The tools ChatGPT names most when people ask “Best note taking apps”, plus the sources it cites to back them up. Based on 1 real ChatGPT answer.
Ranked by how often each tool appears in ChatGPT's answers about note taking apps. Based on 1 answer so far, so this reflects a single snapshot rather than a trend.
| # | Tool | How often AI names it | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple Notes | named in 1 of 1 answer | |
| 2 | OneNote | named in 1 of 1 answer | |
| 3 | Bear | named in 1 of 1 answer | |
| 4 | Notion | named in 1 of 1 answer | |
| 5 | Google Keep | named in 1 of 1 answer | |
| 6 | RemNote | named in 1 of 1 answer | |
| 7 | Obsidian | named in 1 of 1 answer | |
| 8 | Joplin | named in 1 of 1 answer |
The pages ChatGPT pulls from, i.e. where you need to be mentioned to influence the answer. Click any to see what it gets cited for.
| # | Source | Type | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | consumertechwire.com | Editorial | 1 citation |
| 2 | toolradar.com | Editorial | 1 citation |
Real ChatGPT responses to “Best note taking apps” (verbatim), most recent first.
Here are my top picks for note-taking apps in 2026—the best one depends heavily on how you take notes:
| App | Best for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Obsidian | 🧠 Deep thinking / “second brain” | Local Markdown files, backlinks, powerful plugins |
| Notion | 📚 All-in-one organization | Notes + databases + tasks + wikis + collaboration |
| OneNote | ✍️ Students & handwriting | Very flexible pages, drawing, multimedia, excellent free option |
| Apple Notes | 🍎 Apple users | Extremely convenient, fast, good scanning/handwriting, built into Apple devices |
| Google Keep | ⚡ Quick notes | Super simple, great for lists, reminders, and quick capture |
| Bear | ✨ Beautiful writing experience | Clean interface, Markdown, excellent Apple integration |
| Joplin | 🔒 Open-source/privacy | Open-source, flexible, good Evernote alternative |
| RemNote | 🎓 Studying | Combines notes with flashcards and spaced repetition |
Recent 2026 comparisons generally put Obsidian, Notion, and Apple Notes near the top, while OneNote remains one of the strongest free choices. consumertechwire.com
If I had to pick just one: Obsidian for long-term personal knowledge; Notion if you want your notes integrated with tasks and projects. toolradar.com
If you tell me iPhone/Android + Mac/Windows + what you mainly take notes for (work, school, meetings, journaling, or “second brain”), I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 for you.
See exactly where you stand today, and which sources to win.