Evernote offers multiple pricing tiers ranging from a free plan to enterprise options. This guide breaks down every plan, what’s included, and which one offers the best value for your needs.
Evernote has gone through significant changes over the past few years, and its pricing structure in 2026 reflects a deliberate push toward paid subscriptions. The free plan has been dramatically scaled back, and if you haven’t revisited your Evernote account recently, you may be in for a surprise.
This guide breaks down every Evernote plan, what you actually get for your money, and whether it’s worth paying at all.
Evernote Plans at a Glance (2026)
| Feature | Free | Starter ($10.83/mo) | Advanced ($14.99/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly note limit | 50 notes total | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Notebook limit | 1 notebook | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Device sync | 1 device | 2 devices | Unlimited |
| Monthly upload limit | 60 MB | 1 GB | 20 GB |
| Note size limit | 25 MB | 25 MB | 200 MB |
| Offline notebooks | No | Yes | Yes |
| PDF annotation | No | No | Yes |
| Tasks & reminders | Basic | Full | Full |
| AI features | No | No | Yes |
| Email to Evernote | No | Yes | Yes |
| Web clipper | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Customer support | Community only | Priority |
The Free Plan: What Happened?
The most dramatic change in Evernote’s recent pricing history is what happened to the free tier. Evernote Free now caps you at 50 notes total — not 50 notes per month, but 50 notes for your entire account lifetime.
For new users exploring the app, 50 notes is enough to get a feel for the interface. But for anyone migrating from another tool or trying to use Evernote as a real productivity system, 50 notes won’t last long. A single project can easily consume 10–20 notes.
The free plan also restricts you to one device and one notebook. That means no sync between your phone and laptop, and no organizational structure whatsoever.
This is a significant downgrade from the previous free tier, which allowed unlimited notes and two-device sync. Many long-time users who relied on the free plan have been pushed to either pay up or find alternatives.
Starter Plan: $10.83/month
The Starter plan (billed at $129.99/year, or roughly $14.99/month if paid monthly) removes the most painful free-tier restrictions:
- Unlimited notes and notebooks — the core of what makes Evernote useful
- 2-device sync — enough for most people with a phone and a computer
- 1 GB monthly upload — generous for text-heavy notes, adequate for occasional file attachments
- Offline access — critical for mobile use when you don’t have internet
The Starter plan is Evernote’s sweet spot for casual users who want a reliable note-taking app without paying premium prices. If your workflow is straightforward — capture ideas, write notes, save articles — Starter covers everything you need.
Who should choose Starter: Individuals who take notes regularly, students, and anyone who upgraded from the free plan and needs multi-device sync.
Advanced Plan: $14.99/month
The Advanced plan (billed at $179.99/year) adds features that power users genuinely need:
- Unlimited device sync — critical for users with multiple computers, tablets, and phones
- 20 GB monthly upload — handles heavy PDF, audio, and image workflows
- 200 MB note size limit — enables large file attachments
- PDF annotation — mark up documents directly in Evernote
- AI-powered features — smart search suggestions, note summarization, and content assistance
- Priority customer support — faster response times
The AI features are the most notable addition in the Advanced tier. Evernote’s AI tools can summarize long notes, help you find related content across your notebooks, and generate drafts. Whether they justify the price difference over Starter depends on how much you’d actually use them.
Who should choose Advanced: Heavy users, professionals managing large knowledge bases, anyone who annotates PDFs frequently, and teams using Evernote as a shared workspace.
Is Evernote Worth the Price in 2026?
That depends heavily on your use case.
Evernote is worth it if:
- You’ve been using it for years and your notes are deeply organized in Evernote
- You need reliable web clipping (Evernote’s clipper is still one of the best)
- You want a mature, stable app with strong search capabilities
- You work across platforms (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, web)
Evernote may not be worth it if:
- You’re starting fresh — the onboarding experience and pricing are both harder to justify compared to newer tools
- You primarily write long-form text — apps like Obsidian or Notion offer better writing environments
- You’re budget-conscious — similar features are available for free or at lower cost elsewhere
Alternatives to Consider
If Evernote’s pricing feels steep, you’re not alone. Here are the most common alternatives people switch to:
For free note-taking: Notion’s free plan is far more generous than Evernote’s, offering unlimited pages and basic collaboration. Best Note-Taking Apps 2026 covers the full landscape.
For privacy and offline-first: Obsidian stores everything as local Markdown files and is completely free for personal use. There’s no subscription required for core functionality.
For power users: Notion’s paid plans offer databases, linked views, and team features that go well beyond what Evernote provides.
A detailed comparison of every major Evernote competitor is available in Evernote Alternatives 2026.
Quick Summary: Which Plan to Choose
- Free: Only for testing the app. The 50-note cap makes it impractical for real use.
- Starter ($10.83/mo): Best value for individual users who need multi-device sync and unlimited notes.
- Advanced ($14.99/mo): Worth the upgrade if you annotate PDFs, need AI features, or sync across more than two devices.
For a deeper look at the app itself — performance, search quality, integrations, and real-world usability — read our full Evernote Review 2026.
Try Evernote or Explore Alternatives
Start Evernote Free — test it with 50 notes before committing to a paid plan.
Not sure Evernote is right for you? Compare it head-to-head with the top competitors in Evernote Alternatives 2026, or browse the full Best Note-Taking Apps 2026 list to find the app that fits your workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Evernote free?
Yes, Evernote offers a free plan with limited features. See the pricing breakdown above for what’s included in each tier.
Is Evernote worth paying for?
It depends on your needs. The free plan works for basic use, but teams and power users will benefit from paid features. See our plan-by-plan analysis above.
What is the cheapest Evernote plan?
Check the pricing table above for the most current pricing. Plans and pricing may change — we update this page regularly.