Second Brain Method

13 Best Milanote Alternatives For Note Taking

Compare and choose from a curated list of Milanote alternatives that cater to your unique note-taking requirements. Start organizing your thoughts.

May 4, 2024

Laptop placed on the Table - Milanote Alternative
Laptop placed on the Table - Milanote Alternative
Laptop placed on the Table - Milanote Alternative

In today's fast-paced world, the Milanote Alternative holds significance for those who seek to maximize productivity and creativity through the second brain method. If you're looking to streamline your workflow and organize your thoughts effectively, you're in just the right place. Let's delve deeper into the top Milanote Alternative options available today.

Table of Contents

What Is Milanote?

Person Using a Note Taking App - Milanote Alternative

Milanote is a popular digital note-taking app and collaboration tool that allows users to organize ideas on visual boards. Users can share sticky notes, to-do lists, links, files, images, and reminders. This aspect makes Milanote a great tool for creative teams and individuals who need to visually organize their ideas and projects. The ability to organize creative projects in visually striking boards sets Milanote apart from other note-taking applications.

Milanote is Highly Functional and Customizable

Milanote users appreciate the app’s advanced functionality, competitive pricing, and customization options. The tool is particularly popular among designers, writers, and other creative professionals who need a visual workspace to capture their ideas, inspirations, and plans. Milanote is designed to cater to the needs of creative teams and individuals, providing features for idea illustration, team collaboration, project organization, decision-making, and general thought and plan organization.

Unlocking Creativity and Collaboration with Milanote

Milanote emerges as a popular tool for users who seek a visually appealing, functional, and collaborative platform for organizing their creative ideas and projects. Its advanced features, competitive pricing, and customization options make it a favored choice among creative professionals.

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Why Consider A Milanote Alternative?

Note Taking App opened on Mobile - Milanote Alternative

I believe that one should consider opting for a Milanote alternative for various reasons, as no tool perfectly suits everyone's needs, and Milanote is no exception. 

  • While Milanote is excellent for visual brainstorming and organization, some users may require more features or a different layout to optimize their team's workflow. 

  • This platform is often preferred by creative professionals, designers, writers, and teams that require a visual workspace to capture and organize their thoughts and inspirations. 

  • Tasks such as mood boards, storyboarding, content planning, and project management in creative industries are often conducted on Milanote. 

  • While Milanote excels in visual organization, some users might find limitations such as tracking progress and the overall user interface. 

  • The platform's layout and navigation may sometimes feel less streamlined than other tools, leading to challenges in arranging and resizing elements on boards and managing larger projects. This can result in a cluttered and less user-friendly experience. 

  • While Milanote's visual approach is beneficial for creative projects, its interface limitations may impact its overall usability, especially for users seeking a more polished and efficient workflow. 

  • Milanote's pricing structure can be an obstacle for some users, as the free version offers limited usability, prompting users to explore other thorough and cost-effective alternatives. 

  • Milanote does not integrate with other apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Calendar, affecting its efficacy and smooth workflow compared to most other project management tools.  

Revolutionizing Research and Writing with Otio

Knowledge workers, researchers, and students today suffer from content overload and are left to deal with it using fragmented, complex, and manual tools. Too many of them settle for stitching together complicated bookmarking, read-it-later, and note-taking apps to get through their workflows. Now that anyone can create content with the click of a button - this problem is only going to get worse. 

Otio solves this problem by providing one AI-native workspace for researchers. It helps them:

1. Collect

A wide range of data sources, from bookmarks, tweets, and extensive books to YouTube videos.

2. Extract key takeaways

With detailed AI-generated notes and source-grounded Q&A chat

3. Create

Draft outputs using the sources you’ve collected.

Otio helps you to go from reading list to first draft faster. Along with this, Otio also helps you write research papers/essays faster. Here are our top features that are loved by researchers: AI-generated notes on all bookmarks (Youtube videos, PDFs, articles, etc.), Otio enables you to chat with individual links or entire knowledge bases, just like you chat with ChatGPT, as well as AI-assisted writing. 

Let Otio be your AI research and writing partner — try Otio for free today!

13 Best Milanote Alternatives For Your Note Taking & Projects

Different Apps opened on the Mobile Homescreen - Milanote Alternative

1. Otio

Knowledge workers, researchers, and students today suffer from content overload and are left to deal with it using fragmented, complex, and manual tooling. Too many of them settle for stitching together complicated bookmarking, read-it-later, and note-taking apps to get through their workflows. Now that anyone can create content with the click of a button - this problem is only going to get worse. 

Otio solves this problem by providing one AI-native workspace for researchers. It helps them

1. Collect

A wide range of data sources, from bookmarks, tweets, and extensive books to YouTube videos. 

2. Extract key takeaways

With detailed AI-generated notes and source-grounded Q&A chat

3. Create

Draft outputs using the sources you’ve collected. Otio helps you to go from reading list to first draft faster. Along with this, Otio also helps you write research papers/essays faster. Here are our top features that are loved by researchers: AI-generated notes on all bookmarks (Youtube videos, PDFs, articles, etc.), Otio enables you to chat with individual links or entire knowledge bases, just like you chat with ChatGPT, as well as AI assisted writing.

**Let Otio be your AI research and writing partner — try Otio for free today!

2. Evernote

Evernote is a leading note-taking software that’s been around since 2008. This straightforward note-taking app set the standard for the industry alongside Microsoft OneNote. It’s popular with small teams who want to manage to-do lists, organize tasks, and take notes.

Instead of a visual board like Milanote, Evernote uses notebooks and tags to organize your ideas and information. It’s been around for a while but has updated features like offline file access, dark mode, and handwritten note support.

Best features

  • Use specialized note-taking features like document scanning, web clipper, calendar integrations, and handwritten notes

  • Organize your ideas and notes using tags that make it easy to search for the info you need

  • Access basic features for individuals and small teams using the free version 

  • Work cross-platform with desktop and mobile apps compatible with Windows, iOS, and Android

Limitations

  • Document organization and formatting don’t offer as many features as some other note-taking tools

  • Users report poor compatibility with other project management tools

  • This Milanote alternative sends repetitive upsell messages to its free users

Pricing

  • Free

  • Personal: $14.99/month per user paid monthly

  • Professional: $17.99/month per user paid monthly

3. Notion

Notion is a versatile productivity app that allows users to collaborate in teams, manage projects, and store all kinds of business-related information in one space.

Notion best features

  • All-in-one workspace that includes notes, tasks, and wikis

  • Flexible template-based system to ease project management

  • Strong search and organizational features

  • Useful integrations with apps like Google Calendar, Slack, and more

Notion limitations

  • Steep learning curve for new users due to its wide feature-set

  • Lacks offline functionality

Notion pricing

  • Free version available with limited storage

  • Premium plans start from $5/month

4.  Asana

Asana is a prime substitute for Milanote, excelling in task and to-do list management. The free version suits teams seeking basic task organization and note keeping features. The tool offers numerous integrations and a user-friendly interface, catering to expanding creative teams with additional capabilities such as viewing, prioritizing, and tracking progress.

Asana best features

  • Tasks and subtasks

  • Project milestones

  • Custom fields

  • Task dependencies

Asana limitations

  • The emails users get can feel spammy and overflow inboxes. Users need help finding where to turn off these email notifications.

  • Teams looking for customization might have to look elsewhere. 

Asana pricing

  • Basic plan: free

  • Premium plan: $13.49 per user/month

  • Business plan: $30.49 per user/month

  • Enterprise plan: contact sales

5. Trello

Trello is an effortlessly navigable tool designed for task management centered around a Kanban board framework, making the project’s progress immediately visible. It's an excellent choice to handle to-do lists and visualize pending tasks. Users create boards with cards, including project details, files, and due dates. Tagging team members ensures a smooth task workflow. 

Trello best features

  • Power-ups

  • Timeline, table, and calendar views

  • Templates

  • Automations

Trello limitations

  • One of Trello's shortcomings is the lack of built-in reports and analytics

  • Trello might not be suitable for creative teams working on large projects

  • The tool doesn’t offer any financial features

Trello pricing

  • Free plan

  • Standard plan: $6 per user/month

  • Premium plan: $12.50 per user/month

  • Enterprise plan: $17.50 per user/month for teams of 50 users

6. Basecamp

There is no need for complicated workflows with Basecamp. The platform aims to simplify project management by providing a centralized platform for teams to coordinate their work, track progress, and communicate without extensive training or complex tools.

The tool is known for its user-friendly interface and focus on simplicity, making it popular among small to medium-sized teams and businesses. So, if you seek a straightforward project management solution, Basecamp takes the lead. It furnishes project to-do lists, an internal chatbox, and message boards for seamless communication.

Basecamp best features

  • To-do lists 

  • File sharing

  • Direct messaging

  • Docs and files

Basecamp limitations

  • The inability to classify projects in order of importance and no option to add subtasks cause frustration for some users.

Basecamp pricing

  • Individual plan: $15 per user/mont

  • Pro unlimited plan: $349 per month for unlimited users

7. Zoho Notebook

Zoho Notebook is a tool within the larger Zoho ecosystem. You may have heard of Zoho Projects or Zoho One before — these are a couple of the most well-known products under this umbrella.

In terms of capabilities, Zoho Notebook allows users to store and organize information in the format of note cards. The tool calls itself a “pocket-sized notebook” and the ability to store information via their mobile app allows them to live up to that promise.

Zoho Notebook best features

  • Organisable note cards

  • Version history

  • Notes synced to the cloud

Zoho Notebook limitations

  • The software lacks options when it comes to exporting notes. 

  • Zoho Notebook doesn’t offer robust task management functionality. 

  • The tool tends to run slowly if your notes contain too much data or other information. 

Zoho Notebook pricing

  • Notebook Essential plan: Free

  • Notebook Pro plan: $1.99 per user/month 

8. nTask

If you’re looking beyond task management, nTask might be the tool for you. It offers features like issue tracking, project risk management, and meeting management, which helps it stand apart from other competitors.

nTask aims to simplify project management processes and provide a user-friendly interface, making it suitable for both small teams and individual users looking for an organized way to manage projects. The software also offers integrations with other tools and platforms, allowing users to connect their project management efforts with other apps they use.

nTask best features

  • Task management

  • Issue tracking

  • Resource management

  • Time tracking

nTask’s limitations

  • The interface could be more intuitive, and the slow loading times might interfere with your creative workflow.

  • The customer service can be quite slow.

  • If you’re looking for extensive reports, you’ll have to look beyond nTask.

nTask pricing

  • Basic plan: free

  • Premium plan: $4 per user/month

  • Business plan: $12 per user/month

  • Enterprise plan (pricing upon request)

9. Rodeo Drive

Rodeo Drive is a project management tool with multiple features that support creative teams. End fragmented workflows and guide your projects from beginning to end using one data-driven interface.

In contrast to Milanote’s free-form visual board, Rodeo Drive emphasizes organization and financial management. You can take notes on your projects, manage your team’s workload with accurate task scheduling, and use calendar-based project management to keep everyone on the same page.

Rodeo Drive best features 

  • Streamline team collaboration and project management with straightforward task assignment features, project timelines, and simple note-taking app

  • Get insights on your projects using the reporting function to oversee tracked time and team performance

  • Integrate with QuickBooks and Xero to streamline your bookkeeping process

  • Take advantage of the budgeting and financial reporting features to monitor the financial health of your projects throughout their lifecycles

Rodeo Drive limitations 

  • The free plan is limited to 10 users and lacks access to some advanced features

  • Some users report a lack of features compared to other note-keeping apps

Rodeo Drive pricing

  • Free

  • Achiever: $14.99/month per user paid monthly

10. Miro

Miro is a mind-mapping tool for teams who want to capture, structure, and organize their ideas. Facilitate smooth collaboration using chat and commenting, auto-organize mind maps with a single click, and add content to an infinite canvas to illustrate your ideas.

As a super-flexible Milanote alternative, Miro shines with features like screen sharing, presentation mode, and team conferencing. It boasts a library of user-friendly templates to help smooth out the learning curve regardless of what project you’re working on.

Miro best features 

  • Use the whiteboard for creative brainstorming, the mind map to capture ideas, and the planning board to create a visual representation of each project

  • Import Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets spreadsheets with the click of a button, thanks to Miro’s integrations 

  • Use the social media calendar template to track your campaign ideas, make notes on projects, and keep your team on track across all your social profiles

  • Create custom tools and plugins using HTML, JavaScript, and CSS

Miro limitations 

  • The free plan is limited to a single workspace, which some teams with multiple users find too limiting

  • Some users report bugs with the text editor and drag-and-drop functions, plus a need for Markdown support in the notes app

Miro pricing

  • Free 

  • Starter: $10/month per user paid monthly

  • Business: $20/month per user paid monthly

  • Enterprise: Contact for pricing

11. Google Keep

Google Keep is a personal note-taking app designed for consumers more than collaborative teams. It’s an ideal option for organizing your thoughts and taking notes on the fly. Customize the interface, add images, and use the unlimited storage space for all your ideas.

You can use Google Keep for free to track your personal notes, brilliant ideas, and thoughts. This is the Milanote alternative for those who aren’t using the collaboration features and don’t need project management features. 

Google Keep best features 

  • Use Google Keep on Android, iOS, and Chrome for easy note-taking no matter where you are

  • Enjoy free access to all note-taking features; all you need is a Gmail account

  • Save your files to Google Drive with the click of a button for more convenient access to your notes

  • Take quick and easy notes while you browse the web, saving time and keeping your ideas organized

Google Keep limitations 

  • Keep notes are not available offline unless you’re using a Chromebook

  • Not designed for collaboration, remote work, or project management

Google Keep pricing

  • Free 

  • Google Keep ratings and reviews 

12. Nuclino

Nuclino is a collaborative workspace with a lightweight user interface to help your team stay focused. It provides a fast search feature and allows users to unify all their projects, knowledge, and docs on one platform.

Nuclino emphasizes the essentials with a view for every workflow. It might lack some advanced functionality present with other Milanote alternatives on this list, but it executes the features it does include beautifully.

Nuclino best features 

  • Switch between list, board, table, and graph views to change how you visually explore your team’s ideas and knowledge

  • Collaborate with team members from around the world in real-time using a fast, reliable platform

  • Minimize context switching and say goodbye to the chaos of managing folders and files by keeping everything in a collaborative workspace shared by your team.

  • Work with cross-platform team members on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android devices

Nuclino limitations 

  • Some reviews mention a lack of integration with existing project management tools

  • It may not be helpful for large databases and teams based on customer reviews

Nuclino pricing

  • Free 

  • Standard: $5/month per user paid monthly

  • Premium: $10/month per user paid monthly

13. Roam Research

  • Roam Research is a cloud-based note-taking tool that keeps research and documents organized. Create bullet notes, link your notes, auto-save your work, and keep your notes in a side tab for quick reference while researching on the web.

    Roam functions as a wiki with auto backlinks, so users can connect their notes and ideas using overlapping hierarchies. Use it for collaborative knowledge management within remote teams so everyone can share their ideas, organize their thoughts, and be more productive.

Roam best features 

  • Switch between functionalities like project management, progressive summarization, and bullet journaling for the perfect format every time

  • Keep track of your research with bi-directional links, backlinked tags, and individual pages

  • Create an interconnected network of knowledge that your team can contribute to and rely on across all your projects

  • Work with cross-platform teams using an online workspace that anyone can access

Roam limitations 

  • The simple interface might hinder functionality for some teams based on user reviews

  • There’s no free version, and some reviews mention frustration with a lack of pricing transparency

Roam pricing

Pro: $15/month per user paid monthly

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Why Otio Is The Best Milanote Alternative For Note Taking — Try Otio for Free Today

I must say I'm quite impressed by Otio, a cutting-edge tool for knowledge management that redefines the way researchers and students work with information. This AI-native workspace is a game-changer as it streamlines the entire workflow, from collecting diverse data sources to creating draft outputs seamlessly. Here, I'll delve into the top features of Otio, highlighting how it simplifies the research process and boosts productivity.

Collect: Diverse Data in One Place

One of the most outstanding features of Otio is its ability to collect data from a wide range of sources, such as bookmarks, tweets, books, and YouTube videos. This functionality eliminates the need to switch between different apps or platforms, making information aggregation a breeze. By consolidating all your sources in one place, Otio ensures that you have swift access to all the necessary materials for your research.

Extract: Key Takeaways Effortlessly

With Otio's AI-generated notes and source-grounded Q&A chat, extracting key takeaways has never been easier. This feature not only saves time but also enhances the quality of the notes. The detailed insights and extracted information make it easier to comprehend and process the collected data. This function helps to organize the information in a structured manner, streamlining the research process.

Create: From Reading List to First Draft

Otio's ability to create draft outputs using the collected sources is a boon for researchers. This feature significantly accelerates the transition from data collection to writing. By providing a platform to draft research papers and essays quickly, Otio enables users to focus on the core research instead of getting bogged down in the writing process.

AI-Assisted Writing: A Game-Changer

While Otio excels in data collection and extraction, its AI-assisted writing feature takes innovation to a whole new level. This functionality empowers users to engage with individual links or entire knowledge bases, similar to conversing with a virtual assistant. The ease of use and the efficiency of generating content with AI assistance make Otio a must-have for researchers and students seeking to boost their productivity.

Otio is a Milanote alternative that not only streamlines the research process but also enhances the quality and efficiency of the overall workflow. Whether you're a seasoned researcher or a student navigating the complexities of information overload, Otio's AI-native workspace can be your ultimate research and writing partner. 

Don't wait any longer - give Otio a try and experience the future of knowledge management today!

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