10 Best NotebookLM Alternatives
Everyone’s talking about NotebookLM.
But guess what? It’s not the only option out there.
Sure, Google’s new AI-powered note-taking tool has made a splash, but here’s the thing: there are plenty of other powerful alternatives you might be missing. If you’re like me, constantly juggling notes, ideas, and research, you’ll want something that fits your workflow just right.
That’s why I’m here to break it down.
Whether you need something smarter, simpler, or just plain different—I’ve got you covered with the top 10 NotebookLM alternatives. Let’s dive into the tools that can change how you manage your knowledge, without limiting yourself to the latest buzz.
Saner.AI is an AI Note app designed for personal and professional productivity, offering chat-based interactions for notes, tasks, and reminders.
From the very beginning, we envisioned it as a tool inspired by the concept of Jarvis. What started as an AI note app has gradually evolved to include features like task management, email, and voice assistance. This is why it’s an ideal NotebookLM Alternative app
Pros
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- A Central Place: Your tasks, information, and related knowledge are all in one place – allowing for easy search and efficient execution without context switching. (Emails, Slack, Notion, notes in Saner.AI, etc.)
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- AI Organization: AI auto-tags your notes, and sorts and prioritizes tasks based on your preferences and habits.
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- AI Knowledge Assistant, Skai: Skai helps you recall and synthesize your notes. Just ask and get clear, direct answers from your notes
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- AI Task Assistant: It helps you break down tasks, suggest solutions & remind you to do the work
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- Intuitive Interface: Easy to learn and use, even for beginners and ADHDers
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- Real-time knowledge: include an assistant that can fetch information online to answer your questions
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- Proactive Suggestion: AI will suggest relevant notes to what you are working on and even solutions for your tasks
Cons
- Requires internet access for full functionality
- In early phase
Pricing
- Free
- Starter: Monthly at $8/month, Annually at $6/month (with early user discount)
- Standard: Monthly at $16/month, Annually at $12/month (with early user discount)
Who is it suitable for?
Saner.AI is particularly well-suited for:
- Intensive knowledge workers who need to manage large amounts of information efficiently from multiple sources, such as entrepreneurs, researchers, managers, and content creators
- Individuals with ADHD or those who struggle with information organization and time management
- Anyone looking to streamline their workflow without spending too much time learning a new tool.
How to start using it?
- Visit the Saner.AI website and sign up for an account
- Explore the app’s features, starting with basic note-taking and task creation.
- Try out the integrated internet search functionality to streamline your workflow.
2. MyMind
MyMind is a design-focus tool that helps users save and organize ideas, inspiration, and knowledge without traditional folders or tags. It uses AI to automatically organize and categorize content in the background.
Pros
- AI-driven organization—no manual tagging needed.
- Great for capturing inspiration, images, and links.
- Clean, distraction-free interface focused on minimalism.
Cons
- Limited customization and control over content organization.
- Less suited for complex knowledge management or task planning.
Price
- Starts at $6.99/month.
Suitable for:
Creatives, designers, or anyone who wants a simple, minimalist way to save ideas and inspiration without the clutter of complex folders or systems.
How to start:
Sign up on their website, start saving ideas, images, articles, and notes, and let the AI organize them in the background.
Notion is an all-in-one workspace designed to streamline various tasks such as note-taking, project management, and collaboration. Created as a knowledge management tool, now it’s integrating AI features to the app
Pros
- Versatile all-in-one workspace
- Extensive template library
- Strong collaboration features
Cons
- It can be overwhelming for new users
- AI features require additional payment
Pricing
- Free plan available, Premium plan starts at $8/month, Notion AI is $8/month additional
Suitable for:
Notion is suitable for:
- Students: For organizing notes, assignments, and study materials.
- Freelancers and Small Businesses: Helps in managing client projects, tracking tasks, and maintaining records.
How to start:
Sign up for Notion, choose a template, or start from scratch, and begin organizing your information using its flexible database and page structure.
4. Evernote
Evernote is a classic note-taking app with rich organizational features for capturing, storing, and searching information across devices. They start to have some AI capabilities
Pros
- Cross-platform synchronization.
- Supports various media types
- AI search
- Web clipper for easy content-saving
Cons
- It can be overwhelming for new users
- The free plan is limited
- Limited functionality for AI-driven knowledge management.
Pricing
- Free plan available
- Paid plans from $14.99/month
Suitable for:
General users looking for a well-established note-taking app with AI enhancements
How to start:
Sign up on their website and start creating notes or importing content.
5. Unriddle
Unriddle uses AI to generate summaries, insights, and actionable content from research and documents.
Pros
- AI-driven summaries and insights with PDFs
- Useful for users dealing with research or extensive documents.
Cons
- Focus on document analysis rather than broader knowledge management.
- Less flexible than tools like Notion or Obsidian.
Price
- Start from $12/month
Suitable for:
Researchers or knowledge workers who need quick summaries and insights from large texts.
How to start:
Sign up on their website and start uploading documents for AI-powered insights.
6. Mem
Mem.ai uses AI to answer your questions
Pros
- AI Bot to chat with your documents
- Collaborative features
Cons
- The learning curve for advanced features
- Premium version required for full experience
Pricing
- $14.99/month for individual plan
Suitable for:
Organized note-takers, knowledge workers, and teams
How to start:
Sign up on their website, start adding notes, and let the AI help organize your knowledge.
7. Obsidian
Obsidian is a local-first, markdown-based note-taking app that focuses on linking notes to form a personal knowledge graph.
Pros
- Local storage of notes
- Highly customizable
- Bidirectional links and graph view for visualizing connections.
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Lacks built-in AI tools (third-party plugins may be available).
Price
- Free for personal use, Premium plan starts at $50/year
Suitable for:
Advanced users, developers, and privacy-conscious individuals
How to start:
Download and install from their website, and begin creating markdown notes and linking them to build a knowledge graph.
8. Tana
Tana is a structured data tool that combines note-taking with networked knowledge and task management. It also has some notable AI features
Pros
- Combines Networked Thinking with Structured Databases: Tana utilizes interconnected nodes and Supertags, allowing users to model everything from tasks and projects to CRMs and knowledge bases.Tana utilizes interconnected nodes and Supertags, allowing users to model everything from tasks and projects to CRMs and knowledge bases.
- Strong task management features integrated into notes.
- AI features: Tana offers AI chat functionality that allows users to interact directly with their notes, enabling tasks such as summarizing content, extracting key insights, and generating actionable items.
Cons
- Still in early access
- Can be complex for beginners
Price
- Monthly at $18/month, Annually at $14/month
Suitable for:
Knowledge workers, researchers, and those who enjoy structured data
How to start:
Join the waitlist on Tana’s website, and once granted access, explore its unique approach to organizing information.
9. Afforai
Afforai focuses on AI-driven document analysis and summarization, useful for managing and understanding large documents.
Pros
- AI-driven document summarization and question-answering.
- Easy to use for processing large amounts of information.
Cons
- Primarily focused on document management, not broader knowledge or task management.
Price
- Premium plan starts at $3.99/month
Suitable for:
Users who need to quickly process and summarize large documents or reports.
How to start:
Sign up on their website, upload documents, and start using the AI for analysis and summaries.
10. Reflect app
Reflect is a minimalist designed to enhance your thinking by capturing, organizing, and connecting your ideas. Recently it has incorporated some AI features
Pros
- AI Integration: Reflect’s integration of GPT-4 and Whisper enhances note-taking capabilities
- Linking System: The app’s backlinking feature allows for the creation of a network of interconnected notes
- End-to-End Encryption: Reflect ensures your notes remain private and secure through robust end-to-end encryption.
- Cross-Device Syncing: Notes sync across multiple devices in real-time.
Cons
- Limited Customization: Offers fewer customization options compared to more complex platforms.
- Basic Task Management: Task features are present but may lack advanced functionalities.
Pricing
- Monthly Subscription: $10/month
- Free Trial: 14-day trial available
Suitable for:
Users seeking a straightforward, AI-enhanced note-taking app that emphasizes simplicity and security.
How to start:
Sign up on Reflect’s website and begin your 14-day trial to explore its features.
Choosing the Right NotebookLM Alternatives 💡
NotebookLM might be making waves, but it’s not the only game in town. Whether you’re after smarter AI, a more intuitive experience, or something that fits your unique workflow, these alternatives can deliver what you’re looking for—without the hype.
So, don’t settle for just one option.
Explore, experiment, and find the tool that works best for you.
After all, productivity isn’t about following the crowd—it’s about finding your groove.
