iOS 9’s Notes App vs Evernote: Can A Revamped Notes Take On Evernote?

Apple has completely revamped Notes inside iOS 9, here we take a look at how it compares to the mighty Evernote

In 2001 a company called Karelia released a piece of software for OS X called Watson that allowed users to search for information on various websites on the Internet without using a web browser. Watson quickly became a user favorite on the Mac platform–that is, until Apple introduced Sherlock 3 in 2002, which seemed to “borrow” heavily from Watson. Ever since then the term “Sherlocking” has been used whenever Apple adds features to its operating systems or apps that heavily borrow from popular third-party apps.

With iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan it appears Apple is Sherlocking once again with the introductions of the all new Notes app. There are many who have said that the new Notes will be an Evernote killer. But are they really that similar? We take a look to find out.  

Notes vs Evernote: Features

Lets start with the new Notes app in iOS 9. Notes is getting a huge overhaul in iOS 9–which is good, because the app has hardly been updated since the first iPhone. Now in Notes in iOS 9 you’ll be able to easily create a checklist right in a note. This is a godsend for those people that use Notes to create a list of things to do–although, that’s kind of what Reminders is for too. But now in Notes users will be able to make a list and turn it into an interactive checklist with just a few taps, then check off those items at will.

Notes in iOS 9 also allows you to add a photo, a map, or a URL directly into a note and see it formatted in-line. By this I mean is that you can drag in a web URL and that URL will appear with a box around it with a thumbnail image and a description of the URL. Map addresses and directions get a similar look.

Another really nice feature of the new Notes app is the ability to use your finger to sketch your thoughts down. The new Notes app offers a variety of brushes and colors–as well as a ruler to keep your lines straight–so creating sketches in Notes is a breeze.

Moving on to Evernote…it’s a bit tricky to compare Evernote directly because there are three different versions of it: Basic, Plus, and Premium. Only Basic is free–as is Notes–so lets look at that version first.

In Evernote Basic you can take notes and create lists in them and then turn those lists into interactive to do lists you can check off when done. You can also save URL and other clips from the web directly into a note. So far, both Evernote Basic and the new Notes app have similar features. But Evernote Basic does have one big advantage: it allows you to share and discuss your notes with other Evernote users via the app. This is a HUGE feature for those that want to collaborate.

The drawback to Evernote Basic is that you need to have an Internet connection to read your notes, so if you’re on a plane and your Notes haven’t cached, you’re out of luck. However, that limitation goes away with Evernote Plus, which also add the ability to save emails into Evernote and set a passcode to keep your notes secure. Then upgrade to Evernote Premium and get the ability to turn notes into presentations, scan business cards, annotate PDFs, search through attached Office documents and PDFs, and get unlimited note uploads.

Notes vs Evernote: Platforms

The new Notes app will be available on iOS 9 devices (iPad, iPod touch, and iPhone), OS X El Capitan Macs, and via the web on iCloud.com.

Evernote is available on iPad, iPod touch, and iPhone, Android devices, Macs and PCs, Blackberry, Windows Phone, and Amazon devices.

Notes vs Evernote: Price

Notes is free. It comes as part of iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan.

Evernote Basic is available for free. However, upgrading to the more advanced features of Evernote Plus will cost you £19.99 a year. Going all out and upgrading to Evernote Premium will cost you £34.99 a year.

Notes vs Evernote: Verdict

If you just need a simple note taking app and collaboration isn’t important to you, then iOS 9’s and OS X El Capitan’s new Notes app is going to be all you need. It’s a beautiful looking app with deep OS integration and one that anyone could learn how to use in a matter of minutes. For 95% of users out there, Notes will be more than enough.

However, if you’re a notes power user and find collaboration or the ability to annotate PDFs, search through attached documents, and scan business cards are important to you then Evernote is the clear winner. However, be aware that with the exception of collaboration, all those extra features are going to come with an annual cost of either £20 or £35. Evernote also wins on the platform front. It’s available for all smartphones and desktops. If you use multiple devices (say a MacBook and an Android phone) then only Evernote is going to work for you.

For business users, the advanced features of the paid tiers of Evernote–as well as its multiplatform support–may be enough to justify the subscription costs. But for your average user who just wants to record simple notes and save simple items to them the new Notes app from Apple will be more than enough.