The Best Note-Taking App for Every Type of Student

Before you download anything… 

Before a new semester or school term starts, it’s worth checking whether your current note-taking system is actually working for you.

The right app won't magically improve your grades, but it can make studying, revising and staying organised much easier. 

Different subjects call for different approaches. A law student might need to manage pages of case notes, while an engineering student may rely more on handwritten equations and diagrams.

The goal is to find a system that suits both your course and your learning style. 

To help you narrow it down, we’ve matched  some popular note-taking apps with the subjects and study styles they may suit best. 

 Studying Maths, Engineering or Science? 

Our pick for writing formulas: Goodnotes 

STEM subjects often involve equations, graphs, diagrams and problem-solving by hand. Goodnotes allows students to write formulas, sketch concepts and keep everything organised in digital notebooks.  It’s search and study tools make it easier to revisit topics and revise when that time rolls around. 

Goodnotes includes support for screen readers, adjustable text sizes and high-contrast display options. The search function makes it easy to locate specific words and notes.

For group assignments, students can work together on notebooks, whiteboards and documents in real time.

Goodnotes is particularly well suited to touchscreen devices and is available on a range of supported iPads, tablets and laptops.

Also worth considering: 

• Notability: Synchronise handwritten notes with audio recordings. 
• OneNote: Combine handwritten calculations with typed explanations and resources.

Studying Medicine or Health? 

Our pick for writing lecture notes: Notability 

Medicine and health students often need to annotate lecture slides, label diagrams and organise a huge amount of information.

For Apple users, Notability brings document annotation, handwritten notes, organised folders and searchable content together in one place. 

Its audio recording feature can be particularly useful, allowing students to record lectures while taking notes and generate searchable transcripts for later review.

Notability also supports collaboration through shared notes, shared libraries and synchronisation across multiple Apple devices.

The app also includes several accessibility features including text-to-speech and Math Conversion, which turns handwritten equations into formatted mathematical symbols.

Also worth considering: 

• Goodnotes: Ideal for anatomy notes and visual study summaries. 
• OneNote: Organise content by units, placements and clinical topics. 

Studying Law? 

Our pick for connected notes: Obsidian

Law students deal with massive amounts of reading, case notes and legislation. Obsidian's linking system can help you connect legal principles, cases and precedents.

Its Canvas feature supports visual brainstorming and idea mapping and while a wide range of plugins can be used to customise workflows to suit study preferences. 

Obsidian Sync enables collaboration through shared vaults for groupwork. However, edits are not visible instantly and only appear after syncing.

While Obsidian includes features such as keyboard navigation and adjustable font sizes, some users may need community plugins to meet their accessibility requirements. Obsidian is available on all major desktop and mobile platforms, explore the available platforms here.

Also worth considering: 

• OneNote: Keep lecture notes, case summaries and readings organised in searchable notebooks. 
• Goodnotes: Annotate case documents and PDFs by hand. 

Studying Business or Commerce? 

Our pick for classwork organisation: OneNote 

Business students often juggle lectures, group projects, assignments and internship applications. 

For those looking for a versatile digital note-taking solution, Microsoft OneNote offers a combination of organisation, flexibility and ease of use. Notebooks can be organised into sections and pages, while a built-in search function makes it easy to find information quickly.

Each page provides an infinite canvas, giving students plenty of space to capture notes, ideas and project plans. 

Shared notebooks also make it practical for group work.

OneNote has a range of features, such as screen reader, Immersive Reader and voice dictation.

While particularly well suited to touchscreen-enabled devices, it also provides a seamless experience on laptops and desktop PCs.

Available across a wide range of platforms, OneNote is free to use and automatically synchronises notes across supported devices, helping students stay organised wherever they study.

Also worth considering: 

• Goodnotes: Great for graphs, flowcharts and handwritten notes.

Studying a Creative Degree? 

Our pick for organising creative ideas: Milanote 

Creative courses rely heavily on visual thinking, brainstorming and mood boards. For students looking to organise ideas in a visual workspace, Milanote is worth considering.

It allows users to create flexible boards containing notes, images, sketches, links, to-do lists and other creative assets, making it easy to map out concepts and manage projects. 

Milanote’s collaborative features allow multiple users to work on the same board at the same time. Its drag-and-drop interface and nested boards help keep work organised, while compatibility across Windows, Mac, web browsers, iOS and Android devices allows students to access their projects from almost anywhere its accessibility support may be more limited than that of some other apps on this list. 

Also worth considering: 

• Goodnotes: Useful for sketching concepts and handwritten ideation.
• OneNote: Combine visuals, project planning and written notes. 

The best note-taking app is the one you’ll actually use. 

There is no universally "best" note-taking app. Each platform has strengths and limitations, and the right choice will depend on your subject, study habits and preferred device. The most effective system is usually the one that fits naturally into your routine and helps you stay organised throughout the semester. Trial a few and see what works best for you!