ToolRankBest AI note-taking apps
Updated 16 Oct 2026 · Prices from vendor pages only · How we rank →
The short answer
These apps capture and organise notes with AI built in. NotebookLM comes first: answers grounded in your own sources, free for personal use, with Audio and Video Overviews. The cheapest verified paid plan here is Mem Mem Plus ($9/month). 4 of the 4 have a free plan we could confirm. Every price below is from the vendor’s own page, checked 16 Oct 2026.
Ranked shortlist
- NotebookLM: Answers grounded in your own sources, free for personal use, with Audio and Video Overviews. Plan: In Google AI Pro: $19.99/month (Google AI Pro)
4x limits, 300 sources - Notion AI: AI built into the docs and databases teams already use, with custom agents on Business. Plan: Plus: $10/member/month
AI trial - Granola: AI notepad that enhances your meeting notes without a bot. Plan: Business: $14/user/month
- Mem: AI-organised note-taking. Plan: Mem Plus: $9/month
Order follows ToolRank’s editorial ranking in Research & Productivity, filtered to tools that fit this page. Anything we couldn’t confirm on a vendor page says “Not yet verified”.
Side by side
| Rank | Tool | Relevant plan | Starting price | Free plan | Best for | Main limitation | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | NotebookLM | In Google AI Pro: $19.99/month (Google AI Pro) 4x limits, 300 sources | Included in Google AI Plus (see Google AI plans) | Standard chat/generation limits, up to 50 sources per notebook | Students and researchers working from their own documents | Free plan: standard limits and up to 50 sources per notebook; more needs a Google AI plan. | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #2 | Notion AI | Plus: $10/member/month AI trial | $20/member/month (Business, includes Notion AI) | Free plan includes a trial of Notion AI only | Teams whose knowledge already lives in Notion | Free and Plus only include an AI trial; full AI needs Business ($20/member/month). | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #3 | Granola | Business: $14/user/month | $14/user/month (Business) | Basic: $0 | Bot-free AI meeting notes | Team features need Business | 16 Oct 2026 |
| #4 | Mem | Mem Plus: $9/month | $9/month (Mem Plus) | Free: 25 new notes/month | AI note-taking that organises itself | Free plan caps new notes | 16 Oct 2026 |
Prices as listed by each vendor on the last-checked date, USD, before tax. Plans and limits change, so follow the sources below.
Who should pick which
Pick NotebookLM for students and researchers working from their own documents (In Google AI Pro: $19.99/month (Google AI Pro)); think twice if you need open web search as the main source. Pick Notion AI for teams whose knowledge already lives in Notion (Plus: $10/member/month); think twice if you don't use Notion. Pick Granola for bot-free AI meeting notes (Business: $14/user/month). Watch out: team features need Business. Pick Mem for AI note-taking that organises itself (Mem Plus: $9/month). Watch out: free plan caps new notes.
FAQ
Which of these is cheapest?
Mem Mem Plus ($9/month) is the lowest paid price we verified on this list (https://get.mem.ai/pricing, checked 16 Oct 2026). Check the vendor page for tax, billing period and usage limits.
Which of these have a free plan?
NotebookLM: Standard chat/generation limits, up to 50 sources per notebook; Notion AI: Free plan includes a trial of Notion AI only; Granola: Basic: $0; Mem: Free: 25 new notes/month.
How were these tools chosen?
They are the tools in ToolRank's rankings with AI note-taking as a core feature on the vendor page, confirmed on the vendor's own website on 16 Oct 2026. Tools we could not verify are left out rather than guessed, and anything unconfirmed is marked Not yet verified.
Sources
- NotebookLM: Gemini Notebook (NotebookLM) plans checked 16 Oct 2026
- NotebookLM: Google AI plans checked 16 Oct 2026
- Notion AI: Notion pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- Granola: Granola pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
- Mem: Mem pricing checked 16 Oct 2026
Related comparisons
Profiles: NotebookLM · Notion AI · Granola · Mem
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