Unlocking Productivity: The Best Info Select Alternatives for Modern PIM Needs
Info Select, a long-standing Personal Information Manager (PIM), has been a highly regarded tool for organizing a vast array of digital information, from notes and schedules to contacts and internet data, since the early days of Windows. While incredibly powerful, its historical high cost has often been a barrier for many. As technology evolves, so too do the options for effective information management. If you're looking for an Info Select alternative that offers similar robust features without the hefty price tag, or simply seeking a more modern, flexible solution, you're in the right place.
Top Info Select Alternatives
Moving beyond Info Select doesn't mean sacrificing comprehensive information management. The market is rich with applications designed to help you capture, organize, and retrieve your thoughts, tasks, and data. Here are some of the top contenders that offer compelling alternatives, each with its own unique strengths.
Evernote
Evernote is a cross-platform, freemium app that excels at note-taking, organizing, and archiving. Available on Mac, Windows, Web, Android, iPhone, and more, it offers robust features like cloud sync, text formatting, OCR (for screenshots and PDFs), a web clipper, and rich note organization with folders and tags. Its extensive platform support and powerful search capabilities make it a strong Info Select alternative for those who need to access their information everywhere.
Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft OneNote is a digital notebook application that provides a single place to gather notes and information. As a freemium offering available on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, and Web, it’s a powerful Info Select alternative for visual organizers. Key features include a hierarchical structure, handwritten notes with stylus support, a web clipper, cloud sync, and the ability to embed various media types, making it highly versatile for diverse information capture.
Joplin
Joplin is an open-source, free note-taking and to-do application with powerful synchronization capabilities. Available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, and more, it's an excellent Info Select alternative for privacy-conscious users, offering end-to-end encryption. Its Markdown support, hierarchical structure, and ability to sync with various cloud services like Dropbox and Nextcloud make it highly flexible for both personal and professional use, all while being completely free.
Standard Notes
Standard Notes is a simple and private notes app, available as freemium and open-source on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iPhone. It stands out as an Info Select alternative due to its strong focus on end-to-end encryption and privacy. Features like AES encryption, Markdown support, and extensibility via plugins make it a secure and customizable choice for users who prioritize data security while still needing cross-device synchronization.
CherryTree
CherryTree is a free, open-source hierarchical note-taking application for Windows and Linux. It stores data in a single XML or SQLite file, making it highly portable. As an Info Select alternative, it shines with its rich text and syntax highlighting capabilities, infinite hierarchical depth, and features like encryption, integrated search, and Markdown support. Its tree-like structure is intuitive for organizing vast amounts of information.
NoteLedge
NoteLedge Cloud is a commercial multimedia note-taking app available on Mac, Windows, Android, and iPhone. It's a versatile Info Select alternative for creative users, allowing you to take notes, sketch ideas, and record audio and video. Its features include drag-and-drop, a web clipper, Apple Pencil support, and the ability to import video, making it ideal for those who work with diverse content types.
Notezilla
Notezilla is a commercial sticky notes app for Windows and Phones (Web, Android, iPhone). It offers colorful and powerful sticky notes with reminder alarms, the ability to attach notes to websites or documents, and organization via folders/tags. As an Info Select alternative, its focus on quick notes, cloud sync, and features like real-time collaboration and password encryption make it suitable for users who prefer a dynamic sticky note system for their PIM needs.
DEVONthink
DEVONthink is a commercial solution for Mac users, positioning itself as a “second brain” for all digital files – PDFs, emails, Word docs, and more. While exclusively for Mac, it serves as a powerful Info Select alternative for Apple users, offering robust file management, tagging, PDF OCR, built-in RSS reader, and extensive search capabilities, making it ideal for deep knowledge management.
Zoho Notebook
Zoho Notebook is a free personal online notebook application available on Mac, Linux, Web, Android, and iPhone. It allows users to combine text, images, audio, video, and documents, offering online collaboration features. As an Info Select alternative, its free personal tier, cloud sync, handwriting recognition, and robust web clipper make it a compelling choice for users seeking a feature-rich, accessible PIM without cost.
Leanote
Leanote is a freemium and open-source platform offering services for notes and blogs, available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iPhone. It functions as both a personal notebook and a publishing tool. As an Info Select alternative, Leanote provides Markdown support, nested notebooks, full-text search, and the ability to export to HTML and PDF, appealing to users who value both personal organization and the potential for content sharing.
Each of these alternatives offers a unique approach to personal information management, catering to different needs and preferences. We encourage you to explore them to find the best fit for your workflow and digital organization goals.