Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students 2026

Staying organized as a student can be challenging. Between attending lectures, completing assignments, preparing for exams, and managing group projects, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Traditional notebooks and sticky notes often fall short, leaving students scrambling to find important information when it’s needed most. Fortunately, Android phones offer a wide range of note-taking apps designed specifically to help students capture ideas quickly, organize study materials efficiently, and access them anytime, anywhere. Using the Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students can turn your phone into a powerful study tool, helping you stay productive, focused, and ahead of your coursework.

These apps provide more than just a digital notebook they allow you to integrate multimedia elements like images, PDFs, audio, and diagrams, making your notes richer and easier to understand. In this guide, we’ll cover what each app does, how to use it effectively, and its unique benefits. By the end, you’ll know exactly which note taking app suits your study style and academic needs.

Why Using the Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students Matters

Note taking apps are more than digital notebooks. They help students:

• Capture and organize information quickly
• Access notes anytime, anywhere
• Study efficiently with multimedia support (images, audio, videos)
• Keep all materials synced across devices
• Share notes and collaborate with classmates
• Using the Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students ensures that your study materials are always organized, accessible, and easy to review, helping you save time and improve learning outcomes.

1. Google Keep – Quick Notes for Everyday Use

Google Keep is a lightweight, user-friendly note-taking app designed for students who need to capture ideas quickly. It allows you to create text notes, checklists, voice memos, and image-based notes, all in one place. Its simplicity and speed make it ideal for daily study tasks and reminders.

How to use it:

1. Open the app and tap “Take a note.”

2. Choose between text, checklist, or voice note.

3. Organize notes using colours and labels.

4. Sync automatically with Google Drive.

5. Set reminders for assignments or study sessions.

Why it’s useful:

• Captures ideas instantly before you forget
• Quick search and organization make revision easier
• Ideal for reminders, homework lists, and brainstorming sessions
• Use Google Keep to create daily to do lists for assignments, or snap photos of whiteboards during class to refer back later.

2. Microsoft One Note – Structured Digital Notebook

Microsoft One Note is one of the Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students, functioning as a digital binder that’s perfect for managing multiple subjects, projects, or research tasks. It allows you to organize notes into notebooks, sections, and pages, while supporting text, images, audio, PDFs, and even handwriting, offering a flexible and structured way to manage all your study materials efficiently.

How to use it:

1. Create notebooks for each subject.

2. Add sections and pages for individual lectures or topics.

3. Insert images, audio clips, PDFs, or diagrams.

4. Sync across Android, Windows, and web.

5. Use tags for important points or action items.

Why it’s useful:

• Keeps notes structured for quick reference
• Supports multimedia and handwriting for comprehensive notes
• Perfect for research projects or multi-subject organization
• Take detailed notes during lectures, then annotate diagrams or slides for exam prep. You can also share notebooks with classmates for group projects.

3. Notion – All-in-One Study Hub

Notion is one of the Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students, offering a versatile all-in-one productivity platform that combines note-taking, task management, databases, and study planners. It allows students to create customized pages for subjects, projects, or assignments, integrating text, checklists, tables, images, and multimedia. Notion is perfect for organizing study materials, planning tasks efficiently, and collaborating with classmates on group projects or shared study sessions.

How to use it:

1. Choose a template (study planner, revision board, project tracker).

2. Create pages for subjects, chapters, or topics.

3. Add notes, checklists, tables, images, and videos.

4. Share or collaborate with classmates.

5. Track assignments, deadlines, and progress in one app.

Why it’s useful:

• Centralizes all study materials in one place
• Fully customizable to match your study style
• Ideal for group projects and research tracking
• Use Notion to create a semester-long study plan, tracking assignments, deadlines, and progress for every subject in one workspace.

 4. Joplin – Privacy-Focused and Free

Joplin is one of the Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students, offering a free, open-source solution that emphasizes privacy, flexibility, and security. It allows students to create notebooks, organize notes with tags, and store content safely with end-to-end encryption. With offline access and cloud sync options, Joplin ensures that your study materials are always secure, easily accessible, and fully customizable to fit your academic needs.

How to use it:

1. Create notebooks for each subject.

2. Add notes and categorize them with tags.

3. Enable encryption for privacy.

4. Sync to cloud storage or keep notes offline.

Why it’s useful:

• Keeps sensitive or personal notes secure
• Flexible organization with notebooks, tags, and sub-tags
• Free and open-source — ideal for budget-conscious students
• Keep your research notes and personal ideas encrypted and organized. Joplin works well for students working on confidential projects or dissertations.

5. Samsung Notes – Ideal for Handwriting

Samsung Notes is one of the Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students, offering a versatile platform that lets students write naturally using a stylus or their finger. It’s perfect for visual and creative learners, supporting handwritten notes, sketches, diagrams, and annotations on PDFs or images. With Samsung Notes, students can capture ideas, formulas, and creative study materials in a flexible and organized way, making it easier to review and retain information efficiently.

How to use it:

1. Open the app and create a new note.

2. Write or draw using your stylus or finger.

3. Annotate PDFs or images.

4. Sync with Samsung Cloud or One Drive.

Why it’s useful:

• Ideal for diagrams, formulas, and sketches
• Supports natural handwriting for memory retention
• Great for subjects like math, chemistry, or art

Draw mind maps, flowcharts, or formula notes for subjects that are difficult to capture with typed notes.

6. Squid – Handwritten Notes with Paper

Squid is one of the Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students, offering a digital platform that replicates the experience of writing on real paper. It’s ideal for students who prefer handwritten notes, sketches, or diagrams. Squid lets you write, draw, and annotate using a stylus or finger, import PDFs, and organize notes into notebooks, providing a realistic, flexible, and paper-like study experience that helps improve understanding and retention.

How to use it:

1. Create a new note or import a PDF.

2. Write with finger or stylus.

3. Zoom, pan, and erase naturally.

4. Organize notes with folders or notebooks.

Why it’s useful:

• Provides an authentic writing experience
• Works with PDFs and images for lecture notes
• Easy to organize, edit, and review
• Use Squid to annotate slides or practice writing equations while studying remotely.

7. Notes nook – Secure and Organized Notes

Notes nook is one of the Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students, offering a secure and private platform with a clean, intuitive interface. It allows students to create organized notebooks, add tags, and store notes with end-to-end encryption. Notes nook works both online and offline, making it ideal for safely managing personal, academic, or sensitive study materials while keeping all your important information easily accessible and organized.

How to use it:

1. Create notebooks and add notes.

2. Tag notes for better organization.

3. Enable end-to-end encryption.

4. Sync across devices.

Why it’s useful:

• Protects private or sensitive study information
• Clean interface reduces distractions
• Works offline and online
• Store sensitive research, project ideas, or personal journals securely while keeping them accessible across devices.

How to Choose the Right App?

Choosing the Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students depends on your study style, the type of content you take, and whether you prioritize speed, organization, collaboration, or privacy. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide:

• Google Keep: Ideal for students who need quick, simple notes for daily tasks, reminders, or checklists. Its lightweight design allows you to capture ideas instantly without worrying about complex organization.

• Microsoft One Note: Perfect for those who prefer a structured approach. One Note lets you organize notes into notebooks, sections, and pages, and supports multimedia like images, audio, and PDFs, making it excellent for detailed lecture notes and research projects.

• Notion: Best for students who want an all-in-one study hub. Notion combines note-taking with task management, databases, and planning tools. It’s highly customizable and ideal for collaboration on group projects or long-term study planning.

• Joplin: Great for privacy-conscious students. It’s free, open-source, and allows you to organize notes with notebooks and tags while keeping them encrypted.

• Samsung Notes / Squid: Ideal for visual learners who prefer handwriting, diagrams, and sketches. These apps mimic the feel of real paper and are excellent for math, science, or art notes.

• Notes nook: Focuses on secure and private note management. It’s perfect for students handling sensitive information or personal study materials.

Sum Up

Your Android phone isn’t just for browsing or social media—it can be a powerful study companion when you use the Best Note Taking Android Apps for Students. Whether it’s jotting down quick reminders in Google Keep, keeping detailed and organized notebooks in One Note, or creating handwritten diagrams in Squid, these apps make studying much easier, more efficient, and even enjoyable.

Picking the right app for your study style means you can capture ideas instantly, organize your notes clearly, and review them whenever you need. With everything in one place, you’ll spend less time hunting for information and more time actually learning. By using these apps consistently, you can improve your academic performance, stay on top of assignments, and reduce stress—turning your phone into a smart, reliable study partner.