The honest guide
Looking for an
Evernote alternative?
You’re not alone — and you don’t have to start over. Here’s what to look for, how the options honestly compare, and how to move your entire library in minutes.
Try the alternative people switch toFirst year free · No credit card · Import in minutes
Why people leave Evernote
The price keeps climbing
Paid plans now start at $99/year (Starter) — and the free plan is capped at 50 notes in a single notebook. Loyalty has been repriced, repeatedly.
The app got heavy
A 300+ MB install, slow launches, sync that needs babysitting. The fast capture tool that won everyone over is buried under a decade of bolt-ons.
The product stood still
While notes apps learned to think — AI synthesis, knowledge graphs, real-time collaboration — Evernote's core experience has barely moved.
What a real Evernote alternative needs
If a switch costs you your history, it isn’t an alternative — it’s starting over.
The alternatives, honestly
Every option below is good at something. Pick for your workflow.
| Alternative | Evernote import | AI | Offline | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cimanote | One-click .enex | Automatic knowledge engine | Full editing (Pro) | $6/mo · first year free | Evernote refugees who want notes that compound |
| Notion → | Yes | Q&A (Business plan) | Per-page opt-in | $10–12/mo | Teams that want a whole workspace |
| Obsidian → | Official plugin | Plugins, manual setup | Local-first | Free + $4/mo sync | Tinkerers who want local Markdown vaults |
| Apple Notes → | No | None | Yes | Free | Apple-only households with simple notes |
| OneNote → | Clunky | Copilot (M365 plans) | Yes | Free / M365 | Stylus users in Microsoft shops |
Want the full head-to-head? Cimanote vs Evernote, feature by feature →
The switch, filmed start to finish
A real Evernote library — notes, tags, attachments — imported into Cimanote. Only the waiting is cut.
Export from Evernote
One .enex file for your whole library.
Drop it into Cimanote
Parsing runs in your browser — 600 MB+ supported.
Keep working
Tags, attachments, and dates intact. The AI starts reading.
Not just a replacement. An upgrade.
Matching Evernote’s features is table stakes. Cimanote adds what Evernote never built: an AI Knowledge Engine that reads your notes in the background and maintains living pages for every person, project, and topic — with sources cited and contradictions flagged. Your decade of notes stops being an archive and starts being an asset.
Meet the Knowledge Engine →Evernote alternative FAQ
What is the best Evernote alternative in 2026?
It depends on what you valued in Evernote. If it was fast capture, organization, and a web clipper — with modern additions like AI synthesis and real-time collaboration — Cimanote is built precisely for that switch, including one-click .enex import. If you want a team workspace, look at Notion; if you want local Markdown files, look at Obsidian.
Can I import my Evernote notes into Cimanote?
Yes. Export your library from Evernote as a .enex file and drop it into Cimanote — notes, tags, attachments, checkboxes, tables, and original creation dates come through. Files over 600 MB are supported, and parsing runs in your browser, so your raw export never touches our servers.
Is Cimanote a free Evernote alternative?
Every new account gets a full year of Cimanote Pro free, with no credit card. After that there is a genuinely useful free plan (unlimited notes, search, web clipper) and Pro at $6/month — less than Evernote’s cheapest paid plan, with none of its 50-note free-tier cap.
What happens to my tags and attachments when I switch?
They survive the move. Tags are recreated and attached to the right notes, and attachments up to 25 MB per file are imported with inline previews. A completion report shows exactly what came over.
Pro after your free year is $6/mo or $60/yr — less than half of Evernote Personal.
Bring your notes somewhere better
Import from Evernote in minutes. Your first year is free.
Start the switch→