Best Zettelkasten Software for 2024 (Full Showdown)

Before digging deeper into which app you should choose, let’s define the criteria that make a good Zettelkasten app.

Bidirectional linking

One of the main reasons people start a Zettelkasten is to link notes together.

It blows my mind how many people try to create their digital slip box with an app that’s not designed to work with backlinks out of the box.
Great examples are Apple Notes or Evernote as a Zettelkasten.

Now, when you take the time to look at how these apps actually work, you see that they have a link-sharing feature. But this feature takes way too many clicks. Plus, it doesn’t give you a clear overview of all links pointing from or to a specific note.

If you’re serious about building a Zettelkasten, you need to pick an app that supports backlinking out of the box. And not stupid workarounds.

Graph view (or a way to see what notes are linked/to)

The graph view is an essential part of my Zettelkasten workflow:

The reason? Simple.

Because it gives you a visual representation of how your notes are connected together. Especially if you’re a visual thinker, this feature is a must-have.

Some apps allow you to create backlinks out of the box but lack a graph view feature.

This is why I don’t recommend using Bear as a Zettelkasten, for example. Bear is the prettiest app I have come across over the years, and I still use it daily.

But for the Zettelkasten? No thanks. There is a way to link notes together, but I have absolutely no visibility on how they’re connected.

Use a Zettelkasten software that has a graph view.

Speed

It may not seem like a big deal, but Speed is extremely important when taking notes.

Here’s why:
When you have an idea, you want to jot it down as quickly as possible.

You also want to navigate within your Zettelkasten blazing fast so that you can find the best connections between your atomic notes.

A slow digital slip box app will slow down your workflow and kill the joy and excitement of discovering your best ideas.

You’ll probably end up frustrated like this guy here:

I’m a strong believer that UI and UX are one of the most essential parts of software development. (This is also why you see me frequently rant about stupidly designed apps…)

Speed matters when it comes to picking your Zettelkasten app.

You want an app:

• That launches quickly
• that allows you to edit your notes
• And gives you the freedom to navigate between your notes

As fast as possible!

Don’t let a tortoise-like Zettelkasten app slow down your thinking!

Future-proof

We live in a fast-changing environment

And just because an app exists today, doesn’t mean it will be here tomorrow. If you’re serious about taking notes, then you certainly want to build a network of notes that will last for years to come. This is where the future-proof criteria come into play.

You want the format in your notes are being saved from being as future-proof as possible. This means that you don’t want to get locked into a proprietary system that you can only hardly switch from.

Make your Zettelkasten future-proof by choosing the right software.

Syncing your Zettelkasten

Most people want to access their Zettelkasten from anywhere.

This is when cloud sync comes into play.

Your Zettelkasten app should ideally have a sync feature.

Privacy

Some people may store sensitive information in their Zettelkasten app. If that’s you, you should look for how your data is handled and opt for end-to-end encryption (or simply store your notes locally.)

Cross-platform

The type of device you use will definitely influence how you pick the right Zettelkasten app. A person who uses only Apple devices will not have the same choices as someone who uses both Apple and Windows devices.

This is why you have to be clear about the types of devices you plan to use to access your Zettelkasten.

Exporting your notes

This criterion is strongly related to the future-proofing of your notes.

The notes in your Zettelkasten belong to you, not to the software you’re using.

A red flag should be raised when you see a Zettelkasten app that does not allow you to export your notes in a widely-accepted and friendly format like plain text or markdown files.