Evernote Review
The original digital notebook — still the best web clipper, but steep pricing and a change of ownership have eroded its lead
Last reviewed: 2026-05-25 · By GBBR Editorial Team
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Our Top Pick · Bronze Tier
Evernote
Free plan available
The Bottom Line
Evernote invented the digital notebook category and still has features competitors haven't matched — particularly its web clipper (the best in the business) and its cross-notebook search. But it earns Bronze in 2026 because pricing has ballooned to $14.99/mo for Personal (it used to be $7.99), the free tier is almost unusable (1 notebook, 50 notes, 25MB/mo), and the 2022 acquisition by Italian firm Bending Spoons has created uncertainty. If you're already an Evernote power user, it may be worth staying. If you're starting fresh, Notion offers dramatically more value at lower cost.
What is Evernote?
Evernote was founded in 2008 by Stepan Pachikov and Phil Libin and pioneered cloud-synced note-taking before it was standard. At its peak it had 225 million users and was valued at over $1B. In 2022, Bending Spoons (an Italian app company) acquired Evernote, subsequently laying off most of the US team and relocating operations to Europe. The product has continued to receive updates but the trajectory of pricing increases and feature cuts has damaged trust in the brand.
What does Evernote offer?
Evernote Free now limits users to 1 notebook, 50 notes, 25MB upload per month, and no device sync — essentially a trial, not a usable free plan. Evernote Personal ($14.99/mo or $129.99/yr) unlocks unlimited notes, 20GB monthly uploads, PDF and document search, and handwriting recognition. Evernote Professional ($17.99/mo or $169.99/yr) adds calendar integration and scratchpad. Teams ($24.99/user/mo) adds shared spaces and admin controls. The web clipper remains best-in-class for saving full web pages with formatting intact.
Free
$0
/month
Personal
$14.99
/month
Professional
$17.99
/month
Teams
$24.99
/month
Is Evernote worth the price?
$14.99/mo for Personal — the most expensive mainstream note-taking app for what you get
Notion Plus offers more features for $10/user/mo; Obsidian is free with local storage; even OneNote is free. Evernote's price increase to $14.99/mo is difficult to justify
OverpricedHow we scored it
Overall score: 66/100
Web clipper, PDF search, handwriting recognition, and offline notebooks are genuinely differentiated
Clean, mature interface — note-taking experience is intuitive even for new users
Shared notebooks exist but collaboration features are far behind Notion or Google Drive
Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android — consistent cross-platform sync is a historical strength
$14.99/mo for Personal is almost double what Notion charges for a more capable product
Google Drive, Slack, Salesforce, and Microsoft Teams integrations; fewer than Notion
Why Evernote is Bronze Tier
Evernote earns Bronze because it's no longer competitive on value. The free tier is unusable, the Personal tier is overpriced vs. alternatives, and the Bending Spoons acquisition introduced uncertainty about the product's future direction. It avoids Disqualified because the web clipper, advanced search (including handwriting and PDFs), and the note-taking experience are still genuinely good. Existing power users with years of notes invested may find the switching cost too high — this review is for new users evaluating their options.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓Best web clipper in the business — saves full pages with formatting intact
- ✓Searches handwriting and PDFs (not just typed text)
- ✓Long track record — mature, stable product
- ✓Cross-device sync is reliable across all platforms
- ✓Integration with Outlook, Google Drive, Slack, Salesforce
Cons
- ✗Free tier is near-unusable: 1 notebook, 50 notes, 25MB upload limit
- ✗$14.99/mo for Personal is expensive vs. Notion ($10/mo) or Obsidian (free)
- ✗Bending Spoons acquisition created uncertainty about direction and data
- ✗Real-time collaboration is weak vs. Notion or Google Docs
- ✗Development pace has slowed since acquisition
Ready to try Evernote? Free plan available — no credit card required.
Get Evernote →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Evernote worth it in 2026?
$14.99/mo for Personal — the most expensive mainstream note-taking app for what you get Overall verdict: Overpriced.
What is Evernote best for?
Evernote is best for: Existing Evernote power users with years of notes invested and high switching costs, Users who need the best web clipper for research and content collection, Anyone who needs to search handwriting or PDFs stored in their notes.
Does Evernote have a free plan?
Yes — Evernote offers a free tier: Free tier limited to 1 notebook, 50 notes, 25MB/mo — essentially unusable for real use.
Who should NOT use Evernote?
Evernote is not the right fit for: New users starting fresh (Notion is more capable at lower cost); Teams needing real-time collaboration.
What are the best Evernote alternatives?
Top alternatives to Evernote include notion, obsidian, onenote.
Evernote earns Bronze because it's no longer competitive on value. The free tier is unusable, the Personal tier is overpriced vs. alternatives, and the Bending Spoons acquisition introduced uncertainty about the product's future direction. It avoids Disqualified because the web clipper, advanced search (including handwriting and PDFs), and the note-taking experience are still genuinely good. Existing power users with years of notes invested may find the switching cost too high — this review is for new users evaluating their options.
Get Evernote →Free tier available — no credit card required
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