There are times when you feel like you're drowning in a sea of information and struggling to connect the dots between ideas, projects, and those random sparks of inspiration. I tried various note-taking and productivity apps, but they did not meet my needs for creating a visual knowledge base. I was starting to think that a good old-fashioned notebook and some highlighters were the best way to keep my thoughts organized. Then I discovered Noteey.

This visual note-taking app completely transformed how I learn, brainstorm, and remember things. Instead of dealing with linear notes and messy mind maps, Noteey lets me actually see how everything fits together.

6 Powerful feature set

Assemble all visual elements on an infinite canvas

Noteey is fundamentally different from linear note-taking apps like OneNote and Evernote. It embraces the way our brains naturally associate information. Instead of static lists, you can build dynamic, visual maps of your knowledge.

You can create a new project, such as Researching Climate Change, Planning a Trip to Japan, or Learning Web Development, and start adding multiple boards. Here is where the real magic happens. A board is your infinite canvas where you'll actually build your visual knowledge base.

As for available options, you can use the text, images, insert files, cards (more on that in a minute), sticky notes, change background color, and even embed webpages and videos for complex projects. While Noteey isn't strictly a mind-mapping tool, the board structure allows you to create mind maps as part of a larger knowledge base.

Let's say your project is "Learning about Artificial Intelligence." You can create a project called AI, add different boards for Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Neural Networks, Self Driving Cards, and Core Concepts, add images and videos to illustrate the concepts, and connect your learnings to build a dynamic representation of your knowledge.

5 Handy cards for your boards

Supercharge your boards in no time

Cards act as versatile building blocks of knowledge. You can think of them as the containers for individual pieces of information within your Noteey boards. You can simply create a new card, format it using the intuitive block editor, and add it to any of your existing boards.

You can include text, image, video, file, link, code, math, tasks, and callout blocks in your cards. Once you insert cards, you can draw arrows between them to represent relationships and even use frames to cluster related cards visually. This card-based system, combined with projects and boards, allows you to centralize all your information in one place.

4 PDF editing

Annotate your PDF files

This is another handy add-on in Noteey. Once you import a PDF file into Noteey, you can annotate it with a variety of tools such as highlighter, annotations, and even search within the document.

Aside from PDFs, you can embed content from all the popular media and productivity services, like YouTube, TikTok, X, Google Drive, Miro, Loom, Airtable, Figma, and more. Overall, you can create a truly integrated knowledge base that connects directly to its source.

3 Create a digital journal

Jot down your daily memories

Noteey isn’t just limited to the knowledge base. It can be your personal journal as well. You can simply head to the Journal tab, confirm the date at the top, and start jotting down how your day went. There is even a dedicated calendar view to jump between entries with a single click.

Noteey offers the same powerful block editor in a journal, where you can use different blocks to draft your entry. The best part is that you can link specific journal entries as cards on your project boards to create a connection between your personal reflections and your broader knowledge.

2 Store your data locally

Cloud storage flexibility also available

Here is where Noteey truly shines. You can create and store a new project locally on your device. You can even work on your knowledge base without an internet connection. This is essential for travel, areas with limited connectivity, or situations where you prefer to work offline.

If you do want to enable cross-platform sync, you can pick any cloud storage of your choice to store projects. You can pick a folder on OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox, and access the project on another device.

1 Multiple use cases

It isn’t limited to creating knowledge hubs

Noteey's visual and flexible nature makes it useful for a wide range of tasks. You can manage projects with meeting notes and action items, create detailed study guides with research and literature reviews, enjoy creative writing and storytelling with character development and world-building, and even create visual presentations to explain complex concepts. The possibilities are endless here.

Once your knowledge base is ready, you can share it as a static copy, PDF, or PNG with others. There is even an option to publish the same to the web.

This is how I organize my brain now

Noteey isn't just an app; it's a whole new way of thinking and organizing information. Whether you're a student, a professional, or just someone who wants to make better sense of the collected information, give Noteey a shot. If Noteey doesn’t work for you, check out my dedicated guide to find the top PKM tools for your needs.