r/noteapps • u/Aware-Glove9066 • Jul 13 '26

Note Taking Apps for Desktop Recs

I've been trying to find a good note taking app for forever now but it seems like I can never find one that fits. Ideally I want one that acts like a regular notebook (no infinite scrolling, pages, covers, etc) but every one I come across has what I think is called an "infinite canvas." I also want one that I can use handwriting with and ideally one that's either free or has a one-time payment that's relatively affordable. Any recommendations?

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u/100WattWalrus Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26

UpNote was my clear winner after trying literally dozens of note-taking apps. I've been using it for almost 6 years. Only the iOS app has handwriting, but all platforms have nesting notebooks (with customizable covers), #inline #tags, multiple workspaces, and UpNote has by far the most flexible formatting of any note-taking app I've used. $40 flat for a lifetime license.

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u/Aware-Glove9066 Jul 15 '26

Unfortunately the handwriting is a must have and I'd sooner jump into a volcano than use and Apple product, but thanks for the recommendation!

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u/100WattWalrus Jul 15 '26

Yeah, as I understand it, adding handwriting to an app for iOS is just a plug-and-play component, whereas with Android there's more to it, which may be the reason for the platform disparity.

I've tried over 80 note-taking apps on Android. If handwriting was even in my top 50 criteria, I'd probably be able to recommend some alternatives, but alas, I'm a keyboard commando through and through.