OneNote vs Evernote vs SimpleNote: What's the Best Note Taking App Across Multiple Devices?

There are plenty of note taking and organization apps out there, but no two of them are exactly the same in their appearance and functionality. Furthermore, very few of them are compatible with all of the major operating systems. Thus, we felt it necessary to eliminate the note taking apps that only work on certain operating systems and conduct a comparison of the programs that you can use and enjoy on virtually any device.

After all, who wants to use two different note taking apps every time they switch from their PC to their Android or iOS tablet? In the following paragraphs we'll briefly review and compare the top 3 note taking apps that are compatible with multiple operating systems, so you can get used to an organizational interface that works across all of your devices and workstations:

SimpleNote

If you're looking for sheer simplicity and user-friendliness then SimpleNote is probably the best option. This app is compatible with iOS, Android, Mac, Kindle, and your SimpleNote account can be accessed online through any internet-connected device. Furthermore, developers have built many apps for MAC OS and Windows that can integrate directly with SimpleNote.

Your notes are automatically kept updated across all of your devices in a cloud-based filesharing environment, so you never have to worry about manually transferring recently taken notes. SimpleNote also supports automatic version-tracking, so you can easily go back in time and view older versions of your notes – it's like being able to view the entire note-taking process in separate screenshots. Your notes are automatically backed up and saved into a new version every time you make changes, so you'll never accidentally lose any important information.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of SimpleNote is that it is absolutely free to use it for backups, sharing, and syncing; there are no monthly service fees or one-time charges involved. Instant searching capabilities and a simple tagging system make it easy to quickly locate specific notes on the go.

OneNote

Microsoft OneNote began as a component of the ever-so popular Microsoft office suite for Windows. However, this software is now a comprehensive and full-featured note-taking application in and of itself. This utility is similar to a basic word processor, except the primary difference is that it is set to autosave frequently and save different versions of the note file each time a change is made. This way you can always go back and view the notes how they were in different stages of the note-taking process. One of the reason why the software bares its name is because you can keep one notebook amongst all of your deices, from Windows and Mac desktops to Android and iOS phones and tablets. All of your data is synced across multiple operating systems and  devices at all times.

You also have the option to create new notebooks dedicated to specific projects or topics. These notebooks can be split up into separate sections and each section can contain multiple pages. You can then share these notebooks with specific contacts or groups of people, allowing for easy remote collaboration.

OneNote is known for having a low learning curve, so just about anyone with basic computer skills can quickly become acquainted with the main features. The software goes above and beyond the capacity of a normal word processor, as you can easily insert images, to-do lists, files, drawings, audio clips, videos, equations, scanned documents, symbols, and almost anything else into the text of your note taking projects. We've done a more thorough review of OneNote here, if you're interested in learning about the pros, cons, alternatives, and installation details.

EverNote

EverNote is considered the go-to app for most tech gurus out there, primarily because of its extensive library of features that can't be found in other note taking apps. The software is compatible with Windows, Mac OS, Android and, iOS operating systems.

The goal of EverNote is to help you remember everything and turn budding ideas into full-fledged projects. It is like a computer thinktank/note-taking repository where you can store virtually any type off digital content in a user-friendly interface that allows for easy organization of contacts, ideas, to-do list actions, records, emails, notes, news stories, video/audio clips and much more.

With all of these features built into one program many would say that EverNote goes above and beyond a typical notetaking software; it is essentially a digital journal and life management tool all built into one. EverNote is also an ideal solution for people who want to convert their paper documents into digital files that can be stored within their cloud storage accounts.

EverNote also flourishes as a powerful to-do list manager that facilitates effective task management and planning. Finally, EverNote's note-taking capabilities are what sets it ahead of the pack in the eyes of most users.

Conclusion

If you're looking for the simplest solution that works across all of your devices then the best choice would be SimpleNote. However, if you're looking for the most advanced note taking app available, then EverNote stands out from the rest. OneNote is great for fans of the Microsoft Office suite, as such users will find the interface comfortably familiar.