NotePlan puts your notes, tasks and calendar in one app for iPhone, iPad and Mac, and it’s built around Markdown notes. It’s free to download, the listing describes a subscription, and it has 4.8 stars from 1,527 App Store ratings.
Quick verdict
NotePlan suits you if you plan your days in notes and want tasks, notes and calendar events on one screen. Several reviewers praise exactly that combination. Many say the developer answers questions, and many praise the pace of updates. Many also say they can set the app up the way they work. The two complaints that come up most are price and the learning curve: several reviewers find the subscription too expensive, and several found the app hard to learn or overwhelming at first. If you want home screen widgets or an Apple Watch app, note that a few reviewers ask for widgets and a few ask for a Watch app.
NotePlan at a glance
| Developer | NotePlan LLC |
|---|---|
| Store listing | NotePlan on the App Store |
| Price | Free to download; the listing describes a subscription but our data has no prices |
| Ads | Not stated in the listing |
| App Store rating | 4.8 stars from 1,527 ratings |
| Downloads | Not in our data |
| Version / last updated | 3.22 / October 23, 2026 |
| Requires | iOS 16.0 or later |
| First released | November 23, 2020 |
| Data checked | November 12, 2026 |
What is NotePlan?
NotePlan is a planner built from notes. The listing says it lets you “manage everything in one place: your tasks, notes, and calendar,” and that you can see “your calendar, notes, and tasks in a single view.” Notes are stored as plain text, and the app runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad with “a single subscription for all your devices.”
Key features
- Daily planning in Markdown: write tasks and notes in Markdown, add #tags and @mentions, reschedule to-dos, and create “flexible recurring tasks,” with autocomplete.
- Linked notes: bi-directional links between calendar notes and regular notes, cross-references, and any structure “from simple folders over P.A.R.A. to a Zettelkasten system.”
- Review views: search across all tasks and notes, lists of open, overdue and upcoming tasks, and custom filters built from status, #tags, @mentions or text.
- Calendar: create events and reminders in NotePlan, connect iCloud, Google and Exchange calendars, and time-block tasks “simply by typing.”
- Sync: sync between your Apple devices with CloudKit or iCloud Drive.
- Plain-text storage: the listing says notes are stored in plaintext “so you’re never locked in” and that local files and native apps make it fast.
- Themes: built-in themes in light or dark versions, plus your own custom theme.
- Keyboard use: extended Markdown syntax with customization options, keyboard navigation and a Global Command Bar.
NotePlan vs. what a notes app should have
“Listed” means the App Store listing names the feature, “Partial” means it covers part of it, and “Reviews only” means reviewers describe it but the listing doesn’t. “Not listed” means the listing doesn’t name it and no reviewer in our sample says the app has it.
Must have
| Feature | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fast note creation | Listed | Tasks and notes in Markdown, with autocomplete |
| Organization (tags, folders or flags) | Listed | #tags, @mentions and folders |
| Search or filtering | Listed | Search across tasks and notes, plus custom filters |
| Sync across devices | Listed | Apple devices via CloudKit or iCloud Drive; several reviewers praise it |
| Sharing or exporting | Reviews only | One reviewer says you can share notes and to-do lists; the listing says notes are stored in plaintext |
| Home Screen widget | Not listed | A few reviewers ask for widgets |
| Backup or recovery | Reviews only | Two reviewers mention a backup, one of them “built-in backup” |
Should have
| Feature | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Markdown or plain-text formatting | Listed | |
| Dictation or voice capture | Reviews only | One reviewer recorded a meeting in the app; the recording disappeared with no transcript |
| Themes and dark mode | Listed | Built-in themes in light and dark versions, plus custom themes |
| Font and layout customization | Reviews only | Two reviewers say you can change fonts; one wishes the appearance were easier to change |
| Share-extension capture | Reviews only | Two reviewers say the share extension is limited |
| Siri or Shortcuts support | Reviews only | Two reviewers mention Shortcuts support; two others asked for it in 2023 |
| Smartwatch capture | Not listed | A few reviewers ask for an Apple Watch app |
Nice to have
| Feature | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Automation or scripting | Reviews only | Several reviewers mention plugins; a few mention JavaScript or their own scripts |
| AI/LLM integration | Reviews only | One reviewer mentions an MCP server and “agentic support” (September 2026) |
| Images or attachments | Reviews only | Several reviewers add images, files or screenshots to notes |
| Collaboration on a note | Reviews only | Two reviewers mention Teamspaces (May 2025); two earlier reviewers asked for collaboration features |
| Web or Windows access | Reviews only | A few reviewers mention a web version; two ask for a Windows app |
| Note lock or encryption | Not listed | One reviewer asks for a way to lock notes |
| Accessibility features called out by users | Not listed |
Planning, linking and the calendar get detailed coverage in the listing. What reviewers miss sits outside the app: widgets, an Apple Watch app and a better share sheet.
Common problems reviewers report
The data we collected doesn’t include developer replies, so this table shows what reviewers report and when, not an official fix. Older reports may describe earlier versions, and version 3.22 may behave differently.
| Problem | What reviewers report | When |
|---|---|---|
| Editor lag or flicker | One reviewer says long notes jump or flicker with every space typed; another says typing was slow in a note of about four paragraphs | September 2023 and October 2026 |
| Share sheet | One reviewer says the share sheet won’t accept screenshots, only prepends and only adds to calendar notes; another calls the iOS sharing extension “extremely limited” and says there is no Mac share sheet extension | May 2023 and April 2026 |
| Recurring tasks | One reviewer couldn’t set a task to repeat once every 3 days; another couldn’t find the menu icon for daily recurring tasks on an iPad Pro | October 2023 and April 2025 |
| Refunds | Two reviewers had trouble getting a refund after cancelling; one says the company told them it had no control because the purchase went through the App Store | November 2024 and July 2026 |
| Offline use | One reviewer says the app can’t be used unless it reaches NotePlan’s server at least once every 3 days, even without syncing | August 2026 |
| Meeting recording | One reviewer says a recorded meeting disappeared with no transcript after choosing a summary, and the summary came back in Chinese | October 2025 |
| Images | One reviewer says imported images are converted to PNG, which takes space and slows syncing | July 2025 |
Pros (from user reviews)
- Notes, tasks and calendar together: several reviewers like having all three in one app. One in sales says it keeps up with “my pipeline projects and daily notes” without moving between apps.
- Responsive developer: many reviewers say the developer, Eduard, is responsive and answers questions quickly, and a few say he fixed their problems quickly. One says he “responds within a day.” Two others had a worse experience trying to get a refund.
- Frequent updates: many reviewers praise the pace of updates and new features. One reviewer feels the opposite and says new features have smothered a simple app.
- Flexible: many reviewers say they can set NotePlan up the way they work. One says it can hold a detailed productivity system or a scrappy list, and “it can be both at the same time.”
- Calendar and Reminders: several reviewers praise how it works with their calendar or Apple Reminders, and one calls it one of the few apps with “perfect 2 way sync with Apple calendars and reminders.”
- Plain-text files: several reviewers value that notes are Markdown or plain-text files they can take anywhere. A few say NotePlan and Obsidian can work on the same folder of notes.
- Bullet journaling: several reviewers say it works as a digital bullet journal.
- Plugins and community: several reviewers mention the plugins or the user community, including a Discord group.
- Sync and speed: several reviewers say sync works well, and several call the app fast.
- Tutorials: several reviewers praise the videos, help pages or documentation. One reviewer says the lack of a formal tutorial left them overwhelmed.
- ADHD: a few reviewers say it helps them manage ADHD.
Cons (from user reviews)
- Price: several reviewers find the subscription too expensive, and a few want a lifetime, one-time or non-subscription option. Several others say it’s worth the price.
- Learning curve: several reviewers found it hard to learn or overwhelming at first, and one says the iOS app was confusing at first. Another finds the iOS app’s navigation unintuitive. Several others call it easy to use.
- Requests for widgets and an Apple Watch app: a few reviewers ask for home screen widgets, and a few ask for an Apple Watch app.
- Share sheet: two reviewers find the share extension too limited for capturing from other apps.
- Request for a Windows app: two reviewers ask for one, and a few mention a web version.
- Bugs: two reviewers report editor trouble in longer notes (flickering as you type, or slow typing), and one says a meeting recording disappeared.
Most reviews in our sample are 5 stars. The data we collected doesn’t include a star breakdown of all 1,527 ratings, so we can’t say how common these complaints are across all of them.
Pricing
NotePlan is free to download. The listing describes a subscription that covers all your devices, is “charged to your credit card through your iTunes account” and renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the period ends. Our data doesn’t include the subscription prices. Reviewers quote some: one wrote “$9.99 a month” in November 2024, one wrote “$100 per year” in February 2024, and one wrote “$99/year” in June 2025. Two reviewers mention a 7-day trial, and a few say NotePlan is available through Setapp.
Privacy and permissions
We couldn’t read the App Store privacy label for NotePlan, so we make no claim about what data it collects. The listing says notes are stored in plaintext, that “your information is private and cannot be accessed,” and links to a privacy policy at noteplan.co. One reviewer says syncing requires signing in to iCloud. Another objects to getting emails and notifications they didn’t agree to.
Who it’s for
NotePlan fits you if you plan in notes, want tasks and calendar events next to them, and work across an iPhone, iPad and Mac. Reviewers use it for bullet journaling, project work and time-blocking their days. It’s a weaker fit if you want something simple from day one, need widgets or an Apple Watch app, or don’t want another subscription. A few reviewers advise reading the tutorials or watching the videos first.
FAQ
Is NotePlan free?
NotePlan is free to download, and the listing describes a subscription that covers all your devices. Our data doesn’t include the prices. Reviewers have quoted “$9.99 a month” (November 2024) and “$100 per year” (February 2024), and two mention a 7-day trial.
Does NotePlan have widgets?
The listing doesn’t mention widgets. A few reviewers ask for home screen widgets, in reviews from 2023 and 2025. One wants to create notes and see open, due or overdue tasks right from the home screen.
Does NotePlan work on Windows?
The listing names Mac, iPhone and iPad. A few reviewers mention a web version, including one who signs in “from my PC on the web.” Two reviewers ask for a Windows app.
Does NotePlan work with Obsidian?
The listing doesn’t mention Obsidian, but it says notes are stored in plaintext. A few reviewers say NotePlan and Obsidian can work on the same folder of notes.
How this review was put together
We haven’t tested NotePlan. This review is based on public information from official sources: the app’s Google Play or App Store listing and rating breakdown, the developer’s website when there is one, and recent user reviews on the store with the developer’s replies. Features and claims are the developer’s own descriptions; what users like and dislike comes from the store reviews. Everything was checked on November 12, 2026. Apps change with every update, so check the store listing before you install.
