Quick Answer
Evernote is better for combining tasks and notes in one place with easy file storage. Notion is better for unlimited customization and flexibility. Just like Google Docs, Evernote excels at document organization like a digital filing cabinet. Notion offers unlimited notes on the free plan. Choose Evernote if you want simplicity; choose Notion if you want unlimited possibilities.
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Notion vs Evernote Comparison
| Feature | Evernote | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | File storage, document organization, digital filing cabinet | Unlimited notes, customization, database functionality |
| Free plan | Very limited (50 notes, 1 notebook, 250 MB/month) | Unlimited notes, blocks, and customization |
| Notes limit | Free tier capped at 50 notes | No hard cap; unlimited notes possible |
| Customization | Limited | Unlimited possibilities and organization methods |
| File storage | Excellent OCR, document search, PDF annotations | Limited PDF search functionality |
| Database functionality | No | Yes, with linked dashboards |
| Best for students | Not recommended | Yes, especially for unlimited free notes |
| Cost | Paid plans required for regular use | Free version highly capable |
Evernote: When to Use It
Who benefits: Professionals needing file storage, workers managing documents, anyone valuing simplicity.
Evernote excels at combining tasks and notes in one place. One user stated: “Evernote really excels at combining tasks and notes in one place as well as easy file storage for like documents, almost like a digital filing cabinet.”
Advanced features: Evernote offers powerful OCR (optical character recognition) for searching handwritten notes and document content. One power user emphasized: “It is super powerful OCR, labels and notebooks, spaces to find any document… you have infinite storage 10 gigabytes renewable.”
Long-term investment: Users report loyalty to Evernote despite alternatives. One user noted: “I keep returning to Evernote. I have been using it on and off, mostly on, since 2011 or 2012. Honestly, it just works. I keep up with work and family with it, and I can always locate needed documents.”
Paid subscription justification: An Evernote Certified Expert explained: “The thing about Evernote is not that it’s free. The thing about Evernote is it’s WORTH IT. And you can have a month of Evernote for not much more than a couple of those triple-scoop ice cream cones…and have so much more to show for it.”
Weaknesses: The free version is severely limited. One user stated: “I do not recommend relying on the free version. It is way too limited for regular use.”
Another user warned: “Post acquisition, the new free tier is extremely limiting TBH.” Additionally, “My employer stopped paying for my license saying that OneNote was the same thing, and I couldn’t deal. I tried free versions of other apps like Notion, but I caved and shelled out $141 for Evernote.”
Customer service concerns: One long-time user reported a serious issue: “I loved Evernote but there is zero customer service. I have been a premium member for 12 plus years and I’m locked out if the account and there is no answer to me when I fill out request for help. Zero. I am trying to hire someone to help me but everyone says there is nothing to be done so over a decade of business files and personal files are gone.”
Notion: When to Use It
Who benefits: Students, note-takers wanting unlimited options, text to speech lovers and anyone seeking customization and flexibility.
Notion offers infinite possibilities. One user stated: “Notion has infinite possibilities and the ways you can organise them..? Perfect. I would say try it out, see how you go. Definitely worth it, and the free version would be more than enough for what you need.”
Unlimited free features: Unlike Evernote, Notion’s free plan is generous. One user emphasized: “Yes, you can create well over 50 notes on Notion, even on the free plan. There is no hard cap like Evernote is free tier has, and you can organize notes in pages, databases, or linked dashboards however you want. I’ve been using Notion for years and have hundreds of notes, recipes, bookmarks, and docs, no issues…if your goal is unlimited notes and flexibility.”
Database and organization: Multiple users praised Notion’s structure. One noted: “Notion is also a good choice though!” Another emphasized database functionality: “Yes, 100%. Notion has infinite possibilities and the ways you can organise them..?”
Modern alternative to Evernote: One user declared: “Notion is phenomenal, evernote is pretty old at this point I think.” Another stated: “Notion is a much better fit than Evernote for 2025.”
Template customization note: One user warned: “Just don’t spend too much time designing and improving your notion templates. I must have spent months or who knows how much time just on tweaking templates.”
Limitations: One student identified a critical gap: “I really love the customization available in Notion and want to use it for storing notes long term and task management. Problem is that unlike Evernote if I embed or attach a PDF from goodnotes or from my professor that has handwriting in it notions search function can’t search the content. That’s a real problem since I take digital hand written notes and my professors all send out slides weekly.”
Key Differences Explained
Free vs. Paid Philosophy
Evernote follows a limited-free model. One expert user explained the business model: “Any product has to have a revenue model, and if you are not paying for the product, you are the product. You know how when you go into the ice cream shop and they give you that little spoon where you can taste a sample? That way, you have a sense of what that flavor tastes like before you buy it. If you like it, you can pull out your wallet and buy a triple scoop. That’s the Evernote fee plan.”
Notion offers genuine free access with full functionality. Users can store unlimited notes without immediately needing to pay.
Price Considerations
Users debated whether paying for productivity tools makes sense. One Evernote Certified Expert stated: “If you’re looking for free, there is always going to be someone waving a sign that advertises it. And there’s always a catch. It’s a race to the bottom. How important is it to you to have your information readily available from anywhere, easy to add to, and easy to share?”
However, another user countered: “There is no predictability of prices for Evernote in the longer term, which means that an airbag will inflate only upon varying and increasing subscription prices.”
Real User Workflows
Evernote Users
One Evernote power user described their system: “I have purchased Upnote… in Evernote you are going to plan your projects and in Ticktick or another task application you are going to execute… I have a 10-point workflow according to Gemini.”
Another long-term user: “My employer stopped paying for my license saying that OneNote was the same thing, and I couldn’t deal. I tried free versions of other apps like Notion, but I caved and shelled out $141 for Evernote. I can’t believe I pay that much for an annual subscription, but it is worth it.”
Notion Users
One Notion advocate stated: “Notion. Hands down, unlimited notes and possible customisations.” They continued: “This is the way! I used Evernote for my daily notes in the past. Post acquisition, the new free tier is extremely limiting TBH. Notion on the other hand allows you full access to all block types, unlimited blocks.”
Choose Evernote If…
- You need excellent document organization and file storage
- You want powerful OCR to search handwritten notes and PDFs
- You prefer simplicity over customization
- You’re willing to pay for a established, proven system
- You need reliable task and note integration in one place
- You value long-term stability and established business model
Cost: $120/year. Users describe it as worth the investment despite the price.
Choose Notion If…
- You’re a student or budget-conscious user
- You need unlimited notes and customization options
- You want database functionality and linked dashboards
- You value flexibility in organizing information
- You don’t need advanced PDF searching capabilities
- You’re willing to spend time designing your setup
Cost: Free version is fully functional. No payment required to start.
Choose Both If…
You need Evernote’s document storage and OCR combined with Notion’s customization. One user recommended: “Try obsidian and sign up for obsidian sync (or use a plugin to sync to cloud storage of some sort). It’s very versatile, and definitely free.”
Alternatives Worth Considering
Obsidian: One user suggested: “Try obsidian and sign up for obsidian sync (or use a plugin to sync to cloud storage of some sort). It’s very versatile, and definitely free.”
OneNote: Microsoft’s offering was mentioned as a perceived Evernote alternative, though users reported finding it less effective.
Common User Mistakes
Mistake 1: Overcomplicating Notion templates. One user warned: “Just don’t spend too much time designing and improving your notion templates. I must have spent months or who knows how much time just on tweaking templates.”
Mistake 2: Expecting free tools to remain free forever. One expert noted: “Wait for a few years, and free users are well stuck in, investors will ask for their returns and then Notion will also go the EN way, and all such..no other go. Better go for an app like obsidian that is self funded if you want to have long term control of your files.”
Mistake 3: Assuming free Notion is incomplete. Multiple users emphasized the free version is genuinely useful and unlimited.
Mistake 4: Relying on Evernote’s free tier. One user stated: “You may want to consider something genuinely free if your use case is very minimal. If you’re just looking to store a couple of grocery lists, I would not recommend Evernote.”
Final Verdict from Real Users
For document professionals: “Evernote really excels at combining tasks and notes in one place as well as easy file storage for like documents, almost like a digital filing cabinet.”
For students and unlimited users: “Notion. Hands down, unlimited notes and possible customisations.” And: “Yes, you can create well over 50 notes on Notion, even on the free plan.”
For long-term loyalists: “I keep returning to Evernote. I have been using it on and off, mostly on, since 2011 or 2012. Honestly, it just works.”
For modern productivity: “Notion is a much better fit than Evernote for 2025.” Is there better option of notion and ever note, like they have for MailChimp, well the users did not say.
