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7 Best Index Card Apps for iPad

Nov 3, 2023

By Lindsay Armstrong

Index cards offer a fantastic way to efficiently structure and condense complex information into manageable, bite-sized portions.

This tried-and-true approach has been embraced by diverse individuals, ranging from students preparing for exams to business professionals mapping out a project to authors and screenwriters drafting storyboards.

The best part? You can also apply this technique to your own endeavors.

In the age of modern technology, you no longer have to carry a stack of physical index cards around. Instead, you can harness the power of mobile apps, readily accessible on both iOS and Android devices.

Let’s take a look at the best index card apps for iPad.

#caption#Need to change the way you study? Index card apps might be the answer. (Image: Quizlet)

#alt#A teal background filled with digital flashcards from the Quizlet app.

What is an index card app?

An index card app is a versatile tool that’s designed to mimic the functionality of the classic index card in a digital format.

Much like physical notecards, these apps allow you to create and organize virtual cards, each containing text, images, or any content you need to manage effectively.

Index cards are one of the most popular  notetaking  and study tools for exams because they help users distill the essential information down into bite-sized chunks.

For example, rather than studying a page full of notes, you can turn a stack of real index cards into flashcards or jot down key concepts and shuffle the stack to review information.

The effectiveness of this technique is remarkable. In  one study , 70% of students using flashcards to review notes and concepts had higher exam scores than the ones who did not.

Index card apps strive to preserve the versatility of physical index cards within a digital environment. Their goal: Ensure that you always have a virtual stack of cards at your disposal whenever you need them, making your life more organized and efficient.

#caption#Image: Cardflow

#alt#An image of sets of digital flashcards organized into categories in the Cardflow app.

Cardflow: Index & Flash Cards

Taking notes and jotting down ideas is easy with Cardflow.

You can write, draw, type, or add images to create the cards that you need. With an improved Inkflow engine, which features vector-based ink, Cardflow makes writing feel silky smooth and editing simple when using a stylus.

For organization, Cardflow’s Magic Arrange  feature keeps your cards neat. You can select multiple cards at once and quickly group them into stacks, rows, or grids. While these tools might sound simple, they’ll save you time by allowing you to effortlessly group cards into categories.

#caption#Choose between seven different card templates to create the type of card that you need. (Image: Cardflow / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike)

#alt#A flashcard in Cardflow with the card template menu open showing the seven different options.

Cardflow also allows you to customize your cards with different templates, background colors, and the ability to name and color-code your categories for better project management.

It even has a built-in Shape Recognizer  that will help correct and perfect your shapes as you draw them. And, if you prefer typed text, you’ll have standard formatting options, including headings, bold, italics, and even different text colors.

Plus, you can share your cards with other Cardflow users, which makes it easy to collaborate with classmates and coworkers to compare notes and review information together.

The Cardflow toolkit aims to help users organize information and keep goals in mind when tackling large projects.

Equipped with a broad range of features for brainstorming, project planning, creating storyboards, sketching diagrams, and more, Cardflow is one of the best apps on the market when it comes to staying organized.

Coolest features

• Inkflow engine with vector ink makes writing feel smooth and allows you to move and resize your notes without blurring.
• Advanced customization options, including different card templates, background colors, and the ability to name and color-code categories.
• Shape Recognizer makes it quick and easy to get perfect shapes.
• Sharing capabilities allow you to collaborate with classmates or coworkers.

Main limitations

• No cloud sync or exporting on the free plan creates some risk for those who don’t want to upgrade.
• Free version lacks some of the main features, including Shape Recognizer, full text search, the ability to add images, and more.
• Doesn’t allow for simultaneous editing, so you can’t collaborate in real time.
• Doesn’t support iPhone, so you have to download the companion app  and export your flashcards for studying on the go.

Important details

• Pricing: Free; $14.99 for Cardflow+.
• Reviews:  Cardflow is currently rated 4.6 out of 5 stars on the App Store with 2,600+ reviews.
• Platform:  Mac, iPad.
• Links: Download Cardflow  | Download Cardflow+  | View website .

#caption#Image: SmartCards+ / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike

#alt#Image of a list of flashcards in SmartCards+

Spaced Repetition SmartCards+

Need a simple and user-friendly flashcard app?

Say hello to Spaced Repetition SmartCards+, a minimalist flashcard app that uses spaced repetition to help you review and memorize concepts.

With this app, you can effortlessly craft personalized flashcards, and you can even incorporate images, audio, and text, making it easy to collect any information you need.

While SmartCards+ doesn’t offer any premade flashcard decks, like some of the other apps, you can import cards from Anki and Quizlet or paste in formatted text from other apps.

As a no-frills, simple app, you won’t find a lot of customization options, but you’re still able to assign each deck a color and an image.  

SmartCards+ helps you study in multiple ways. The app uses a sophisticated algorithm to create suggested review sessions for your decks or you can set up your own custom review sessions based on your needs.

#caption#SmartCards+ offers suggested cards for review. You can also create custom reviews to better suit your needs. (Image: SmartCards+ / Screenshots by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike)

#alt#Side-by-side images of SmartCards+’s suggested review and custom review sections. 

The beauty of this app is that it offers all the strength and flexibility you’ll see in apps like Anki (featured below) but with a more streamlined and user-friendly interface.

It even offers Smart Keyboard Switching, designed to enhance your language learning.

If all you need to do is study flashcards, this app is more than worth the price.

Plus, the app tracks your progress for each deck with beautiful charts and statistics, allowing you to view the total cards learned, your recall rate, review time, and your review schedule.

And the fun doesn’t stop there.  Dynamic App Design , the developer, also offers both an Apple Watch and an iPhone app so you can sync your cards across multiple devices and take them with you everywhere you go.

• User-friendly UI makes it easy to get started quickly and keeps you focused.
• Progress tracker  lets you know how you’re doing.
• Smart Keyboard Switching to improve language learning.
• iCloud syncing and backup makes it easy to study from your Apple Watch, iPhone, or iPad.  
• Lacking customization features that would make it easier to navigate and use.
• No premade flashcard decks, so you’ll have to create your own.
• Daily review limit on the free version means that you won’t be able to study as much as you want.
• Pricing: Free; $9.99/year or $29.99/lifetime for Premium.
• Reviews:  Spaced Repetition SmartCards+ is currently rated 4.6 out of 5 stars on the App Store with 2,100+ reviews.
• Platform:  iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch.
• Links: Download app  | View website .

#caption#Image: AnkiApp / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike

#alt#An image of the AnkiApp user interface with a list of flashcard decks.

AnkiApp Flashcards

If you’re looking for one of the best flashcard apps, AnkiApp is a great option.

It offers a full-scope, media-rich experience that is difficult to ignore. The AnkiApp library offers a selection of 80+ million premade flashcards covering a variety of topics.

When it comes to creating your own cards, you can also use their handy templates or design a layout completely from scratch. (Note that some of these advanced features may only be available with Unlimited.)

#caption#Anki is simple to get going with a 3-step process: Get material, study, and see progress. (Image: AnkiApp)

#alt#A collection of screenshots showing the different learning styles available in Anki.

And when we say “media-rich experience,” we mean it. Anki supports images, audio, and video with no problems. It can even handle massive flashcard decks (100,000+ cards) with relative ease.

Anki doesn’t just help you create flashcards, either.

It also tracks your progress and shows you the results so that you can see how much you’ve improved. Additionally, the app learns which cards you haven’t yet mastered and shows them to you with greater frequency until you get them right. This can save you time as it targets your trouble spots while studying.

To top it all off, AnkiApp is widely available. You can get it for your Mac, iPad, iPhone, or download the Windows or Android app. Plus, you can use the Windows app to add it to a Microsoft Surface and sync your account to your iPad or your iPhone for a truly cross-platform experience (Unlimited plan only).

• Media-rich experience, allowing you to add images, audio, and even video in your cards.
• Thousands of premade flashcard decks make it easy to start studying right away.
• Advanced customization allows you to create your own card layouts or use a built-in template.
• Cross-platform compatible, so you can create cards or study on any of your devices.
• UI is complex, creating a steeper learning curve for new users.
• Limited number of daily reviews on the free version, which means you might not be able to study as much as you’d like.
• No syncing or backup on the free version, so you won’t really be able to use multiple devices without an upgrade.
• Pricing: Free; $24.99/year or $48.99/lifetime for Unlimited through in-app purchases.
• Reviews:  AnkiApp is currently rated 4.7 out of 5 stars on the App Store with 15,000+ reviews.
• Platform:  Mac, iOS, Android, Windows.

#caption#Image: Quizlet / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike

#alt#An image of the Quizlet app interface.

Quizlet describes itself as a flashcard-based learning tool designed to help improve memory, retention, and knowledge.

Specifically designed for students and teachers, the app covers a wide variety of educational subjects.

The app cycles all learners between four key modes: Flashcard, Learn, Test, and Match:

• Flashcard sets you up to review terms and definitions by flipping through flashcards.
• Learn  mixes it up with true/false, multiple choice, and written questions to help you fully comprehend the material.
• Test  involves a knowledge challenge in any format you choose. You can use multiple formats or stick to the one that you like best, then set a timer to test yourself.
• Match  is a game-based format where you are timed while matching definitions with answers.

This collection of techniques trains your brain to be better prepared when studying for tests and exams. Many subjects are also equipped with learning aids, like the integrated audio feature, which helps you learn and pronounce more difficult terms and words when studying languages.

#caption#Quizlet is divided into four key modes, and also includes an AI study partner. (Image: Quizlet / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike)

#alt#An app interface image showing the study modes available using Quizlet.

In addition to these study options, Quizlet comes equipped with new AI-powered features, like Magic Notes, which transforms your notes into flashcards and other study materials, and G-Chat, which acts as an AI tutor.

Plus, this app has even more new features in the works that are really going to help kickstart your learning.

And, of course, you can share your study sets. While this is useful for students and classmates, the real power of this functionality materializes when a teacher gets involved. Using Quizlet, teachers can make one massive study guide for the whole class.

Overall, Quizlet is one of the best options out there for students and teachers across the board. It’s a top-notch study app that takes the power of flashcards and digitizes them for maximum results in the classroom.

• Wide range of study tools, including flashcards, games, and quizzes that help make learning fun and easy.
• Over 700 million premade flashcards, offering plenty of resources and learning opportunities.
• Intuitive interface makes it more user-friendly, so you can get started on your learning right away.
• Magic Notes can take your own notes or even the textbook and create study materials and flashcards for you, saving you a ton of time and effort.
• Doesn’t support audio, which means flashcards are limited to text and images.
• Fewer customization options, so you may not be able to tailor your study experience as much as you can with other apps like Anki.
• Quizlet's spaced repetition algorithm isn’t quite as good  as some of the others.
• Pricing: Free (ads); $35.99/year for Quizlet Plus.
• Reviews:  Quizlet is currently rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on the App Store with 731,000+ reviews.
• Platform:  iOS, Android, web.

#caption#Image: Brainscape / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike

#alt#An image of the Brainscape app interface.

Brainscape - Smart Flashcards

In the realm of flashcard apps, Brainscape stands out as a game-changer.

This isn't just another app; it's a meticulously crafted learning system grounded in decades of solid, cognitive science research.

Brainscape claims that their method can help you not only study faster, but also retain knowledge longer.

And that’s not just marketing talk. They created a white paper  with research to back it up!

Essentially, this app makes use of  spaced training  and  repeated retrieval  as it tries to optimize the rest intervals between learning difficult concepts.

#caption#Using Brainscape, you’ll be able to review your progress and self-assess as you try to gain mastery in specific subjects. (Brainscape / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike)

#alt#An image demonstrating Brainscape’s scoring and checkpoint system.

Much like AnkiApp (featured above), Brainscape is designed to create a feature-rich environment for flashcard-based studying. You can create custom flashcards or browse the extensive database for cards made by other users.

As you study, Brainscape’s software helps you tackle your weakest areas by repeating the cards you're struggling with at more frequent intervals.

The app doesn’t throw you into a new method of studying headfirst, though. When you start, Brainscape will ask you to rate how well you know each concept on a scale of one to five.

After that, Brainscape determines when it’s the right time to re-quiz you until you have mastered all the terms. Each time you finish a study session, you’ll receive a checkpoint that shows your progress and your current mastery level of the topic.

Similar to other apps on our list, you can also organize your flashcards into decks, add images, audio, and video, and collaborate.

• Ability to study multiple decks at once, making use of interleaving practice methods .
• Advanced organization, allowing you to create classes to organize your decks by topic.
• Thousands of premade decks organized into classes, so you don’t have to build your own.
• User-friendly interface makes the app super easy to use and navigate.
• Daily study limit on free version makes it difficult to study as much as you might like.
• Images, audio, and video are only available with Pro, so you’ll have to make do with plain text on the free plan.
• Limited premade decks on the free version means you’ll likely need to make your own to study effectively.
• Images can get truncated, especially on the app (as compared to the desktop versions).
• Pricing: Free; $19.99/month, $59.99/semi-annually, $95.99/year, or $199.99/lifetime for Pro.
• Reviews:  Brainscape is currently rated 4.7 out of 5 stars on the App Store with 14,200+ reviews.
• Platform:  iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, web.

#caption#Image: Flash Cards Flashcards Maker / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike

#alt#Image of the user interface for Flash Cards Flashcards Maker.

Flash Cards Flashcards Maker

If you’re looking to make flashcards fast, then Flash Cards Flashcards Maker might be the app for you.

The UI is one of the most intuitive, so creating and studying your flashcards is extremely quick and easy.

When you tap the + to start a new deck, you’ll immediately be taken to the front of your first card.

The tool bar at the top of your keyboard offers formatting options, like headings, bold, italics, and bullets. (Some of these features are only available with the Pro plan.) At the far right, you’ll see the icon to flip the card to the back.

And it’s as easy as that!

#caption#Flashcards Maker’s cards are simple and easy to create. (Image: Flash Cards Flashcards Maker / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike)

#alt#Image of a flashcard about Aphrodite from a Greek Gods & Goddesses deck in the Flash Cards Flashcards Maker app.

Flashcards Maker also allows you to change the background color of your cards and add images (Pro only), to enhance your learning experience.

You can choose to study the cards in order, or change the settings to shuffle the cards to mix them up. Once you think you’ve mastered a card, you can mark it as completed and it will disappear from the deck. (Don’t worry, you can reset it once you’ve completed the whole deck.)

Your decks automatically backup to iCloud and sync across all your Apple devices. You can also easily share your decks with classmates, coworkers, and others via email or Airdrop.

• User-friendly interface makes it quick and easy to get started.
• Plenty of formatting options, allowing you to create cards in the way that makes the most sense to you.
• Automatic iCloud backup and syncing, so you can access your cards from any of your Apple devices.
• Varying upgrades, so you can choose exactly what you need.
• Ads in the free version make it super annoying to study.
• Limited decks in the free version, so you can only create five without upgrading.
• Naming your decks is a pain because it automatically names them Deck Name (#) and you have to go back in to edit and change it later.
• You can only import CSV files, making it more difficult to import decks from other apps.
• Pricing: Free; $0.99/month, $6.99/year, or $39.99/lifetime for Pro.
• Reviews:  Flash Cards Flashcards Maker is currently rated 4.5 out of 5 stars on the App Store with 11,800+ reviews.
• Platform:  iOS, Mac.
• Links: Download app .

#caption#Image: Flashcards with Cram / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike

#alt#Image of the user interface for the Flashcards with Cram app.

Flashcards with Cram

Flashcards with Cram is a completely free app that’s very simple and easy to use.

Creating your own flashcard deck is a breeze. When you tap the + icon, you’ll be taken to a screen where you can enter the title, subject, and a description of the set. You’ll also get to decide whether you’d prefer your deck to be public or private, and choose the language for each side of the card.

One of the most unique aspects of this app is that you can also add a Hint  to your card, which can be pretty useful. When you’re studying cards and you don’t know an answer, you can tap the bottom right corner of the card (tap anywhere else to flip to the answer) and you’ll see the hint.

With Cram, you can choose from four different study modes:

• Card Set allows you to see both sides of the cards at once and scroll through the whole set so you can study quickly.
• Memorize is your typical flashcard system. You’ll see the front of the card and tap it to see the back. You can also mark if you got the answer correct or not.
• Cram is similar to the Memorize mode, but it uses spaced repetition to help you really master the content.
• Games can make learning fun and, in this mode, you can choose from “Jewels of Wisdom” or “Stellar Speller.”

Both Memorize and Cram modes feel the most useful, and the simplistic flashcards are perfect for quickly memorizing material.

#caption#Click the checkmark if you know the card or the X if you don’t. Cram will repeat the cards that you miss until you’ve checked them all. (Image: Flashcards with Cram / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike)

#alt#Image of a flashcard that says, “Valley of the Kings,” in the Cram app.

You’ll find over 200 million premade decks to choose from, covering a wide range of topics.

Unfortunately, you can really only search for decks on the desktop version. The good news? Once you find a set you like, you can download it to your account and it will appear on your mobile device.

You can even create folders and mark sets as your favorites for better organization in the app.

While it’s probably best for users who have both a desktop and mobile device, the tablet app still lets you study when you’re on the go.

• Allows you to add a Hint to your cards, which can help jog your memory without having to look at the answer.
• Syncs between devices using your Cram account, so you can study from your desktop or mobile devices.
• Four different modes allow you to study in the way that works best for you.
• Completely free to use, so you don’t have to spend any money to learn your content.
• Very basic app that wasn’t really designed for the iPad, so it doesn’t fit the screen well and some modes don’t work well.
• Lacking any kind of customization, so your cards are pretty plain.
• No access to premade flashcards from the app, so you’ll have to make your own flashcard decks or get on the web version to download premade sets ahead of time.
• Pricing: Free!
• Reviews:  Cram is currently rated 4.2 out of 5 stars on the App Store with 1,200+ reviews.
• Links: View website .

#caption#The portability of the iPad allows you to study anywhere, anytime. (Image: ODISSEI  on   Unsplash )

#alt#Image of a woman sitting on a bench looking at an iPad.

Other cool apps

Even though we’ve been specifically covering index card or flashcard apps, there are plenty of other cool apps to consider that can help you study more effectively.

These apps may have a different primary function, but they all offer flashcards as one of their extra features.

• Goodnotes . If you’re an avid notetaker, you’ve probably already heard of Goodnotes . This is one of the top digital notetaking apps, and it has a built-in flashcard maker. These are called Study Sets, and the app uses spaced repetition to help you learn and master your flashcards. If you’re looking for an all-in-one notetaking and study tool, Goodnotes is the perfect choice.
• MarginNote 3 . This app is a research tool that allows you to read, parse, and annotate PDFs and other documents. MarginNote 3  utilizes a split screen, allowing you to take notes and create mind maps alongside your document. You can then create flashcards from your excerpts and annotations to better study the material.
• Chegg Study - Homework Helper . While you’ll find thousands of premade flashcard decks in Chegg Study, this app has a whole lot more to offer. It also features 24/7 homework help. Just snap a photo of your assignment and you’ll receive expert help. You can also get step-by-step assistance to learn new concepts and you can even take practice tests to help you ace your exams.
• Vaia: Study helper & AI tools . Billed as an all-in-one learning app, Vaia allows you to add documents, take notes, and create flashcards. With millions of premade Study Sets that include explanations, FAQs, and flashcards on a wide range of topics, you’ll be able to quickly and efficiently study for any exam.

Tidy up your digital note cards with Paperlike!

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It’s hard to write neatly and comfortably when your Apple Pencil is sliding all over the screen!

That’s where Paperlike comes in.

Designed to mimic the natural resistance of real paper, our screen protector offers extra friction so that you can make quick, precise strokes every time you need to jot something down.

Pick up a Paperlike today  and change the way you take notes.

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“ Amanote allows me to take notes on slides in an intuitive way that really helps me as a visual learner. It has made my note-taking and revision so much more efficient. ” const t="undefined"!=typeof HTMLImageElement&&"loading"in HTMLImageElement.prototype;if(t){const t=document.querySelectorAll("img[data-main-image]");for(let e of t){e.dataset.src&&(e.setAttribute("src",e.dataset.src),e.removeAttribute("data-src")),e.dataset.srcset&&(e.setAttribute("srcset",e.dataset.srcset),e.removeAttribute("data-srcset"));const t=e.parentNode.querySelectorAll("source[data-srcset]");for(let e of t)e.setAttribute("srcset",e.dataset.srcset),e.removeAttribute("data-srcset");e.complete&&(e.style.opacity=1,e.parentNode.parentNode.querySelector("[data-placeholder-image]").style.opacity=0)}} Polly Hooton University of Cambridge

“ Amanote enables me to take lecture notes much more effectively. I love how it combines the speed of taking notes on the computer with the convenience of being able to annotate lecture slides directly, and studying Econometrics, the easy to use math mode is extremely useful for me. ” const t="undefined"!=typeof HTMLImageElement&&"loading"in HTMLImageElement.prototype;if(t){const t=document.querySelectorAll("img[data-main-image]");for(let e of t){e.dataset.src&&(e.setAttribute("src",e.dataset.src),e.removeAttribute("data-src")),e.dataset.srcset&&(e.setAttribute("srcset",e.dataset.srcset),e.removeAttribute("data-srcset"));const t=e.parentNode.querySelectorAll("source[data-srcset]");for(let e of t)e.setAttribute("srcset",e.dataset.srcset),e.removeAttribute("data-srcset");e.complete&&(e.style.opacity=1,e.parentNode.parentNode.querySelector("[data-placeholder-image]").style.opacity=0)}} Anton Grahed London School of Economics (Graduated 🎓)

“ Being obsessed with taking meticulous notes, Amanote really was a game changer for me. I also love that I could take notes on each individual slide and annotate it as I went so when I was studying later I always knew what notes lined up to each part of the slide. ” const t="undefined"!=typeof HTMLImageElement&&"loading"in HTMLImageElement.prototype;if(t){const t=document.querySelectorAll("img[data-main-image]");for(let e of t){e.dataset.src&&(e.setAttribute("src",e.dataset.src),e.removeAttribute("data-src")),e.dataset.srcset&&(e.setAttribute("srcset",e.dataset.srcset),e.removeAttribute("data-srcset"));const t=e.parentNode.querySelectorAll("source[data-srcset]");for(let e of t)e.setAttribute("srcset",e.dataset.srcset),e.removeAttribute("data-srcset");e.complete&&(e.style.opacity=1,e.parentNode.parentNode.querySelector("[data-placeholder-image]").style.opacity=0)}} Georgia Tippett University of Auckland

“ Being able to see my slides, notes and all of the annotations tailored to my liking make it easier to study! Other note-taking apps do only the half of the things that Amanote can accomplish. ” const t="undefined"!=typeof HTMLImageElement&&"loading"in HTMLImageElement.prototype;if(t){const t=document.querySelectorAll("img[data-main-image]");for(let e of t){e.dataset.src&&(e.setAttribute("src",e.dataset.src),e.removeAttribute("data-src")),e.dataset.srcset&&(e.setAttribute("srcset",e.dataset.srcset),e.removeAttribute("data-srcset"));const t=e.parentNode.querySelectorAll("source[data-srcset]");for(let e of t)e.setAttribute("srcset",e.dataset.srcset),e.removeAttribute("data-srcset");e.complete&&(e.style.opacity=1,e.parentNode.parentNode.querySelector("[data-placeholder-image]").style.opacity=0)}} Daysi Franco Emerson College

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8 Free Apps To Organize Your Presentation Content

So, you’re preparing for a presentation. And you feel like you’re all over the place. You’ve scribbled some notes on paper, typed some on your computer, and dictated a few lines on your phone’s voice recorder. You’re too busy and haven’t really had time to sift through and organize your presentation content yet. And now, the big day is coming up. What do you do? Well, stay tuned because in this article, I’m going to share with you 8 of the best apps you can use to help you prepare your presentation content.

The best apps for content organization

Ideas can come from anywhere. And it’s important to capture and write down those ideas as soon as possible. Otherwise, you risk forgetting it in the next 5 minutes. Having a handy note-taking app with you all the time is therefore essential. And while you have a ton of notes apps to choose from, I personally think the best ones are those that work on multiple platforms and/or automatically sync between your favorite devices.

For example, if you’re invested in the Apple ecosystem, then an app that syncs your notes on your iPhone to your Mac is great. Likewise, if you’re on Android, then an Android app that syncs with your laptop or desktop computer is the best for your particular use case.

That said, here are the best note-taking and content organization apps (in no particular order):

#1 – Microsoft OneNote

(Price: Free | Available on: Windows, Mac, Web, iOS, Android)

Microsoft OneNote is, quite literally, a digital notebook. It functions like a normal notebook. You can add sections, you can add pages, you can write or draw anywhere on the page (just like in a real notebook). You can insert an audio recording as well which is great if you’re driving – or just feeling lazy.

And the good thing is you’re not limited to a single notebook – you can add as many notebooks as you like. This is why students use OneNote in school. They can add a notebook for each subject they study. So, they’ll have a notebook for Math, another for Biology, Literature, Physics, etc.

As a presenter, you can pretty much use OneNote the same way. For instance, if you have a few presentations coming up, you can create a notebook for each presentation. Then for each notebook, you can add sections. Say, for instance, your sections will be: Introduction, Main Body, Conclusion.

For each section, you can add pages that pertain to that section. So, in the Introduction section, you can click on the +Page button to add a new page. Then you can start writing down your ideas for your presentation’s introduction. You can clip images from the web, save news articles, take screenshots, and so much more!

Your OneNote data is saved in the cloud, in OneDrive specifically. You can create a free Microsoft account which automatically gives you 5GB of cloud storage. If all you save on OneDrive are your OneNote files, then 5GB will be more than enough for your needs. If you find yourself running out of space, you can always upgrade your OneDrive plan or get an Office 365 subscription.

As you can imagine, this app is pretty powerful. Sign in to your Microsoft account on devices where you’ll be using OneNote, so your data automatically syncs up. You can always pick up where you left off no matter which device you’re currently using!

#2 – Trello

(Price: Free | Available on: Web, iOS, Android)

Trello’s Public Board on Blog Post Ideas ( Source )

If you’ve ever used a Kanban board before, then you’ll feel right at home with Trello . As you can see on the screenshot above, Trello is one of the best tools you can use to help you organize your presentation content. It uses a combination of columns, cards, and lists to keep your content structured. You can also freely move your cards from one column to another.

First off, you create your very own board. And then you create your lists. For presentations, your lists could be Introduction, Body, Conclusion. Or it could be Topic A, Topic B, Topic C, and so on. Then the last column could be something like Done or Finished. Your goal is to move all the cards over to the Done column to indicate you’ve finished the research for your presentation.

Under each list, you can add your cards. For example, for the Topic A list, you could create cards for subtopic A1, subtopic A2, and subtopic A3. You can add notes, attachments, labels, etc. to all of your cards. Once you’ve done your research and added those subtopics to your speech or presentation slides, you can then move the cards to the Done or Finished column.

Trello is not only great for taking down notes and organizing it for your presentation. It also doubles as a powerful task manager as you do need to take action to move your cards to the Done column!

If you’re looking for a service that connects your favorite apps together, then you really need to check out IFTTT . It stands for If This, Then That . All you need is a free account to get started. And you can create an applet (or IFTTT recipe) for your specific needs or you can use other peoples’ – there are literally millions of applets to choose from!

Connecting apps and devices to IFTTT is quite straightforward, but if it’s your first time, it can be confusing. Check out this tutorial to help you set up your IFTTT recipes:

So, here are some recipes I found which you can use during your research process or while you’re preparing your presentation content:

• Save your handwritten notes to OneNote – creative ideas can strike anytime. If you find yourself scribbling something on toilet paper or the back of a receipt, then you should activate this applet in your IFTTT account. You’d need to connect a Camera widget for this recipe to work though. But once it’s connected, you can start taking photos of your handwritten notes and it will automatically get saved to OneNote.
• Create a note by telling it to Google Assistant – this recipe connects Google Assistant with Evernote. You can configure a phrase which will activate the recipe. Just say “Hey Google” and your key phrase, and your message will appear as a note in Evernote! I daresay this is one of the coolest ways to organize your presentation content!
• Send your iPhone screenshots to OneNote – make sure you save your screenshots to the Photos app on your iPhone. You can also specify the OneNote notebook where screenshots will be saved.
• Reminders from Google – use this applet to ask Google to remind you of something. You’ll then get a notification on your phone. Plus, you’ll even have the reminder added to your to-do list.
• Transcribe voicemail to Evernote – this is a pretty cool applet in that you can simply record an audio message (voicemail) and Evernote will automatically transcribe the message for you. You’ll also get a link to the original audio file. Note, however, that only US numbers are supported at this time.
• Get alerts when your company or name is mentioned on Reddit – Reddit is nicknamed the ‘front page of the Internet’ and is one of the most visited sites on the web. So, this applet is especially useful if you’re doing research about a specific topic and you want all the latest information about it. The good thing is you’re not limited to getting alerts for a company name or your name, you can set an alert for anything you like, really!
• Note to self – this works similarly to the recipe above, but the difference is that instead of sending the transcript to Evernote, it’s going to get sent to Gmail. Additionally, the audio recording will also be sent as an mp3 attachment. And yes, you’d also need a US number for this applet to work.

Feel free to explore the IFTTT platform. There are more than 600 services you can connect together and tailor according to your workflow!

#4 – MindMeister

Mind mapping is a great technique for planning, capturing and organizing ideas. And one of the most popular mind mapping tools today is MindMeister . During brainstorming sessions (personal or group), you’ll find MindMeister to be a powerful tool in your arsenal.

You can start your mind map from scratch or you can use one of their free templates. You can start with a seed idea, such as your presentation’s topic. Then you can branch out and add sub-topics and ideas. You can go as broad or as narrow as you’d like on a specific topic. You can also draw relationships between various variables.

When you feel like you’ve run out of ideas, you can always go back to your mind map later on. And you’ll realize that just by getting some rest and looking at your existing mind map with fresh eyes, you’ll get a fresh burst of inspiration. The good news is you can quickly squeeze in those new ideas to your mind map – MindMeister is intuitive like that.

Plus, you can do a presentation directly from MindMeister which means you don’t need to download and then add to PowerPoint ! There’s a slideshow button on the bottom left corner which allows you to quickly share your screen with an audience.

The only downside to MindMeister’s free plan is that you can only create 3 mind maps. If you need to create more, the personal plan will set you back $4.99/mo.

#5 – Google Docs

Just like OneNote and Evernote, Google Docs is great at helping you create and organize your ideas. It’s also platform-agnostic which means that you can access your files anywhere with an Internet connection. You just need to login to your Google account and all your data automatically gets synced. Plus, you need not worry about downloading the latest version (unlike other document apps) because Google does all of that for you in the background.

I included Google Docs in this list because its collaboration features are second to none. Even if you’re doing a solo presentation, Google Docs will still be useful (I especially like the voice typing feature to take down quick notes while on the go). However, it will truly shine if you’re working with others.

For example, if you have a team helping you with your research, then you can send them an invite to view or edit the document. Then watch in amazement as you see them edit the document in real time. You’ll see what they’re doing on your screen and you can even start a conversation by adding comments on the doc!

I also like the fact that you can go back to an earlier version anytime you like. This means if you’re not happy with the current round of edits (whether it be yourself or your colleagues), you can always undo and roll back the changes.

Lastly, it’s Google. I know some people have trust issues with Google. But if you can look beyond that, I think Google Docs is really great at helping its users organize their presentation content. Or, any kind of content for that matter. So, give it a try today!

#6 – Dynalist

(Price: Free | Available on: PC, Mac, Linux, Web, iOS, Android)

Dynalist is not just another outliner or to-do list app, I personally find it to be one of the best apps you can use to organize your presentation content. It’s a checklist, outliner and organizer – all in one simple but powerful app! The user interface is pretty straightforward, but can be confusing to newbies. But try playing around with their Live Demo page (like you see on the screenshot above), and you’ll likely get the hang of it in just a few minutes.

If you’re a fan of markdown formatting, you’ll feel right at home with Dynalist. Otherwise, you can check out all the formatting and keyboard shortcuts on the right-hand side panel. I highly recommend getting familiar with markdown because it can seriously speed up your productivity.

You can use OneNote, Evernote or Google Docs to create outlines. But doing so can be tedious. Moving around and re-arranging items while you plan the presentation’s flow isn’t going to be an intuitive experience. But with Dynalist, you can do all these – and more – in a split second!

And what I really like about Dynalist is that its free plan is very generous. You can add an unlimited number of items and documents, and quickly move items across your lists. You can add notes, images, tags, codes and hyperlinks to your list. With a single click you can convert your list into checklists. You can add up to 5 bookmarks which can come in handy when dealing with a huge list.

The pro version (from $7.99/mo) is a worthy upgrade too. You can attach files to your documents, view version history, sync dates on your list with Google Calendar, view your outline as a mind map, and so much more! Check out this link for Dynalist’s full feature list.

#7 – Evernote

(Price: Starts from free|Available on: Windows, Mac, Web, iOS, Android)

Evernote does pretty much most of the same things that OneNote can do. You can add notebooks, pages, audio notes, web clippings, you can draw and add photos to your notes. But what’s really cool about Evernote is that they have free templates which you can use to help speed up your note-taking workflow.

As of this writing, they have 54 templates available on their site. They have templates for getting things done, meetings , project management, marketing and sales, management resources, personal well-being, and more. So, instead of writing all your notes from scratch, you can use their templates and speed up your workflow.

While all these is great, the downside is that your free account is limited to a 60MB monthly upload limit. And the maximum note size is only 25MB. This is kind of a bummer, if you ask me.

If you want to experience the full power of Evernote, you’d need to upgrade to the premium plan which can set you back $7.99 a month. The good news is you’d now be able to upload up to 10GB/mo and your note size increases to 200MB. If you can spare the cash, I think Evernote Premium is a worthy upgrade.

#8 – Milanote (Price: Starts from free | Available on: Web, Mac, iPhone)

Last, but definitely not least, on this list is Milanote . It’s a powerful app that combines the features of several apps I’ve shared in this article. It’s great for taking down notes, completing to-do lists, and organizing your ideas into mind maps and visual boards. But the good thing is you’re not limited to using text. You can clip images from the web or you can drag straight from your desktop.

Unlike Trello’s boards, Milanote’s boards are non-linear. This means you can move them around the canvas, so if want to insert a column of notes or images in between two boards, you can do so. You have the freedom to move your assets anywhere on the (infinite) canvas. This is great for helping you get a bird’s-eye view of your presentation or project, so you can identify the areas you need to focus on next.

You’ve also got plenty of layouts to choose from which is great if you’re just getting started and you feel a bit overwhelmed with all your choices. The point is that there’s an infinite number of ways you can build your presentation content with this tool. The sky is literally the limit! And with the use of the Milanote web clipper, you can collect text, links, images and videos, and add these to your boards!

For casual presenters, the free plan should suffice, but you’re limited to 100 notes, images or links. The pro account gives you a lot more flexibility (unlimited everything!) for only $9.99/mo (billed annually).

Why planning and organizing your content matters

Now that you know what the best apps to help you organize your presentation content are, you should also know why it even matters in the first place. Here are 5 reasons why:

• You want your content to be in line with your presentation goal

Obviously, this means you need to identify your presentation goal or objective first. Without a goal in sight, it would be next to impossible to successfully organize your content. Your goal will help you streamline your content – what should be included and what should be discarded.

• You want your content to flow from one point to the next

A disorganized and poorly planned presentation wastes everybody’s time. You want to go from point A to point B to point C. You don’t want to go from point D to A to X to B. You’d leave a lot of people confused.

For instance, you can start with the general topic, then you can go further into its sub-topics. Paint the general picture, so to speak, and then cover more specific topics. This is the order people are used to, and it’s the quickest way for everyone to process information.

• You want to give value to your audience

The best speakers are those who give value to their audience. People are listening to you because they want to gain new knowledge from you. Even if you’re rehashing an often-talked-about topic, you can still give them new nuggets of information. Give them a new angle or a new perspective. This will take some work, but you can do this if you plan and organize your content properly.

• You want to maximize your productivity

You’re probably juggling a lot of things in your life right now. You’ve got your presentation, your regular work tasks, your family and kids, etc. Knowing how to manage your time is absolutely key if you want to have a successful presentation.

Carefully planning and organizing your content will help you maximize productivity because you’d be more likely to focus on what you need to do. You’re likely to be less distracted if you know you’ve got a deadline coming up. Of course, self-discipline plays a role here too. But if you train yourself to carry out what’s on your daily checklist, then you’d be more likely to succeed.

• You don’t want to waste people’s time

One of the unwanted effects of a disorganized presentation is that your audience’s time is ultimately wasted. They’re listening to you because they want to learn something from you. But if they take nothing away from you at the end of your presentation, then they’re probably better off doing something else in the first place!

So, organize your content in such a way that people actually learn something from you. Make your content easy enough to understand. Show them you value their time and their participation.

Ready to organize your presentation content?

Don’t underestimate the power of knowing how to organize your presentation content. The free apps I’ve listed in this article should get you off to a good start. Preparing and structuring the content that goes into your presentation will ultimately help you succeed as a presenter!

You might also find this interesting: Get Your Presentation Done: 15 Tips To Maximize Productivity

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CREATE, ORGANIZE, SHARE & PRINT INDEX CARDS, FLASHCARDS, AND NOTECARDS ON ANY DEVICE

• Dec 16, 2021

5 Index Card Apps for iPad - that also work on Mac, Windows & Android

Updated: Feb 2, 2022

Top 5 Cross Platform Index Card Apps

We review the top five index card apps that work on all devices (not just iphone/mac) - NoteDex, Evernote, Scrivener, Zotero and OneNote - and give you the reasons why you might want to use one of them to make and organize your digital note cards.

Index Cards are really amazing and make it easy when you have dense data to organize in bite-sized pieces. Its use stretches back decades in many ways - as long as everyone studying to write for exams and writing the screenplay. Index cards have been the go-to tools for taking notes during exams. This could be useful to you too!

You can use your computer to hold all your note cards, without having to carry an index card for real ever again. It's possible to download a mobile app on iOS devices and Android phones. How can I use index cards on iOS with my iPad? It is an important question, and we will show you in this article the best index card apps for iPad that are also cross platform - able to be used on all platforms, including the web.

Are there Index Card apps?

Index Cards have the ability to be portable, inspire, and be displayed on a wall. They enable you to capture thoughts, create unique concepts, sketch diagrams and even write notes. Digital Note Card apps replace paper note cards as an effective way to organize your files.

Using an app allows you to get full use of the idea of paper index cards but with less effort and wastepaper (avoid that forest pulping guilt!), allowing flexibility when needed. Digital Index Cards can be used to create flashcards for studying and so much more. That's why we love index cards (and paper ones!).

Digital Index Note Cards

These apps come in a variety of forms, some try to simulate a corkboard writing app, some help you manage entire projects, and others some help you to take detailed notes. In addition, many allow you to insert photos, tag cards and arrange on a wide canvas like a large board. They are great for capturing ideas, for brainstorming, for writers to outline a story, for students to learn, and for projects to organize information.

Not all Index Card apps however are created equal, some only are iPad apps and not all are free. Some have more features than others, and not all work on all computer platforms - important if you want to share digital index cards with your friends and colleagues, or end up switching from an iPad to say a Microsoft Surface tablet device. Here's a quick summary of 5 apps that we found which are truly cross-platform.

Our definition of cross-platform means you can sync and share data on any device on any of the major platforms seamlessly - Mac, iOS, Windows, Android and on the Web (e.g. for Chrome or other users) and which are available on their respective app store.

5 Index Card App Contenders

Microsoft onenote.

Microsoft OneNote allows researchers to share their work processes with colleagues. All of those applications are easily installed and integrated with Microsoft's Office software, and operate with an Apple stylus. The app also allows you to develop your own NoteCards for note taking and To-Do Lists. In order for OneNote to work best you need a subscription to Outlook365. The program supports collaboration with Microsoft OneDrive. There is an iPhone app, and iPad app and desktop apps and web.

Being part of the Microsoft suite it will naturally be one of the tools you use when managing entire projects and to type detailed notes and change font style or font size. There is a $99 /yr fee for the Office365 subscription. Unfortunately, while you can create a note on OneNote, it does not offer the ability to 'flip' the page to see the back, like other Index Card apps in this article, so it's not a perfect digital note cards app.

Index Card App rating: 7/10

Zotero is a freely-available software that has no cost to the user of its resources. You can create a digital note board where one can search or collect resources. During study you can save notes for later searches if you want information quickly. This is an iOS app with Syncability feature that gives the users a seamless integration across smartphones, tablets and computers.

Zotero had been selected due to its unique intuitive nature and its usefulness as a writing app support tool and its popularity with academic researcher community for creating research paper biliographies. Like OneNote, it is a nice tool to capture information but is only one-sided and not a true Index Card app.

Index Card App rating: 5/10

Scrivener organizes digital note cards on one screen simulating a corkboard writing app. It enjoys many users such as the famous authors in the film industry as well as many university professors. The software is offered to both Macs and PCs with an iPhone app also. This app's price ranges from $40 to $99.99 for an iPad device. Unfortunately, it is not available on Android or Web.

Index Card App rating: 6/10

Evernote is a powerful app that helps you get things done. It's the place for notes, ideas, to-do lists and project planning across all of your devices. Evernote syncs everything automatically across all devices, such as their iPhone app. It’s an app that can always be with you when inspiration strikes or when you need something on the go. Evernote is a great tool for note taking and can also be used for planning projects.

Evernote also offers premium features like offline notebooks for mobile users and PDF annotation tools that help make sure important details can be captured plus web clipping services. However, it's not really a digital note cards app in the true sense and people that use it often export data to other apps or use plug-ins to make use as flash cards. Price varies from Free to $9.99/m and more.

Index Card App rating 5/10

NoteDex is a relatively new Index Card app, less than a year old, but comes from the makers of the #1 Index Cards for Windows software and is a surprisingly powerful tool. NoteDex as a digital note cards app is truly cross-platform - available to be used on all devices. It features a true 'Index Card' look and feel - and you can flip both from front to back, as well as organize your digital index cards into virtual card stacks - ideal for flash cards.

There are many organizing and productivity features, including the ability to share a card or a whole stack of cards on the web. You can also see high quality digital previews of each card like a virtual corkboard writing app.

NoteDex is priced at $19.99/yr or $49.99 for lifetime access. Plus, if you buy within the 7 Day Free Trial you can get the app at 50% off - only $9.99/$24.99.

NoteDex is a great project management tool to help in planning entire projects - by using one card for describing each task or stage in a phase of a project for instance. You can also type detailed notes and is great for note taking, as well as for brainstorming. It's also useful for an academic researcher to capture and organize notes.

The digital note cards app supports text, ink, images and tables making it a very comprehensive Index Cards app, with the ability to change font style or font size for instance (e.g. Bold, Italic etc). As a result of its full cross platform support and true-to-life Index Card interface we rate NoteDex the highest. We only drop a point since we know the developers are working on some even further improvements including an amazing new index card feature to be able to import data from other platforms.

Index Card App rating: 9/10

A final word

There can be a huge quantity of internet research in your possession and a note cards system for keeping them organized easily will be helpful and a surprisingly powerful tool. Apps and digital tools help simplify this with easy-to-capture, organize and retrieve notes in a single place.

When looking at purchasing index card apps from an app store think of their use and the benefits - for example how critical to use as flash cards. Think about what you need in the app and select the app based on your needs. Many offer iPad apps, and some of which allow you to use the pen stylus. Some offer similar Android apps with support for tablet stylus.

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14 Best Note-Taking Apps for Students for 2024

28th Aug, 2024

Take better notes in class or bring ideas together in one base. These note-taking applications are perfect for students that need an all-round notes day-to-day.

A studio for your mind | A place to make sense of the world and create amazing things.

It's free. No credit card required.

Looking to be more productive in class with note-taking?

Students collect class notes, PDFs, presentations, ideas, research titles, and millions of links across a typical study day. That's enough to make your head explode if you're not using some app or system to bring that all into one location.

Many students have apps like Apple Notes, Google Keep , or maybe even notebooks, which are good but might not be able to provide the large-scale function our curated list of best student-focused note-taking apps can help with.

Leveling up your notes app in university or college is probably one of the best investments you can make during your studies. Let's explore the best apps for it!

What makes a good student note-taking app?

The best student note-taking apps are low-cost & tailored for study .

When we picked these tools, we ensured these attributes were reflected in the recommended note-taking apps. But why? Low-cost apps keep the bills down for students eager to invest in their future and on a student budget.

Tailored for study is essential, as many of the tools selected are chosen for their student-focused features, allowing you to study, manage flashcards, and maximize your time at college .

How we evaluate and test apps

Our team carefully vet all the apps and tools featured on this website, providing valuable insights into the best resources for your needs.

As you might expect, our site contains countless applications, but our team’s role is to find, categorize, and present the critical information you need to choose the right one for you and your team. Helping you match with the best resource is essential to us, and that’s why it’s a core principle of everything we do at Tool Finder .

For more information about our affiliate & how we make money, explore here .

Recommendation

RemNote is an advanced note-taking app popular with students for creating flashcards.

What is RemNote?

RemNote is a note-taking application popular with students who want to revise and study for exams. Its features include flashcards, PDF annotation, and bidirectional linking, which are standard in PKM apps .

RemNote is popular with students for their note-taking abilities and ability to create flashcards for deeper learning, but is it your next note-taking application? Let's see.

Why is RemNote a good note app for students?

RemNote is one of the best student note apps because it is, at the core, designed for students with flashcards, unlimited notes, and an app on all devices. Inside RemNote, you can instantly create a note and turn it into a flashcard.

RemNote also packs powerful PDF annotation (Pro feature) and connection to notes, meaning you can connect to any presentation or PDF your lecturer sends. This makes for an easy experience, but you can also annotate it to add more value. You get 3 PDF note annotations as part of your free plan on RemNote.

RemNote is best for more intense student note-takers and is excellent for structured note management. A little education is required, but this is the best of our list for all-around student note-taking management .

RemNote Pros

• Unlimited flashcards
• Easy-to-use features
• Can extend to PKM use for post-college
• Analytics for flashcards insights
• Way to add daily notes for journaling

RemNote Cons

• It can be expensive for a premium
• Many people might find it overwhelming

Tips for Being Productive in College

Here are some healthy and productive tips for college & university study:

• Establish goals in your personal, academic, and professional life
• Identify your most productive times for studying
• Maintain a healthy balance between work, study, and personal life
• Use calendar apps to block out specific study times
• Create a visual schedule that balances study time with daily activities

A beautifully-designed note-taking tool that was originally developed for students.

What is Supernotes App?

Supernotes is a note-taking app that allows you to easily create, share, and manage notes with your team. It is popular with students and the PKM note-taking community and has recently been featured in free AI note-taking apps .

Supernotes wants to be your base for notes by providing a new approach to note-taking with notecards, no more folders, and a better way to collaborate on notes on the go.

Why is the Supernote app a good student notes app?

Supernotes provide us with a firm base for your notes. It has grown on many people using things beyond student note-taking thanks to the clean, minimal nature of the app and the focus on notecards instead of constant folder organization. This makes it easier to connect notes using backlinks and to share notes with other students.

Collaborative notes are one of the gem features of Supernotes. Students can take notes and share them with other students using Supernotes, too. This makes life so much easier when missing a lecture (intentionally or not) and sharing those notes after it happens.

Supernotes are a great note-taking tool for students as they provide a collaborative environment in which to work on their notes. Productivity tools like this are super necessary for students to embrace. They are easy to use and allow easy sharing and note access. They also allow for easy editing of notes, making it easy for students to keep their notes organized and up to date.

Supernotes Pros

• Security-focused
• Offline and fast loading notes
• Comes with all apps (including Linux)
• Independently developed tool
• Premium pricing isn't crazy

Supernotes Cons

• The free plan limits you to 100 notes.

Evernote is a note-taking application with tasks, calendar and AI features inside.

What is Evernote?

Evernote is a note-taking application that was first built in 2000. It is available on iOS, Android, macOS, web, and Windows. Professionals and individuals use it to take notes, add tasks & manage calendar notes in one. It is famous for note-taking and comes in a traditional format for collecting and organizing notes.

Bending Spoons acquired Evernote, and they are the developers & owners.

Why is Evernote still one of the best note apps for students?

Powerful search, powerful PDF management , and powerful extended abilities with tasks and calendar management. This is more of a notes app for students, but beyond that, think of Evernote as a notes app for life, allowing you to store work project notes, meeting notes, and lightweight tasks, too.

Evernote used to be the hottest app for student note-taking purely because of the ability to add attachments to notes. However, one feature that still appears to student note-takers is the ability to capture notes into notebooks with the Evernote Web Clipper. It remains a brilliant notes app clipper for capturing links or snippets from pieces you're researching, searching for links and references three times as easily.

Advice : Evernote is much more extensive if you go over the limitations. The more powerful features like tasks, search, offline, and large uploads are locked under premium. So, while the free plan is good, it will only take you so far (yes, that is a line from Oppenheimer).

Video: Evernote Review

Here's everything you need to know about Evernote in 2024:

Evernote Pros

• Easy to use
• Bring all your tasks, notes & calendar in one
• Comes on iOS, Android & all desktop
• Comes with popular Web Clipper on browser
• Bending Spoons has been actively developing

Evernote Cons

• Much pricier than before

Microsoft OneNote

Note-taking and organising app perfect for students, academics and general notes.

Quick Facts

• Pricing : Free
• Features : Sketching notes, tabs for organization
• Popular with : Education and academic settings

What is Microsoft Onenote?

Microsoft OneNote is a digital note-taking app that allows users to create and organize notes flexibly and intuitively. This is part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Why is OneNote one of the best free note apps for students?

If budget is your concern, look no further than Microsoft OneNote . It offers the best free notes app for students, hands down. The notes experience allows you to take notes in a tab format, giving your notes app almost a ring-binder feel. It also has a solid iPad and Microsoft Surface apps, meaning you can make notes and sketches all in one.

We always recommend Microsoft OneNote when managing your notes with a Microsoft account. Suppose your school, university, or college offers a Microsoft for Education plan tied into your email. In that case, you are highly likely to have OneNote with free access and storage, so we recommend taking advantage of that.

Advice : Microsoft OneNote is practical and offers an excellent free experience. It isn't for everyone. Some people don't like their notes being in the Microsoft ecosystem, but for many, it'll hit the nail on the head for an upgraded, more focused Microsoft Word-like notes application that meets the bill.

Goodnotes is a iPad focused note-taking application with AI and handwriting tools.

What is GoodNotes?

GoodNotes is a digital note-taking app that allows you to handwrite or type notes on a virtual paper using the Apple Pencil on iPads or other iOS devices. It offers an intuitive and distraction-free environment for taking organized notes for work, study, or personal use. GoodNotes uses styluses to help make you more productive on the go.

GoodNotes wants to manage your notes visually with handwriting notes. It is popular amongst Apple users with Apple Pencils and iPads, but it now comes on web, Android, and Windows devices, too.

Why is Goodnotes one of the best note apps for students?

Goodnotes has had a big facelift in the last year and is much more focused on AI note-taking, meaning better handwriting support, typed notes, and beyond. Goodnotes works wonders for taking sketch notes and recording lectures or audio files to revisit essential notes you've made.

Goodnotes offers good levels of customization for notebooks, including stickers, templates, and even a big store (locked under premium). This level of customization appeals to many students wanting a BuJo-style notes app with sketch abilities.

Advice : If you don't have an iPad, there's no point in looking at Goodnotes, but if you do, this will be one of the best investments at the low cost of $9.99 for a year.

Goodnotes Pros

• Ideal for those who use iPads
• Works well with styluses to make sketch notes
• The reasonable $9.99 per year pricing
• Popular for students

Goodnotes Cons

• It might not be for everyone

Bear Notes is a minimal, markdown note-taking application perfect for iOS and Mac.

• Pricing : Free, $2.99 per month or $29.99 yearly
• Features: Hashtags, editor abilities & offline modes

What is Bear Notes?

Bear Notes is a note-taking application that uses markdown. It is available on iOS and macOS and is built natively for easy use. Users store ideas, capture quick notes, and organize them using Bear's unique hashtag folders.

Students commonly use Bear to organize their notes, and those who like simple, minimal note-taking apps use markdown . Apple has praised Bear Notes for their build quality.

Why is Bear Notes a good student note-taking app?

Bear Notes is a solid iOS and macOS app for handling notes. Many people like Bear for its markdown abilities, and for students looking for something more than Apple Notes, Bear Notes is an excellent option.

Bear Notes allows you to organize your notes by focusing on hashtags and note regular notebooks, meaning you can create nested hashtags perfect for multiple spanning notes. This means that a note with a revision for an exam that spans numerous classes could be connected to various places. You can use the sketch abilities on the iOS app to better handle ideas and thoughts you're bringing together.

Bear Notes has one of the best note-taking experiences for macOS users . It is lightweight and provides one of the better Mac experiences, and it was the winner of the Apple Design Award in 2017 for just this.

Video Tutorial: Bear Notes Explained?

Bear Notes Pros

• Comes with a markdown editor
• Easy to use for all types of note-takers
• Well-developer and respected developer

Bear Notes Cons

• It might be too basic for some
• Limited to iOS and macOS devices

Notion is an all-in-one workspaces for notes, projects, tasks, documents & calendar.

• Pricing : Free, starts at $10 per month
• What it does: Daily journal, planning, notes, team wiki & more
• Popular for: Small-medium teams using a wiki, individuals planning, students
• Alternatives : Anytype , xTiles

What is Notion?

Notion is an all-in-one productivity app for notes, project management, tasks, and calendar management. It is available for macOS, Windows, web, iOS, and Android. Although it is a complex tool, users can use the no-code layout to build workspaces for any scenario.

Notion has been a popular Evernote alternative .

Why is Notion good for student productivity?

Notion is a flexible and customizable workspace that can be useful for student productivity when organizing tasks, events, projects, notes, documents, and more.

You can use templates to help get you started, and there are probably tons of templates available to suit your study needs, depending on the topic or class you are taking. Notion does come with a learning curve; however, once you understand the basics of adding databases, linking pages, and adding elements, you can create a great workflow.

So, if you want to create a visual place that makes sense, Notion might be an excellent choice to boost student productivity.

More Student Note Apps

These are some more recommended tools thsat could work well in university and college for planning notes and building a research library.

Anytype is a privacy-focused, open-source, note-taking application for notes & PKM.

Lunatask is an encrypted to-do list app for habits, notes & journal entries.

Capacities is a note-taking application with no folders and a focus on objects.

Craft is a personal and team documents application that creates beautiful docs.

Simplenote is an efficient light note-taking application and a Bear alternative.

Obsidian is a locally stored note-taking application with millions of PKM fans.

Advice from Francesco D'Alessio (ex-student)

Why should students take notes.

As a former university student, one of the critical lessons I learned was that I cannot store everything in my brain. This was paramount from concepts in books I'd read, like Getting Things Done by David Allen and Tiago Forte's newly formed concept, Second Brain .

"Your brain should be a thinking tool, not a storage tool" is a quote from David Allen's book, and this quote has always stuck with me as an effective way to think about how your brain uses knowledge and information.

So, students think of it this way: the more you store in a notes app, the better—the more your brain can be freed up for thinking through a problem or concept, and the more insightful results you'll have in the long term. This changed how I felt about notes and can activate authentic learning for many people trapped in "your brain needs to store all this."

Why do I need a productivity app as a student?

Productivity apps can help you better manage stress by relieving your mind of tasks. They can also help you remember the essential things and allocate time to coursework and group activities for university or college.

Using them can mean the difference between success in your topic.

Personalized Picks

What is the best note-taking app for my student life.

We've narrowed down these tools to specific student situations that we'd recommend against; they range from being a PhD student to looking for a cheap note app.

What is the best student note-taking for iPad?

Goodnotes is the best tool for iPad users at college and university. It maximizes the use of the Apple Pencil, which can be used to make notes, sketches, and more on the iPad.

What is the best note-taking for PhD students?

We recommend RemNote as the best note-taking app for students taking courses longer than three years or pursuing a PhD. Its combination of power features for study, revision, and interconnected notes best suits the needs of researchers and students.

What is the best free student note-taking app?

Want to save a buck? Well, in this case, Microsoft OneNote might be your best option. It works wonders for managing your digital filing cabinet, and with Sketch, you can make notes more interactive if you have an iPad or tablet device.

What is the best Mac notes app for students?

The build quality of Bear Notes presents a great experience for students looking for a better way to take notes on their new Macbooks as they start university. The low fee of $29.99 makes it a light yet approachable way to take notes that can be shared and exported to other people for use later on.

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The 17 Best Note Taking Apps On The Market In 2024

• Michaela Rollings
• August 26, 2024
• 13 min read

Table of Contents

Project managers are experts at taking notes, which helps their team and organization maintain accountability. Now that global remote teams are “the new normal,” AI-powered solutions are disrupting the way we take notes — a game-changer for how we manage projects . It can summarize key points of a meeting, point-out next steps and flag missing action items.

Others (mostly those in remote and hybrid teams), will gladly accept the hands-free approach to documenting boring, long meetings. After all, not everyone masters the art of running effective meetings or defining and managing project scope. Plus: can you image most workspaces sharing handwriting notes? What a nightmare!

Here’s the good news: no matter in which team you stand, we have a round up of the best note-taking apps. Some of these note-taking solutions are powered by AI, but with the flexibility to have you in control if that’s your wish. 

What app should I take notes on?

When it comes to taking better notes at work, finding yourself an excellent note taking app is critical for managing your projects successfully, logging next steps, and planning overall strategy. You might be thinking: “What is the easiest note app to use?” or “Should I used Evernote or Notion?” Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

With the right note taking apps, you’ll leave every meeting with the next steps and remain confident in your game plan. And to help you navigate all of the options on the market, here are our favorite picks that have AI and advanced features to ensure your team uses the best note taking app on the market.

1. Hive Notes

If you’re a Hive user, Hive Notes is a great way to integrate your meetings with your to-do list, bringing your traditional meeting notes to a whole new level. It’s one of our favorite note taking apps on the market for a few reasons.

In Hive Notes, you can actually connect a note to a meeting on your Google or Outlook calendar, assign meeting attendees next steps, and easily share the meeting note with everyone – whether they attended the meeting or not – after the event is over. It’s one of the best note taking apps on the market.

Since Hive Notes syncs up with your calendar, it’ll also send you a reminder in Hive five minutes before your meeting starts prompting you to take notes. If the meeting is recurring, Hive also offers a “notebook” style set-up where you can add multiple entries to the same note. During the meeting, use Hive Notes to collaborate in real-time, Google-doc style, so multiple people can add comments at once.

One of the most unique aspects of Hive Notes is its Zoom integration, which lets you access the power of Hive Notes inside your Zoom meetings. With Hive Notes for Zoom , you can take notes collaboratively in Zoom without opening another screen. You can share the note with all meeting participants, type in real-time, and assign action items within the Zoom meeting itself – it’s a brand new virtual meeting experience.

Customers highlight Hives functionalities and its power to make work easier. Take for instance, Lindsey P., a Director of Operations at a marketing agency that saved time and money, by getting rid of other tools and switching to Hive:

“For our team of five, the most beneficial features are: ability to assign two people [to a project], ability to color code projects, ability to track time within a task, ability to add approvers within a task, direct and group messaging within the app (replaced separate use of Slack), Notes and ability to share them, and the “status” and “table” views for projects,” shared Lindsey on Capterra.

Officer manager, Amanda H. is also all about working smarter with Hive. She wrote on G2 : “Hive saves a lot of time where normally you would spend your time asking for clarification or status reports on something, everything is clear and laid out for you. I also like the messenger to eliminate sending/ receiving even more emails, it ensures instantaneously clarification even when working with people remotely.”

To start using Hive Notes in Zoom today (free for everyone, forever) simply download the Hive Notes app in the Zoom marketplace.

Get started for free today to see why hive scored 100 out of 100 in popularity among its customers – the highest score of all tools on the market. level up your note-taking tool with hive., 2. evernote.

One of the most popular and very traditional note taking apps, Evernote is used by teams around the world who want one central location for all meeting notes and documents. Within Evernote, you can store all of your notes in one place, and sync notes between devices. You can also capture photos to save in your notes, and add checklists for the next steps.

As it’s name suggests, it is a notes-first app, which means the main goal of the tool is to assist with note-taking across large teams and streamlining of information.

Additionally, audio from your meetings can also be recorded and attached to the meeting note, which is an excellent way to ensure people who couldn’t attend the meeting will stay in the loop.

Microsoft’s OneNote is a solid note-taking tool if you’re looking to stay in the Microsoft universe. With OneNote, you’ve got a massive note-pad at your fingertips, which you can write in, add images to, and divide into pages and sections. This is a great tool if you use other Microsoft products, as you can plug in other documents into the note itself, like Spreadsheets or Word docs.

Create lists with a few clicks and revise notes with type, highlight, and ink annotations, which are fun to add if you’re using a touch-screen device. You can also share ideas and collaborate with other users in OneNote.

Notion is one of our favorite note taking apps used by teams for a few primary things, including taking notes, managing projects, and creating team-wide wikis. With Notion, you can store notes and docs in List view, which helps you see quickly the most important aspects of a note and its contents.

Users can then assign tasks directly from notes with a few clicks. This is one of the most popular note taking apps that has recently become very popular.

Team wikis help you store information like company policies, contact info, and engineering practices. You can even use emojis here, which makes wikis a bit more fun!

Hugo is a centralized place for all notes, meetings, and tasks. This is a relatively newer product on the market and is basically a central place to gather everything related to any upcoming meetings. In Hugo, you can see a general overview of the meetings on your calendar, as well as any tasks that are related to them. You can also set reminders to alert you to any upcoming meetings so you never forget to set an agenda or prepare.

Hugo also helps you prep agendas with one-click templates and you can take in-meeting notes with both internal and external participants. Hugo is one of our favorite online note taking apps for its futuristic and advanced capabilities. Try it if you’re tired of your basic notepad.

6. Simplenote

Simplenote is one of our favorite note taking apps for those who want something straightforward and simple, as the name suggests. Simplenote allows you to sync all notes across devices, and you can view past changes in markdown mode. Additionally, you can easily share lists/notes and meeting items with other people, as well as publish your notes online.

Bonus: Simplenote is free!

Fellow is on our list of the best note taking apps because of its integration into each individual’s workflow. Within Fellow, you can build collaborative meeting agendas, record action items, and plot out actionable next steps.

In Fellow, you can start by applying a template to your meeting note, then build your agenda. From there, you can assign the next steps to meeting attendees and exchange feedback.

Those are our top 7, but here are a few more great note taking apps.

Bear bills itself as an app that you can use for everything from basic notes to full-on essays. The app has an advanced markdown mode that lets you edit and revise thoroughly. Got notes that you don’t want others to see? You can use FaceID to password-protect those notes. Additionally, you can convert your notes into PDFs or Word Docs.

9. Google Keep

Google Keep is one of Google’s note taking apps that lets you take, store, and share notes from any of your devices. While Google Keep doesn’t offer as many features as some of the other apps we’ve mentioned, it’s a convenient platform for anyone who already uses and is familiar with Google’s productivity tools.

With Google Keep, notes can be organized with labels or colors and can be pinned to the top for easy access. You can also collaborate on a note in real-time once they are shared with others. And like most of Google’s other products, it’s totally free to use.

Notes can be given labels, pinned to the top, given a color, paired with reminders, and collaborated on in real-time. Additionally, it also offers speech-to-text functionality so you can dictate notes on the go rather than have to write. There’s also the ability to set up check boxes for lists to work through.

10. Apple Notes

If you are in the Apple ecosystem, Apple Notes (or simply Notes or iCloud Notes) is an easy-to-use and convenient free tool for note-taking. From a quick thought or idea to checklists, images, web links, scanned documents or handwritten notes, Apple notes make it easy to document and access your notes. 

If you go to icloud.com/notes you are even able to get an online version of the app with all your notes – even if you are on a PC or Chromebook. Apple notes allow users to share notes with other Apple users and also use @mention them.

It’s perfect for managing a grocery list in-real time and sharing it with your family. Another great feature is their search: you can look for images, text, drawings, text scanned in documents, and even something inside the image you are looking for, for example: “a book”.

Now that we’ve gone over our top 10 recommendations, here are some great additional options for your team:

Another solution to facilitate your note-taking is Clover , which makes the list of our top note taking apps. The software works as a digital notebook that blends notes, tasks, a digital whiteboard, and a daily planner into one streamlined app. The solution offers powerful features including infinite canvas, presentation options, and the ability to embed rich media to your notes, so your colleagues can interact with content from YouTube, Figma, SoundCloud, and more.

Clover is available on Mac, Windows, iPad, iPhone, and the web and offers a free plan that supports up to three guests and 50MB uploads. Clover Pro plan starts at $6 per month with unlimited guests and 10GB monthly uploads.

Bit.ai allows you to create dynamic notes, documents, wikis, knowledge bases, projects, client deliverables, technical docs, training guides, and client portals while integrating across the apps you work with.

The platform offers a smart and minimalist editor feature that facilitates communication between remote teams. Bit.ai also has @mentions,  real-time notifications, shared workspaces, permissions, guest access, and several integrations. Bit.ai offers free and paid plans. Its ProPlan starts at $8 per member/per month.

nTask is a great task management and project management solution that also offers a note-taking application.

The software has a lot of features that make it the ideal tool for storing short and long-form information about your project. These features include document management, note-taking feature, time and issue tracking, and even panel-specific comments.

These panels include projects, tasks, risks, and many others. On top of note-taking, nTask has other collaboration tools to help teams of all sizes, such as team chat, bulk team invites, dedicated workspaces, and task comments.

14. Zoho Notebook

Zoho Notebook is an excellent tool for taking notes across platforms. The app helps you and your team to jot down ideas on an always backed-up and synced note-taking platform.

With checklists, the ability to add media, include files and sketch out drawings, Zoho Notebook also offers integrations. Not only can you integrate with other Zoho software, but you’ll also be able to bring your Notebook ideas over to other popular apps such as Zapier, Google Workspace, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and more. Best of all, it’s free to use!

xTiles is a note-taking app with an intuitive interface and an infinite canvas workspace where you can lay out ideas and keep it all organized with a drag-and-drop editing feature. xTiles is easily customizable, with a flexible kanban board-style layout.

You can add a variety of resources to your board, mixing notes, assorted media, links and files. xTiles makes it easier to turn ideas into projects, share them, and collaborate with a team. Its search function lets you look through your notes quickly, optimizing your productivity.

Another advantage of xTitles is its versatility, being available on desktop and mobile, you can jot down notes on your phone and then pick up on it again when you are back at your desk. There’s a free plan available with limited file uploads and cards, and you can get unlimited usage for $8/month.

16. GoodNotes

GoodNotes is a note-taking app that offers a unique digital note-taking experience that allows users to create customizable notebooks that resemble writing on paper. It features a variety of annotation tools, such as pens, highlighters, and shapes, that users can use to personalize their notes according to their preferences.

GoodNotes also has handwriting recognition and powerful search capabilities, making it easy to retrieve specific words or phrases within notes.

GoodNotes can integrate with popular cloud storage platforms, such as iCloud and Google Drive, ensuring easy access to notes across different devices. It also supports PDF import, so users can review and add notes to existing documents.

GoodNotes has a variety of features that can enhance productivity and simplify workflow, such as text conversion, audio recording, and effective note organization using folders and tags.

Typora is a note-taking app that gives you a seamless experience as both a reader and a writer. The platform is designed to help you focus. It removes the preview window, mode switcher, syntax symbols of markdown source code, and all other unnecessary distractions.

Typora has a vast library of templates to facilitate your note-taking process. Typora is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. This note-taking solution is also good for blogging  and writing documentation. One of its most popular features is the real-time preview markdown code.

With Typora, you can export to PDF, HTML, EPUB, and other formats and sync with cloud storage services like Dropbox and OneDrive. You can try Typora for free for 15 days on up to three devices. This minimal Markdown editor and reader paid plan costs $14.99 (without tax).

There you have it. We’ve shared our favorite note taking apps to help you and your team collaborate effectively and efficiently while working remotely.

If you’ve got any other tools that you think we should add to this list, let us know in the comments below!

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Cardflow: Index & Flash Cards 4+

Think. organize. create‪.‬, qrayon, llc.

• 4.6 • 2.8K Ratings

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Description.

We love index cards. We use them a lot. They are a versatile and surprisingly powerful tool for all kinds of tasks. From brainstorming or flash cards, to storyboarding and planning entire projects, they have a place in your workflow. Cardflow captures the ease and flexibility of paper index cards and brings that experience to the iPad. Jot down ideas or sketch diagrams on cards and arrange them on a large board. Use cards to capture individual ideas, sketch diagrams, or type detailed notes. Turbocharge your workflow today! Have all the fun of using index cards, without the forest-pulping guilt of paper. Cardflow is perfect for: + Storyboards for videos or movies + Studying for an exam + Learning a new language + Writing the plot for a novel or book + Organizing weddings, parties, and other events + Corporate training + Project management + Agile, Scrum, and other methodologies + Group brainstorming + Writing your daily goals and to-dos + And much more! TRY CARDFLOW FOR FREE! To make it easy to see how well Cardflow fits into your workflow, we've decided to make the Standard Edition of Cardflow absolutely free. You can upgrade at any time to Cardflow+ for more features and to support our work. Thanks so much, -- The App Makers @ Qrayon

Version 6.7

+ Improved text editor transition

Ratings and Reviews

2.8K Ratings

Gives the mileage needed

I needed an app to make handwritten flash cards digitally. Like other users have mentioned, there is NO other app on the market. Quizlet is the best for simple term and definition, but when needed to write out formulas for math that look intuitive and don’t take an absurd amount of time - either to type out or take a picture of a paper version (assuming you have the paid version of quizlet) are not even options, thus there wasn’t another substitute for paper index cards except this app. Where else are you able to write terms and draw something like a comic to remember it on the back? I wouldn’t have a clue, and it’s bizarre that it doesn’t exist anywhere else.

Only feature is writing on flash cards. Not helpful to actually study.

This app does not have any competition and it shows. Yes, this is the only app where you can hand write your flash cards. That feature is great but that is about it. The app icons/buttons within the app are not responsive like other apps and this app somehow has worse hand recognition when writing than any other app. You can’t change color or size of the pencil or eraser and there is no auto-shape feature for drawing things like circles and squares. This app is also very annoying because when you open the flash card it is on the lined side for details, but I like to write my topics/subject on the flash card first. There is no feature to customize this. Additionally, there is no feature to actually go through the flash cards. There is no “study” mode or learning games in the app that you can use with your cards. To study you have to click on each flash card you made individually and flip it over when you want to see the other side. I would rather handwrite in another app and import the photos to an app like Quizlet. TLDR: Overall, very disappointing app. The novel feature of this app is being able to hand write the flash cards and that is it. It is lacking excellent features of other apps like ways to learn your flash cards and customizable writing tools. Again, it is obvious that this app is not pushed to be “better” because it has no competition in the App Store.

Finally - a functional Index Card app that looks like real Index Cards

Finally, a decent Index Card app. Simple, intuitive, and easy to use. It has it’s quirks like any app, but they have done their best- and done it well. I’ve tried others (including Flash Card apps), but this simple app outshines them all. I’ve used ‘real’ index cards for years, for many uses. I received my RN degree with the help of the cards, inventoried my home, my LP collection, and many others I’m now writing a narrative of my life, and the app lets me use what works for me. It’s not perfect, it has its quirks, but the learning curve is simple. I gave this a 4 because no one, and no app is perfect. And the hefty price tag may be difficult for some, but the free version works well. Perhaps a student discount might be offered…. If you want a simple and functional Index Card app try this one.

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Cue cards for public speaking 

How to make cue cards & use them effectively.

By:  Susan Dugdale  

Making good cue cards from standard office supply index or note cards to help you confidently deliver an extemporaneous  speech is relatively easy.  And using them well will lift the quality of your presentation immeasurably. (Truly! I promise you that's not hyperbole. ☺)

What's on this page

Step-by-step guidelines on how to make cue cards and use them well:

• what are cue cards ?
• the benefits of using cue cards
• the materials required to make cue cards
• the 10 features of an effective cue card
• how to write up cue cards - the 3-step process to get from a speech outline to cue cards that work the way you want them to  
• how to rehearse with cue cards
• the difference between cue cards and flash cards

What are cue cards?

Cue * or note cards, used by speakers when making an extemporaneous speech * , are typically handheld. They are about 4 inches by 6 inches in size, with carefully selected and ordered words and phrases written on them. These act as prompt to help speakers remember what they have to say.

* A  cue is a signal or a prompt to say or do something. * extemporaneous speech -a well-prepared speech that relies on research, clear organization, and practiced delivery, but is neither read nor completely memorized.

The benefits of using cue cards

People who do not use cue cards to help them deliver a prepared speech either read it from a word-for-word printout or rely entirely on their memory.

However, both these delivery methods have potential traps for the unwary.

• Reading a speech well is a skill and like any skill it needs work to become proficient at it. Someone who hasn't practiced reading aloud is very likely to be difficult to listen to and to watch.
• Opting to deliver a speech entirely from memory is only effective if you've done enough practice. A blank-out and trying to chase down lost words in front of an audience can be hard to recover from. (There is no safety-net!)

Enter cue cards!

The benefits of using cue cards well are:

• Not being anchored to a podium reading the entire text of your speech. This enables you to freely interact with your audience: -to make eye contact, -to observe and readily respond, for instance to clarify a   point you can see has not been understood, to leave out   bits you can tell are not wanted or needed..., -to gesture and move easily.
• Not being left stranded and floundering because you have forgotten important details, or the sequence of your material. Cue cards are reassuring.  

A well-prepared set of cue cards will give you confidence. You will sound, look and feel more present, and your entire delivery will have more life, more energy! 

For those of you who are nervous about making the transition from the safety of a complete sentence by sentence script to note cards, don't be. Take it slowly. Give yourself time to thoroughly prepare and rehearse with them, and you'll be delighted with the result.

The materials needed

You'll need a packet of standard index cards, similar to the one in the illustration below, a selection of highlighters, (for example, yellow, pink, blue and green), and an easily-read pen. I suggest using one with either blue or black ink.

The 10 features of good cue cards 

The information you put on your cards and how you lay it out is critically important. You need to be able to read and understand them at a glance. (See the illustration below)

The most user-friendly cue cards:

• have ONE main subject heading or idea per card
• have a heading showing which part of the speech the card belongs to  
• are written or printed clearly using larger than usual font   - so you can read them easily
• have plenty of white space around each word or phrase to help them stand out
• use bullet points or numbers to itemize the supporting ideas under the main heading
• are written on ONE side of the card only
• are clearly numbered so that you know the order they come in and it can be a good idea to tie them together .   Use a hole punch to make a hole through the left corner of your cards and tie with a loop of string long enough to allow them to be flipped. The advantage of that is if you drop or somehow get them out of sequence, you're not scrabbling around trying to get them back into the right order and find where you'd got up to while being watched. That can be tough with dozens of pairs of eyes on you!  
• are color-coded to show your main idea, supporting ideas, examples and transitions or links.
• have where props are to be shown . For example: Main Idea One - Supporting Idea - Example - Show slide 1
• have approximate timings marked so you can track yourself through your allotted time. If you find you're going over you can adjust by leaving out an extra example or conversely if you're under time, you can add one in.

Preparing your speech for cue cards

Before starting the cue cards you need to make sure your speech is fully prepared.

The next 3 steps are an essential part of the preparation process.

1. Reviewing your speech outline

Using your speech outline go through from the beginning checking the sequence of ideas, supporting material and  transitions to ensure all your information is in an effective and logical sequence.  (And if you haven't made an outline yet  download and use the blank one available from the link below.)

Have you outlined your speech?

If you haven't got a speech outline already prepared ...

Use the printable blank speech outline template you'll find on this page: sample speech outline . It will make preparing your cue cards a breeze. 

2. Try your speech out loud

Use your outline to try your speech out loud. Say it through as if you were actually giving it and time yourself.

Remember to allow for pausing, waiting for the audience to finish laughing before you begin talking again, and so on.

You may need to edit if it's too long and it's a lot easier to do that at this stage. 

3. Feedback

Once you have the length right for your time allowance, ask a few people whose judgment you trust to listen to you give your speech. Have them give you feedback on its content, structure and delivery, paying particular attention to the introduction and the close.

(For more information see speech evaluation| giving and receiving meaningful feedback .) 

Use the feedback you've been given to rework your speech if you need to.

When you're satisfied you have it the best it can possibly be, you're ready to prepare it for cue cards.

Getting from outline to writing up your cue cards

Identifying good keywords and phrases.

Each segment or part of your speech, from its introduction to conclusion, should be reducible to a key word or phrase.  The phrase or keyword will act as a prompt, or trigger, making you immediately remember what it was you wanted to say.

Before you can write your cue cards you need to go through your speech outline and choose a word or phrase that best represents what each part is about.  

Once you've finished, you're ready to write up your cards using the  1-10 guidelines  above.

Test your cards as you make them

Double check the effectiveness of each card as you write them to make sure you are using keywords or phrases that actually do trigger your memory.

This is also particularly important for links or transitions. Forgetting how you got from one piece of information to the next not only leaves you stranded but your audience as well.

NB.  Be sure to note the names of important people, facts or processes too.

A word of warning

Do not be tempted to print or write the whole of your speech out, then cut it into bits and stick those bits onto cue card sized pieces of cardboard. * It will defeat your purpose entirely.

You'll finish with ridiculously cramped notes that, as well as being difficult to read, stop you from freely interacting with your audience. You'll be head down trying to decipher what you wrote!

* (I've seen it in action! Occasionally one of my student's would try it and the result was never, ever good.)

Rehearsing with your cue cards

You'll find a full page here on ' how to rehearse ' .

It includes notes specifically on rehearsing using your cue cards as well as other valuable tips for delivering your speech successfully.

Now that you've completed your set of cards, please don't shortchange yourself by assuming you are fully prepared and ready for delivery.

To use them well you really do need to practice with them. Before you give your speech aim for at least three concentrated rehearsal sessions and do more if possible.

Cue cards and flash cards. What's the difference? 

The principal difference between them is their purpose.

Flash cards are used to help memorize information for example, vocabulary lists for a new language you're learning, the sequence of events leading to the outbreak of WW2, or the names and placement of all the bones in the human body.

They frequently have diagrams and pictures as well as words on them to make the information easier to remember. 

The goal or purpose of them is instant recall. They are extensively used by students, particularly as part of their exam preparation.

In comparison, cue cards are generally larger than flash cards and have less information on them - just an ordered sequence of a speech's key words and phrases.

Whereas flash cards are used prior to an examination or test, cue cards are used during a presentation. Their purpose is to prompt or remind the speaker to say what they wanted to.

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A free flashcard learning software for ppt-files

OpenCards is a free award-winning flashcard learning software. The basic idea of OpenCards is to use PowerPoint presentations (*.ppt) or Markdown (*.md) files as flashcard sets. Thereby, slide-titles are represented as questions and the slide contents as their answers. Based on state-of-the-art memorization and scheduling algorithms OpenCards will help you to learn any set of flashcards.

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Basically OpenCards gives you any freedom you enjoy when creating PowerPoint-slides. OpenCards just adds all functionality which turn any existing Powerpoint presentation into flashcards.

From our experience most other flashcard learning tools are overly complex. In contrast we’ve tried to keep OpenCards as simple as possible, to allow you to focus on your learning items that really matter for you.

• Easy to use: Just create flashcards as you’re used to create PowerPoint slides
• Allows for efficient memorization of vocabulary, pictures (faces, geography, mushrooms), sounds (birdsongs, intervals, chords), and all other kinds of factual knowledge (exams, phone numbers, etc. etc.)
• Intelligent learning algorithms that know when you should review which flashcards.
• Absolutely free and open source! No spyware or ads.
• Runs on all major operating systems (Windows, MacOS, Linux)
• Create flashcards like you’re used to create slides for presentations
• Allows to use any Powerpoint-file as flashcard-set without any conversion
• Superior flashcard-file management
• Use tables, charts, formulas, Unicode, nice background images and much more for your flashcards
• Customize the learning procedure based on your individual learning habits.
• Graphical visualization of learning success
• Localized to many languages including German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Portuguese, Bulgarian and many more.
• Import new flashcards from CSV-files

Given all these features we consider OpenCards to be the most advanced, most feature-complete but anyway most intuitive flashcard-learning software available.

Main Compoments

The category view in OpenCards allows to group flashcard sets into meaningful categories.

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This LTM mode will provide the best results if you want to root knowledge for months up to years in your brain.

Allows you to quickly memorize facts and figures using a set of virtual boxes depending on your ability to recall stuff.

focus on what you want to say

put your thoughts in writing. drop text into our editor, add illustrations, data, code snippets and more. sort your ideas into meaningful segments.

just one click transforms your notes into beautiful, responsive presentations. no need for you to worry about design: we got you.

easy to use

what you see is what you mean

we will interpret the structure of your texts as instructions for our design engine. you can apply specific instructions by marking up your text in our editor - or by using your beloved markdown flavor of choice. all in plain text.

our text engine is very accommodating when it comes to accepting different styles of markup. it is also quite powerful in extending existing conventions to give your notes awesome presentation features.

the editor can hold your hand in applying markup or get out of the way entirely, however you like. it is designed to guide you towards giving your notes helpful structure and to highlight semantic elements. even if you have never heard of markdown.

see for yourself in our live tutorials

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invite people to discuss your work: open a comment section right inside your presentation.

make it live. sync your presentation across devices. use your phone as a remote control. create sessions to get feedback while presenting. no matter the screen size, we make it work for you.

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we are building an interface that adapts to different needs. choose a mode that helps you get your ideas out there. no matter if in the dark of the night, in the desert sun, distracted by the world, or using assistive technology.

we hope to empower everyone with accessible design and specialized editor modes. so that you can create and share stunning presentations. so that you can communicate visually. across barriers.

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we want your data to be safe, so we try to make encryption as easy and user friendly as can be. in fact, we make encryption mandatory. when your content touches our server, it is already locked. only your password can unlock it again.

all the magic happens right in your browser, no installation necessary. access your work from any device. we automatically save snapshots of your notes, encrypted from the moment you start writing.

your notes can be exported and re-imported in plain text (yes, even the images) to survive the pending apocalypse, readable for humans and machines alike. it is up to you to edge the data into titanium plates for additional safe keeping.

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february 2023

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need your presentation set in stone to preserve it for future generations? not a problem anymore with the export to PDF.

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secretly glance at your presentation notes and fully control your presentation from your phone with the brand new control window!

october 2021

concentrate on the slide you are currently working while the others are waiting for their turn — slightly faded out.

point it out

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whether you watch your presentation on your own screen or your audience watches it on theirs, everyone can see it full screen.

colorful update

our most colorful theme has received a makeover to become even more colorful! for those days when you just can't stand the gray screens anymore. have a look and change the theme

it happened! we finally opened slidenotes for you! now you can go into the editor and play around and you can support our development while getting full functionality.

january 2021

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december 2020

enable or disable comments in your presentation when you share it with the world. no mansplaining on your watch—unless you are OK with it.

november 2020

presenting live

multiuser sessions. awesome! you can remotely share your presentation without the need of sharing your screen. and: your phone is now a remote control

for an easier way to create lists and write code go to the advanced options and enable the tab functionality. thank us later. try tabbing in our tutorials

october 2020

tech mulligan

we completely re-engineered the technology that runs in the background. we made some bold choices, invested sweat and tears, but now everything is faster and better.

august 2020

inline code

code is no longer limited to encapsulated blocks; you can use and properly display markdown code inline. the editor will understand the popular backtick syntax and ignore markup transformation.

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you can support ongoing development. in fact, we run this open beta as a sort of crowd funding campaign: no monthly subscription—if you have the means and the inclination to pay for a years' worth of service, you get all sorts of perks. and a year of service at the paid tier. we promise to keep the servers running until at least through 2024 (they are paid for already).

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