I wanted less between me and a note
I've used Obsidian, Notion and Evernote. Each gave me plenty of ways to work with my notes. Most of the time, I didn't need all of them.
When a thought came, I wanted to write it down quickly, before I lost it. Later, I wanted to see where that thought had gone: what I'd added, what had changed, and what I'd decided.
I wanted to write the note. I wanted the app to figure out where it belonged.
I couldn't find the simple, clear experience I had in mind, so I built it for myself.
Then I sent it to a few friends. They said it was exactly what they needed. That's how Nave got to the App Store.
What Nave does differently
Start with the thought. Say it or type it. Nave adds a title and a short summary, and picks out the actions in your words.
Let the connections build. Related notes go into a thread, so a thought from today can sit alongside one from last week. You don't have to keep up a system of folders or tags.
Keep your own files. Your notes live in your iCloud Drive as plain Markdown. You can open them without Nave, and they're yours to move or delete.
See how this works with voice notes on iPhone and automatic note organization.
What I used before
These apps solve different problems. I built Nave around the part I wanted to make simpler.
Obsidian
A flexible home for notes stored as local files. Links, properties and plugins give you ways to build your own system. That control is valuable; I wanted less organizing to do after capturing a thought. See how Obsidian stores notes.
Notion
Pages, databases and collaboration in one workspace, with AI built in. It makes sense when the workspace itself is part of the job. My need was smaller: a place for my own thoughts. Explore Notion's features.
Evernote
Notes, notebooks and tags, with AI tools for finding and working with what you've saved. I wanted related thoughts to come together as a thread. Explore Evernote's AI features.
What Nave doesn't do
Nave does less, on purpose. Right now, it's an iPhone app. A Mac version is coming, and there isn't a dedicated iPad layout yet.
If you need a shared team workspace or a deeply customizable note system, one of the apps above may fit you better. Nave is for the moment when you just want to capture a thought and come back to it later.
Side by side
A quick guide to the different approaches. On a small screen, swipe the table to see every app.
| Feature | Nave | Obsidian | Notion | Evernote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main approach | Capture a thought; connect it into a thread | Build your own system with files, links and plugins | Organize a workspace with pages and databases | Collect notes in notebooks, with tags |
| Organization | Related notes connect automatically | You choose your structure | You build pages and databases | You use notebooks and tags |
| AI | Titles, summaries and actions | Available through community plugins | Built-in AI tools | Built-in AI tools |
| Your notes | Markdown files in your iCloud Drive | Local files on your device | Pages in your Notion workspace | Notes in your Evernote account |
Comparison sources: Obsidian's core plugins, Notion's features, and Evernote's AI features. Features can change.
Obsidian, Notion and Evernote are trademarks of their respective owners. Nave isn't affiliated with any of them.
