Evernote
The original note-taking app.
why this verdict
Downgrade — pay for the workflow, not the AI
Notion and Obsidian cover the headline feature free, so the $11/mo is now paying for the workflow around it.
- A named launch, not a vibe named, unlinked
- AI notes with memory and search. OpenAI, May 1, 2024 — no announcement link recorded yet.
- How much of the job it covers headline only editorial call
- The headline feature, but not the workflow, data or integrations around it.
- Is there a free way to do it? yes
- 3 of 3 listed replacements have a usable free tier: Notion, Obsidian and Google Keep.
- What the call is worth $132/yr
- $11/mo at the entry paid tier — $132 a year per seat.
- Threatened by
- OpenAI
- Since
- May 1, 2024
- List price
- $11/mo
- Per year
- $132
The backstory
Evernote was the original note-taking app, famous for capturing anything and syncing it everywhere. It was already losing users to Notion and Obsidian before AI arrived, and assistants with memory and strong search accelerated the slide by making note capture-and-recall feel less special. It is wounded rather than fully killed because a large installed base of long-time users and years of stored notes keep people from leaving. But its pitch as the place to store and find your stuff is exactly what modern AI tools now do better.
Escape hatches
switching could free up $132/yrNotes, docs and databases with AI
notion.com open_in_newLocal-first markdown notes, free
obsidian.md open_in_newFree quick-capture notes tied to Google
keep.google.com open_in_new3 of 3 replacements have a usable free tier.