11 Best AI Note-Taking Apps You Should Try

Look, if you’re here, you already know what you’re looking for. 

You want a note-taking app that actually uses AI in a useful way, not just a regular notes app with a shiny “AI” badge slapped on it.

You want something that can clean up messy notes, summarize long meetings, turn voice into text, maybe pull out action items, maybe even remind you what you forgot you wrote. 

The problem is… there are way too many AI note-taking apps right now. 

Some are great. Some are overkill. And some honestly just feel like the same old notes app with one AI button you’ll stop using after a week.

So in this guide, I’m keeping it simple. 

These are the AI note-taking apps that actually make note-taking easier, not more complicated. 

Real apps, real use cases — for students, meetings, lectures, ideas, and everyday notes.

1. Notion AI

Why I picked it: Because the AI actually works inside your notes and helps you clean things up instead of getting in the way.

Notion AI is one of those apps where you just start writing first and think later. 

You dump your lecture notes, meeting points, random thoughts, half-baked ideas — honestly, everything — and yeah, it can look messy at first. 

But that’s where the AI part actually helps. 

You highlight a chunk and ask it to summarize, rewrite, or pull out action items, and it just… does it. No drama.

What I like is that it doesn’t force you into a specific note style. 

You write however you want, sloppy or clean, and the AI adjusts to that. It’s super useful when notes get long, and your brain is already tired, you know. 

For students, meetings, planning stuff — it saves a lot of mental energy.

It’s not the lightest app out there, sure. 

But once you get comfortable, it starts feeling like a proper second brain that actually helps you think.

Also Read: 31 Best AI Apps That’ll Blow Your Mind

2. Otter.ai

Why I picked it: It’s stupidly good at turning meetings and lectures into clean, readable notes without you doing much.

Otter.ai is basically for those moments when typing notes just isn’t realistic. 

You hit record, let the meeting or lecture happen, and Otter quietly does its thing in the background. 

It transcribes everything in real time, separates speakers, and then gives you a clean summary after. 

And yeah, that summary part actually matters because nobody wants to read a full transcript later.

What makes Otter really useful is how searchable everything feels. 

You can go back weeks later, type a keyword, and it shows you exactly where that thing was said. 

Super helpful when you vaguely remember something but don’t remember when or who said it.

It’s especially great for meetings, interviews, classes, or even quick voice notes when your hands are busy. 

If your notes usually start as audio, Otter just makes life easier, honestly.

3. Fireflies.ai

Why I picked it: Because it literally takes notes for you while you just… talk.

So here’s the thing. If you’ve ever been in a meeting where you’re listening, typing, thinking, and still missing stuff — yeah, Fireflies is for that exact situation. 

You connect it once, it joins your meetings automatically, and after that, you honestly stop thinking about notes altogether.

It records the whole call, turns everything into text, and then — this part matters — it breaks it down. 

Like, “these were the key points,” “these were the tasks,” “this decision was made.” 

You’re not scrolling through a massive transcript, wondering what was important. It already did that thinking for you.

What I like is how natural it feels. 

You talk normally, people interrupt, ideas jump around — Fireflies still catches it all. 

If meetings are a big part of your day and notes usually end up messy or forgotten, this just quietly fixes that problem.

4. Mem.ai

Why I picked it: Because it remembers your notes better than you do, which honestly sounds fake until you use it.

Mem is not the kind of app where you sit down and think, okay, let me organize this properly. 

It’s more like… you just start typing. Random thoughts, ideas, meeting notes, things you don’t even know if you’ll need later. You don’t add folders, you don’t stress about structure, nothing like that.

The AI part kicks in quietly. 

Later, when you’re writing something or searching for a thought, Mem suddenly shows you related notes you forgot even existed. 

And that moment is wild, like — oh yeah, I wrote this weeks ago. It connects dots without you trying.

It’s especially good if your brain works in jumps, not neat outlines. 

You think fast, ideas come randomly, and organizing later feels exhausting. 

Mem just lets you think first and sorts things out in the background. 

If traditional note apps feel like work, this one feels way more natural.

5. Evernote

Why I picked it: Because it’s the old, reliable notes app that quietly got smarter with AI.

Evernote has been around forever, so you probably already know the basics. 

You clip stuff, write notes, save ideas, all that. 

But lately, the AI bits are what make it interesting again. 

You dump a long note in there — like meeting notes, research, or just a messy brain dump — and the AI helps clean it up. 

Summaries, clearer wording, faster search… that kind of stuff.

What I like is that it doesn’t force you to change how you take notes. 

You still write the same way you always have. The AI just comes in after and makes things easier to deal with. 

Like when you open a note weeks later and think, ugh, what was I even trying to say here — yeah, the summary helps a lot.

It’s great if you already have years of notes sitting around and want them to feel more usable again, instead of starting from scratch with a brand-new app.

Also Read: Best AI Writing Apps for Content Creators

6. Notta

Why I picked it: Because it’s stupidly good at turning voice into clean notes without making things complicated.

Notta is one of those apps you open when typing just feels like too much effort. 

You’re in a lecture, a meeting, or even just walking and thinking out loud — you hit record and let it do its thing. 

It listens, converts everything into text, and then gives you a neat summary on top of that. No extra steps, no setup headache.

What I like here is how flexible it feels. You can record live, upload audio later, or even bring in video files. 

And somehow, even when people talk fast or jump topics, the notes still come out readable. That alone saves a lot of time.

It’s especially useful if your notes usually start as audio and end up… nowhere. 

With Notta, voice notes actually turn into something you’ll open again. Simple, practical, and honestly very easy to stick with.

7. Google NotebookLM

Why I picked it: Because it feels less like a notes app and more like talking to your own notes.

NotebookLM is a little different, so just stay with me. 

This one isn’t about quick jotting or typing during meetings. It’s more for when you already have stuff — PDFs, docs, articles, lecture notes — and your brain is like, okay, now what?

You upload your material, and then you literally ask questions. Like, “summarize this,” “what are the key points,” “explain this part in simple words.” 

And it answers based only on your notes, not random internet fluff. That part is huge.

It’s especially useful for studying, research, or long-form learning where rereading everything feels exhausting. 

Instead of scrolling forever, you just ask and move on. 

It kind of feels like having a smart study buddy who already read everything for you and doesn’t get tired.

If your notes are heavy, long, or research-based, this one hits different.

Also Read: Best AI Apps for Students 

8. Wave AI Note Taker

Why I picked it: Because it’s perfect for those moments when typing notes just isn’t happening, like at all.

Wave is the kind of app you open when you’re thinking faster than you can type. 

You talk, it listens, and then it turns that messy voice note into something that actually makes sense. 

Not just text, but a short summary too, which honestly saves a lot of time later.

What I like here is how casual it feels. 

You don’t need a “proper” setup. 

You can record random thoughts, quick ideas, meeting recaps, even stuff like “remind myself to do this later” type notes. 

The AI cleans things up quietly in the background, so when you open it again, you’re not confused by your own rambling.

It’s especially useful if your notes usually live in voice memos and never go anywhere after that. 

Wave kind of fixes that gap. 

Talk now, understand later. Simple, low effort, and actually usable.

9. Granola.ai

Why I picked it: Because it turns messy meetings into notes that actually look… presentable.

Granola is very much a meeting-first kind of app. 

You use it during calls, discussions, brainstorming sessions — all those situations where things sound clear in the moment and then completely fall apart later when you try to remember what happened. 

Granola listens, captures everything, and then organizes it into clean, structured notes.

What’s nice is that it doesn’t just dump a transcript on you and disappear. 

It tries to make sense of the conversation. 

Key points, summaries, follow-ups — all pulled out so you don’t have to sit there thinking, okay but what was the takeaway?

It’s especially helpful when meetings are long, people go off-topic, or ideas bounce around a lot. 

You open the notes later and things just… click. 

If meetings are a big part of your day and your notes usually feel chaotic or incomplete, Granola quietly fixes that without adding extra work.

10. Jamie

Why I picked it: Because it does the meeting-notes thing without turning into a whole system you have to manage.

Jamie feels very… calm. 

No dashboards screaming at you, no complicated setup, no ten integrations you don’t really need. 

You join a meeting, Jamie listens, and later you get clean notes and a summary. That’s it. 

And honestly, that’s kind of the charm.

What I like is how lightweight it feels. 

It’s not trying to be your second brain or your full workspace. 

It’s just there to make sure you don’t forget what was said. 

You open the notes later, and you immediately get the point — what was discussed, what matters, what needs to be done.

It’s great if you’re tired of heavy tools and just want something that quietly works in the background. 

Especially for people who attend meetings but don’t want another app demanding attention. 

Jamie keeps things simple, and sometimes that’s exactly what you want.

11. Apple Notes

Why I picked it: Because it’s already on your Apple devices and, yeah, it’s getting smarter without making a big deal about it.

Apple Notes isn’t shouting “AI” everywhere, and that’s kind of the point. 

You open it, you write, you scan documents, you save stuff — same old flow. 

But behind the scenes, things are getting better. 

Smarter search, better organization, quick summaries, and on newer devices, on-device intelligence that actually feels useful.

What I like here is how frictionless it is. No learning curve, no setup, no account creation. 

You just open Notes and start typing. 

For quick ideas, daily notes, reminders, or random thoughts, it still works really well — and now it helps you find things faster too.

If you want AI help without switching apps or changing habits, Apple Notes quietly does the job. 

Simple, familiar, and way more capable than people give it credit for.

By the way, if you use Apple Notes a lot, I have a whole section on iAppList where I share Apple Notes guides, little hacks, and real-life ways people actually use it — not the usual basic stuff.

Final Thoughts

Okay, so here’s the real takeaway — AI note-taking only works if it fits how you already think. 

If the app makes you stop and “set things up,” you’ll stop using it. Simple.

If most of your notes come from meetings and calls, tools like Otter, Fireflies, Granola, Jamie — they just make sense. 

You talk, people talk, things get messy, and later the app gives you something readable. That alone feels like a win.

If your notes are more like random thoughts, ideas, planning stuff, half-written things, then apps like Notion AI or Mem feel way more natural. 

You don’t organize first. You just dump everything and clean it up later, or honestly, let the AI do that part.

At the end of the day, the “best” app is the one you don’t fight with. 

If it makes notes feel lighter instead of heavier, keep it. If not, delete it and move on.

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