Inside the front cover: the library’s bookplate and a date due slip.
Kiwi’s Library Book 2 of 7
Notes
One place for everything you learn
Pick one place and keep everything there.
A summary of your notes is not your notes. Use AI to quiz you, not to write them.
3 chapters, 10 tools
Start with one bookmark
Pick the one that sounds like tonight.
Contents
Each chapter is one job, cheapest first.
Bookmark 1 of 3
If you want something simple that just works
One place, nothing to set up.
Tonight, only this
Make one notebook per course and one page per lecture.
The tools for this bookmark
-
Free
Google Docs (opens in a new tab)
Documents in the browser that save as you type.
Free, exactly: Everything. The 15 GB of storage is shared with Gmail and Drive.
-
Free
Microsoft OneNote (opens in a new tab)
Notebooks where you can type, draw and paste anywhere on the page.
Free, exactly: The full app everywhere, with 5 GB of OneDrive.
Bookmark 2 of 3
If your notes never connect
Link one idea to the next, and the subject becomes a map.
Tonight, only this
Write one note per idea and link it to one other.
The tools for this bookmark
-
Free
Obsidian (opens in a new tab)
Notes as plain text files on your own device. No account needed.
Free, exactly: Everything except its own sync.
-
Free
SiYuan (opens in a new tab)
Notes on your own device where any paragraph links to any other, with flashcards built in.
Free, exactly: Most features, on desktop and phone.
-
Free tier
RemNote (opens in a new tab)
Notes and flashcards in one document.
Free, exactly: Unlimited notes and flashcards. Limited to 3 annotated PDFs, 5 image-occlusion cards, 1 handwritten document and 250 AI credits a month.
AI: check its output
Bookmark 3 of 3
If you think better with a pen
Writing by hand makes you choose what matters.
Tonight, only this
Take tomorrow’s notes by hand, then type only the three lines that matter.
The tools for this bookmark
-
Free
-
Free
Microsoft OneNote (opens in a new tab)
Notebooks where you can type, draw and paste anywhere on the page.
Free, exactly: The full app everywhere, with 5 GB of OneDrive.
-
Free tier
Mathpix Snip (opens in a new tab)
Turns a photo of an equation, table or handwriting into LaTeX or Word.
Free, exactly: 10 PDF pages and 10 images a month, doubled with a .edu email.
Chapter 1
Notes you can share
Most students need nothing more.
The price ladder
Notes you can share
-
Free
Google Docs (opens in a new tab)
Documents in the browser that save as you type.
- Use it for
- Notes, essays and group work.
- Costs
- Free with a Google account.
- Free, exactly
- Everything. The 15 GB of storage is shared with Gmail and Drive.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free
Microsoft OneNote (opens in a new tab)
Notebooks where you can type, draw and paste anywhere on the page.
- Use it for
- Pen notes on a tablet, or if your university uses Microsoft 365.
- Costs
- Free. AI features need Microsoft 365.
- Free, exactly
- The full app everywhere, with 5 GB of OneDrive.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free (student)
Notion (opens in a new tab)
A workspace for notes, tables, task lists and wikis.
- Use it for
- Building your own study system.
- Costs
- The Education Plan is free for university students with a school email.
- Free, exactly
- Unlimited pages and uploads, 30 days of page history, one member. Re-verify your school email every year.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free (student)
Craft (opens in a new tab)
Linked documents and notes that look good with no effort.
- Use it for
- Neat course notes on every device.
- Costs
- The Education plan is free with a school email.
- Free, exactly
- Unlimited documents, 250 GB of storage, 5 spaces and 15 AI credits in total. Re-verify every 12 months.
You can share documents but not invite team members.
Checked Nov 2026
Chapter 2
Notes that link together
For when your notes should grow into a map.
The price ladder
Notes that link together
-
Free
Obsidian (opens in a new tab)
Notes as plain text files on your own device. No account needed.
- Use it for
- Linked notes you want to keep for years.
- Costs
- Free. Optional Obsidian Sync is $4 a month billed yearly, or $5 monthly, with 40% off for students.
- Free, exactly
- Everything except its own sync.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free
SiYuan (opens in a new tab)
Notes on your own device where any paragraph links to any other, with flashcards built in.
- Use it for
- Notes and revision in one place, outside someone else’s cloud.
- Costs
- Free. Some sync options need a paid membership.
- Free, exactly
- Most features, on desktop and phone.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free tier
RemNote (opens in a new tab)
Notes and flashcards in one document.
- Use it for
- Notes and spaced repetition in one app.
- Costs
- Pro is $8 a month, or $96 a year.
- Free, exactly
- Unlimited notes and flashcards. Limited to 3 annotated PDFs, 5 image-occlusion cards, 1 handwritten document and 250 AI credits a month.
AI: check its output
Checked Nov 2026
Chapter 3
Notes by hand, and equations
Pen first. The maths can be typed later without retyping.
The price ladder
Notes by hand, and equations
-
Free
Saber (opens in a new tab)
Handwritten notes with encrypted sync.
- Use it for
- Stylus notes without paying for GoodNotes.
- Costs
- Free and open source.
- Free, exactly
- Everything.
Fewer tools than the paid apps.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free
Microsoft OneNote (opens in a new tab)
Notebooks where you can type, draw and paste anywhere on the page.
- Use it for
- Pen notes on a tablet, or if your university uses Microsoft 365.
- Costs
- Free. AI features need Microsoft 365.
- Free, exactly
- The full app everywhere, with 5 GB of OneDrive.
Checked Nov 2026
-
Free tier
Mathpix Snip (opens in a new tab)
Turns a photo of an equation, table or handwriting into LaTeX or Word.
- Use it for
- Getting maths into typed notes without retyping.
- Costs
- Pro is $4.99 a month, or $49.90 a year.
- Free, exactly
- 10 PDF pages and 10 images a month, doubled with a .edu email.
Check every converted equation.
Checked Nov 2026
At the back
About this book
Prices are in US dollars, checked in November 2026. They change and vary by country.
Tools are ordered by what they cost each month to use at all. No affiliate links, no paid places.
Inside the back cover.