The Fall of Evernote
Evernote was once the undisputed king of note-taking. Millions of users relied on it for capturing ideas, clipping web pages, and organizing knowledge. But over the years, the story changed:
- Free tier gutted: limited to 1 device, 60 MB/month uploads, 25 MB per note
- Prices increased: Personal plan at $15/month, Professional at $18/month
- Performance issues: app became slower and buggier after the v10 rewrite
- Bending Spoons acquisition: further price hikes and layoffs raised concerns
- Cloud dependency: your notes live on their servers with no true local storage
For students, the situation is worse: Evernote never had flashcards or spaced repetition. It was always a storage tool, not a study tool. You could save information beautifully, but it offered zero help in actually learning it.
Why Students Switch from Evernote to Mayinab
1. Flashcards and Spaced Repetition Built-In
Evernote stores notes. Mayinab helps you learn from them. Type /flashcard to create a card inline with your notes. The SM-2 algorithm schedules reviews automatically. No second app needed.
2. No Paywall, No Limits
Evernote's free tier is barely usable: 1 device, 60 MB/month, limited search. Mayinab gives you every feature, every platform, unlimited notes — all for free. No subscription ever.
3. Truly Offline, Not Cloud-Dependent
Evernote stores your notes on their servers. If the service goes down, gets acquired, or changes pricing, your data is at risk. Mayinab is local-first: data lives on your device, not on someone else's server.
4. Modern, Clean Interface
Evernote's interface has become cluttered over the years with tabs, widgets, home screens, and AI features you didn't ask for. Mayinab has a clean, chat-style interface focused exclusively on studying.
5. Markdown + LaTeX Support
Evernote has no Markdown support and no LaTeX rendering. Mayinab supports both, making it ideal for STEM students who need to write formulas, code blocks, and formatted text.
6. No Account Required
Evernote requires a Bending Spoons/Evernote account. Mayinab requires nothing. Download, open, start studying. Optional encrypted cloud backup is available but never required.
Who Should Stay with Evernote?
Evernote may still be useful if you need:
- Web clipping: saving articles and web pages to a note
- Document scanning: OCR for handwritten notes and business cards
- Email integration: forwarding emails to your notebook
- Existing library: years of clipped content you don't want to migrate
If your primary goal is studying and retaining knowledge, Mayinab is the right tool. You don't need web clipping for exam prep — you need flashcards and spaced repetition.
Everything You Need, Nothing You Don't
| Study Feature | Mayinab | Evernote |
|---|---|---|
| Flashcards | Built-in | Not available |
| Spaced Repetition | SM-2 native | Not available |
| Markdown + LaTeX | Full support | Not supported |
| Free Tier | All features, no limits | 1 device, 60 MB/mo |
| Devices | Unlimited | 1 (free) or 2+ (paid) |
| Account Required | No | Yes |
| Offline | 100% | Paid feature |
| Price | Free forever | $15/month (Personal) |
| Ads | None | Upsell prompts |
| Linux | Native app | Web only |
🍵 Mayinab at a Glance
- ✓ Notes + flashcards in the same app
- ✓ Spaced repetition (SM-2) built-in
- ✓ 100% offline, no internet needed
- ✓ Markdown + LaTeX for STEM
- ✓ 7 note types in a chat interface
- ✓ Private: no account, data on your device only
- ✓ Free on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android & iOS
- ✓ No paywall, no device limits, no ads