Best Evernote alternatives in 2026
The direct list — organized by what you actually used Evernote for. Every free-tier limit verified against official pricing pages in July 2026; every user verdict linked to its source.
1 · If you need a web clipper
The half most lists skip — and for many people the main event. Two options, split by what the clips are for:
2 · If you need a notes app
Four real options, ordered by how directly they replace Evernote:
3 · If you just want simple and free
No table stakes, no upsells:
Side-by-side
| Tool | Replaces | Free tier (verified July 2026) | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raindrop.io | Web clipper + bookmark library | Collections, tags, sharing free; full-text search is Pro | Pro (see raindrop.io for current rate) |
| Burn 451 | Web clipper + read-later (anti-pile) | 5 saves/day, iOS + Chrome, Vault collections | Pro $4.99/mo or $48/yr — AI summaries, full-text search |
| Joplin | Notes (closest .enex import) | Free & open source, unlimited | Joplin Cloud from €2.99/mo |
| Obsidian | Notes (local Markdown) | Free for personal use, no limits | Sync $4/mo (annual) |
| Notion | Notes + docs + databases | Generous free plan | Plus $10/member/mo |
| UpNote | Notes (Evernote-like, buy once) | Free up to 50 notes | $1.99/mo or $39.99 lifetime |
| Simplenote / OneNote / Apple Notes | Simple notes | Fully free | — |
Migration: three steps, do it this week
- Export each Evernote notebook as an .enex file (free accounts can still export, even over the cap).
- Import: Joplin reads .enex directly; Notion has a built-in importer; Obsidian imports via its official Importer plugin.
- For clipped articles you never read: keep the top 20, let the rest go — the unread pile doesn't migrate away, it just changes apps.
Why this week: export windows don't stay open forever. Pocket's closed eleven weeks after the service died, and everything inside was deleted — the read-it-later graveyard has the full list. Evernote is alive and exporting today; that's the good scenario.
FAQ
Is Evernote still worth using in 2026?
It depends on which Evernote you mean. The product still works, the Web Clipper is still maintained (updated July 2026 on the Chrome Web Store, 2M users), and a major v11 update has been announced. But the free plan has been capped at 50 notes, 1 notebook, and 1 device since December 2023 — still in force on the official pricing page in 2026 — and paid pricing has been restructured repeatedly since Bending Spoons acquired the company. If you're on the free plan with more than 50 notes, you can view and export them but not add new ones. That's the practical reason most people search for alternatives.
What exactly is Evernote's free plan limit?
50 notes, 1 notebook, 1 device, and 1GB of storage. The limit took effect on December 4, 2023 and is still listed on evernote.com/pricing in 2026. Existing free accounts over the limit keep view, edit, export, and delete access to old notes, but cannot create new ones.
What is the best free Evernote alternative?
For pure note-taking: Joplin (free, open source, imports Evernote's .enex files directly) or Obsidian (free for personal use, local Markdown files, optional paid sync). For a lighter Evernote-style experience: UpNote ($39.99 one-time for unlimited notes — no subscription). If what you actually used Evernote for was clipping and reading web articles, a notes app is the wrong replacement — a web clipper plus read-later tool like Raindrop.io or Burn 451 fits better.
What is the easiest way to migrate my Evernote notes?
Export from Evernote as .enex files (free accounts can still export), then import: Notion has a built-in Evernote importer, Joplin imports .enex natively including attachments, and Obsidian imports .enex through its official Importer plugin. Do the export soon rather than someday — the read-later graveyard is full of services whose export windows closed before users got around to it.
What should I replace Evernote Web Clipper with?
If you clipped pages to file them: Raindrop.io — its free plan handles organized, tagged, visual bookmark collections. If you clipped pages to read later and they piled up unread: Burn 451 — its Chrome extension saves with a 24-hour read-or-burn deadline, so the clip pile can't silently become an archive. Evernote's own Web Clipper still works and is actively updated, but it clips into the same 50-note-capped free plan.
Is Burn 451 an Evernote replacement?
Only for one specific job. Burn does not do notebooks, documents, or long-form notes — for that, use Notion, Obsidian, Joplin, or UpNote. Burn replaces the web-clipping and read-it-later half of Evernote: save articles from Chrome or iOS share sheet, get a 24-hour deadline to actually read them, keep the worth-keeping ones in Vault collections. Free tier is 5 saves/day; AI summaries and full-text search are Pro at $4.99/month or $48/year.