missed. This is not to beat myself up about missing the trade, but just to get the benefit of going through the trading process and get more practice.
There is no way that I can take every single trade (and expect to get any sleep) without an EA, but I can benefit from learning from every single valid setup. If you are serious about getting better, then this is highly recommended for keeping up with current market conditions.
Also consider capturing lower timeframe charts and charts from related markets, such as gold, oil, stocks, etc.
Trading Journal Template
Still wondering what you put into your Forex trading journal? Let me help you get started.
Here is what I put in my trading diary template:
- % Risk:
- Open Chart:
- Result:
- Secondary Review:
Yes, it doesn’t have to be more complex than that. Keep it simple and it’s more likely that you will actually do it.
Get Started With Your Forex Trading Journal Right Now
Journaling your trades can seem like a tedious and boring activity, but reviewing your results is the key to success. This is true in any endeavor.
Kelly Slater is one of the most successful professional athletes ever, and by far, the most decorated professional surfer. He has won 11 world titles, a feat that may never be topped.
In his first book, Pipe Dreams, Kelly mentions that one of the habits that he picked up early on was to review the results of his heats. This helped him figure out what he was doing wrong and what certain judges were looking for.
It works the same way in trading.
So what are you waiting for? Get started right now. Setup a MyFxBook account, sign up for Evernote. Both are free, so you have no excuses.
Do this regardless if you are trading in demo or live.
To get more tips on simplifying your trading journal, read this post.
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