I spent three years trying to make Evernote my “everything app.”
Every article I wanted to read later? Clipped to Evernote. Meeting notes? Evernote. Random ideas at 2 AM? Evernote. Links to tools I might use someday? Also Evernote. I had notebooks for projects, notebooks for reference material, notebooks for notebooks. The search was powerful, the web clipper worked everywhere, and I felt extremely organized.
Then one Tuesday, I needed to find a specific article about API design patterns I’d saved months earlier. I remembered clipping it. I remembered it had excellent diagrams. I even remembered roughly when I’d saved it.
Twenty minutes of searching later, I still hadn’t found it. I’d discovered 47 other articles about APIs, 12 with “design patterns” in the title, and a growing sense that my organizational system was an illusion.
The problem wasn’t Evernote. The problem was that I was using a note-taking app to do a link manager’s job.
That realization sent me down a rabbit hole of trying different tools. Notion became the hot new thing, so I migrated everything there. Built elaborate databases. Felt smart for about three weeks until I realized I was spending more time organizing my organization system than actually using it.
Eventually, I accepted an uncomfortable truth: different types of information need different types of tools. Your brain doesn’t store everything the same way. Why should your productivity stack?
If you’re trying to choose between Evernote, Notion, or a dedicated link manager (or wondering why you’d use all three), this guide will save you from my three years of trial and error.
What Each Tool Was Actually Designed to Do#
Let’s start with first principles. These tools have overlapping features, which creates confusion. But they were built to solve different problems.
Evernote: The Digital Filing Cabinet#
Evernote launched in 2008 with one core idea: remember everything. It was designed as a digital notebook for capturing and organizing thoughts, notes, and clipped content.
Core use case: Taking notes and storing rich text content with images, attachments, and web clippings. Think meeting notes, research notes, journal entries, scanned documents, and saved articles you want to read and annotate.
What it does well: Powerful search (even in images and PDFs), excellent web clipper, reliable sync, robust organizational structure with notebooks and tags, offline access.
What it doesn’t do well: Collaboration, flexibility, modern interface, databases, and anything involving relational data or complex workflows.
Evernote thinks in documents. If your needs revolve around capturing and organizing written content, it’s solid. If you need structure beyond folders and tags, you’ll fight the system.
Notion: The Everything Database#
Notion exploded in popularity around 2018-2019 as the “all-in-one workspace.” It’s fundamentally a database tool with a really friendly interface and block-based editing.
Core use case: Creating interconnected databases and documents. Think project management, wikis, CRMs, content calendars, personal dashboards, and anything that benefits from relational data.
What it does well: Incredible flexibility, beautiful templates, powerful database views (table, calendar, gallery, board), inline databases, collaboration features, embedding rich media.
What it doesn’t do well: Speed (it can feel sluggish), offline access (historically weak, though improving), simplicity (the learning curve is real), and focused use cases (the flexibility can be overwhelming).
Notion thinks in databases and relations. If you want to build custom systems and connect different types of information, it’s unmatched. If you just want to save a link without building infrastructure, it’s overkill.
Link Managers: The Visual Bookmark Library#
Tools like Raindrop.io, Pocket, and Stashed.in exist specifically to save, organize, and rediscover links. They’re not note-taking apps that happen to store URLs. They’re built around the unique needs of link management.
Core use case: Saving web content you want to reference later, building curated collections, sharing resources, and actually finding things through visual memory rather than folder hierarchies.
What they do well: Visual organization with preview images, fast saving without friction, smart tagging and search, duplicate detection, broken link checking, easy sharing, and interfaces designed for browsing rather than just searching.
What they don’t do well: Long-form writing, complex project management, or anything beyond organizing links and web content.
Link managers think in collections and visual memory. If you primarily save web content and want to actually use it instead of hoarding it, they’re purpose-built for that.
When to Use Evernote#
Evernote shines in specific scenarios. Here’s when it’s the right choice:
You Take a Lot of Meeting Notes#
If your work involves attending meetings and capturing decisions, action items, and discussions, Evernote’s note-taking interface is hard to beat. Quick formatting, easy bullet points, and the ability to attach files or images makes it ideal for real-time note capture.
The search is powerful enough that you can find that one decision from a meeting six months ago by searching a fragment of what you remember discussing.
You Clip Full Articles to Read and Annotate#
The Evernote web clipper is genuinely excellent. It can save simplified articles, full pages, screenshots, or just bookmarks. If you want to save articles to read later and highlight or annotate them, Evernote works well for this workflow.
The key difference from read-it-later apps: you’re saving permanent copies in a searchable archive, not just a reading queue.
You Need Offline Access to Everything#
Evernote’s offline access is rock-solid. Download notebooks to your device, and everything is available without internet. For people who work on planes, in areas with spotty connectivity, or just want insurance against outages, this matters.
You Want Simplicity Over Flexibility#
Evernote’s structure is straightforward: notebooks contain notes, notes have tags. That’s it. There’s no setup paralysis. No designing your system. No building databases.
For people who find Notion overwhelming or just want to capture information without thinking about system design, Evernote’s simplicity is a feature, not a bug.
When Evernote Fails You#
Evernote struggles when you need:
- Collaboration beyond just sharing read-only notes
- Relational data or anything beyond linear notebooks
- A modern, fast interface (it’s improved, but still feels dated)
- Free features (the free tier is quite limited now)
- Link collections specifically (it saves links, but that’s not its strength)
When to Use Notion#
Notion is incredibly powerful, but that power comes with complexity. Here’s when it’s worth the investment:
You’re Building a Personal Knowledge Base#
If you want to create a wiki of interconnected information where articles reference each other, concepts link to examples, and everything forms a web of knowledge, Notion is unmatched.
The ability to link pages, databases, and blocks creates a genuinely networked knowledge system. This is perfect for researchers, students, or anyone building long-term reference material.
You Need Custom Workflows and Databases#
Want a content calendar that shows articles in a calendar view but also lets you filter by status and see them in a kanban board? Notion does that. Need a reading list that tracks books, links them to authors, shows progress, and generates reading stats? You can build it.
If your needs are specific and no off-the-shelf tool does exactly what you want, Notion’s flexibility lets you create custom solutions.
You’re Collaborating with a Team#
Notion’s collaboration features are solid. Multiple people can edit simultaneously, you can assign tasks, comment on specific blocks, and set granular permissions. It’s become the backbone of many small teams’ entire operation.
For shared project documentation, team wikis, or collaborative planning, Notion excels.
You Want Visual Organization with Structure#
Notion’s gallery view is beautiful. You can create visual collections with cover images, but unlike simple visual tools, you also get rich metadata, filtering, and sorting.
If you want something that feels visual like Pinterest but has the structure of a database, Notion threads that needle.
When Notion Fails You#
Notion struggles when you need:
- Speed (loading can be slow, especially for large workspaces)
- Simplicity (the learning curve is real, and maintenance is ongoing)
- Quick, frictionless saving (adding things to Notion requires more steps)
- A tool that’s good at one thing rather than okay at everything
- Mobile performance (the app is functional but not great)
The biggest issue with Notion is that its flexibility becomes a burden. You can build anything, which means you have to build everything. Many people spend more time perfecting their Notion setup than actually using it.
When to Use a Dedicated Link Manager#
This is where I’m obviously biased because I built Stashed.in specifically to solve the link management problem. But the category exists for good reasons.
You Save Links Constantly#
If you come across 5-10 interesting links per week that you want to reference later, a dedicated link manager is the right tool. Browser bookmarks are too limited, and putting links in Evernote or Notion adds friction without adding value.
Link managers are optimized for this specific use case: save fast, organize visually, find quickly.
Visual Memory Drives Your Organization#
Some people think in hierarchies and text lists. Others think in spatial patterns and images. If you’re the latter, visual link managers work with your brain instead of against it.
When I built Stashed.in, the core insight was that people remember “the collection with the blue header and design inspiration” way faster than “which folder did I file that in?”
Each stash has a header image, and links show preview cards with images. You browse your collections visually, which makes rediscovery feel natural rather than like searching through archives.
You Want to Share Curated Collections#
Evernote and Notion can share, but it’s not their core strength. Link managers are built around curation and sharing.
On Stashed.in, every stash can be public (visible to anyone), private (just you), or password-protected (share with specific people). This flexibility makes it perfect for:
- Building public resource libraries that showcase your expertise
- Collaborating with teams on research collections
- Sharing reading lists with friends without making everything public
The social aspect changes how you think about saved links. Instead of hoarding privately, you’re curating with potential sharing in mind.
You Need Simplicity Without Sacrificing Organization#
The beauty of purpose-built tools is that they do one thing really well without complexity. You don’t need to design a database schema or set up a template system. You create stashes, add links, and you’re done.
But unlike browser bookmarks, you get tags, descriptions, search, preview images, and smart organization. It’s the sweet spot between too simple and too complex.
When Link Managers Fail You#
Link managers struggle when you need:
- Long-form writing or note-taking
- Complex project management features
- Non-web content (though some support PDFs)
- Anything beyond organizing links and web content
If you’re trying to use a link manager as your everything app, you’ll be disappointed. They’re specialists, not generalists.
The Hybrid Approach: Using All Three Together#
Here’s the secret nobody tells you: the best productivity system uses multiple tools, each for what it does best.
After years of trying to force everything into one app, I settled on a hybrid approach that actually works:
Notion for active projects and structured information. My Notion workspace has:
- Current project documentation
- Meeting notes with action items
- Content planning and editorial calendars
- Team wikis and process documentation
Stashed.in for all link saving and curation. This is where:
- Design inspiration lives in visual collections
- Research resources are organized by topic
- Tool recommendations are categorized by use case
- Reading lists are curated and sometimes shared
Apple Notes (or Evernote) for quick capture and personal notes. Simple stuff that doesn’t need structure:
- Random thoughts and ideas
- Personal journal entries
- Quick meeting notes that don’t need a formal structure
The key is recognizing what each tool is for and not trying to make one do everything.
How to Decide What Goes Where#
The question you’re probably asking: “Okay, but when I find something interesting online, how do I decide where to save it?”
Here’s my decision framework:
Save to a Link Manager if:#
- It’s a URL you want to reference later
- It’s part of a collection or theme
- You might share it with others
- Visual recognition will help you find it
- It’s primarily about the content at that URL
Examples: articles, tools, examples, inspiration, tutorials, resources
Save to Notion if:#
- You need to add extensive notes or context
- It’s part of an active project with related content
- You want to link it to other pages or databases
- You need to collaborate on it with specific people
- It’s data that needs structure beyond just “saved links”
Examples: research with synthesis, competitive analysis, project resources, anything requiring relational data
Save to Evernote if:#
- You want to clip the full article to read offline
- You need to annotate or highlight extensively
- It’s part of a permanent reference library
- You want guaranteed offline access
- The content matters more than the visual organization
Examples: important articles you’ll reference repeatedly, research papers, documentation you need offline
Don’t Save It if:#
- You can easily Google it again
- You’re just hoarding “interesting stuff” without a purpose
- It’s time-sensitive and will be irrelevant in a month
- You realistically won’t reference it
Most of what you’re tempted to save falls into this category. Be ruthless.
The Cost Comparison: What You’re Actually Paying For#
Let’s talk money, because these tools have different pricing philosophies.
Evernote:
- Free: Very limited (50 notes per month, 60MB monthly upload)
- Personal: $10.83/month (10GB monthly upload, offline access)
- Professional: $14.17/month (20GB, advanced features)
Evernote used to be the free standard, but they’ve aggressively pushed users toward paid tiers. If you use it seriously, you’re paying.
Notion:
- Free: Generous for individuals (unlimited pages and blocks)
- Plus: $10/month per user (larger file uploads, more guests)
- Business: $18/month per user (advanced features)
Notion’s free tier is actually usable for individuals. Teams need paid plans, but solo users can use Notion for years without paying.
Link Managers:
- Vary widely, but most have generous free tiers
- Stashed.in: Free for personal use with unlimited stashes and links
- Raindrop.io: Free for basic use, $28/year for pro features
- Pocket: Free for basic, $4.99/month for premium
Link managers are generally the cheapest option, especially for individual use. Many are completely free for personal use cases.
The Real Cost: Time. Setup time, maintenance time, and the cognitive load of managing your system. Notion has the highest time cost because of its complexity. Evernote is medium. Link managers are lowest because they’re more focused.
Consider what your time is worth when evaluating “free” versus paid options.
Real-World Use Cases: Which Tool Wins#
Let’s get concrete with scenarios:
Scenario 1: Design Student Building a Portfolio#
Best choice: Link manager (Stashed.in) for inspiration + Notion for project documentation
Create visual stashes for different design categories (typography, color palettes, layouts, interaction design). Add your own projects to Notion with detailed breakdowns, but save external inspiration visually.
Scenario 2: Writer Doing Research for a Book#
Best choice: Evernote for clipped articles and notes + Link manager for sources
Clip full articles to Evernote where you can highlight and annotate. Keep a stash of source links organized by chapter or theme. Use Evernote’s note-taking for synthesis and writing.
Scenario 3: Developer Learning New Technologies#
Best choice: Link manager (Stashed.in) for tutorials and docs
Create stashes for each technology you’re learning. Tag links by difficulty (beginner/advanced), type (tutorial/documentation/article), and topic. Visual organization helps you see what you’ve collected and identify gaps.
Scenario 4: Marketing Team Coordinating Campaigns#
Best choice: Notion for project management + Link manager for shared resources
Use Notion for campaign planning, timelines, and documentation. Create shared stashes for competitor examples, industry articles, and design inspiration that everyone can access and contribute to.
Scenario 5: Academic Researcher Building Literature Review#
Best choice: Evernote for paper notes + Zotero for citations + Link manager for supplementary material
Evernote for taking notes on papers, link manager for related blog posts and resources, Zotero for citation management. Each tool does its specific job.
The Migration Path: How to Switch Without Chaos#
Switching tools is painful, which is why people stick with mediocre systems. Here’s how to migrate without losing everything:
From Evernote to Notion#
Notion has a built-in Evernote importer. It’s not perfect, but it works:
- Export Evernote notebooks as .enex files
- In Notion, use “Import” and select Evernote
- Clean up formatting and reorganize
Expect to spend time restructuring. Evernote’s hierarchy doesn’t map 1:1 to Notion’s databases.
From Notion to Link Manager#
There’s no automatic migration because Notion stores more than just links. Manual process:
- Identify databases or pages that are primarily link collections
- Export relevant pages to markdown
- Extract URLs and import to your link manager
- Add descriptions and tags as you organize
This is actually a good opportunity to evaluate what you really need to keep.
From Browser Bookmarks to Any Tool#
All three tools can import browser bookmarks:
- Evernote: Import as notes (clunky but works)
- Notion: Import to database (requires setup)
- Link managers: Direct HTML import (cleanest option)
For link collections specifically, migrating to a dedicated link manager gives you the best experience. (See my previous article on migration for the full walkthrough.)
The Honest Answer: Which One Should You Choose?#
I know you want me to say “just use this one tool.” But the honest answer is: it depends on what you’re actually trying to do.
Choose Evernote if: You primarily take text-heavy notes, need rock-solid offline access, want a simple organizational structure, and don’t need modern collaboration features. It’s especially good for people who like the traditional “notebook” mental model.
Choose Notion if: You’re building complex, interconnected systems, need powerful databases with multiple views, want maximum flexibility, and don’t mind investing time in setup and maintenance. Best for structured thinkers and people managing complex projects.
Choose a link manager if: You save lots of web content, think visually, want to share curated collections, and need something that just works without complexity. Perfect for research, learning, inspiration collecting, and resource curation.
Choose a combination if: You’re like most people and have different types of information that need different tools. Use Notion for active projects, a link manager for saved content, and maybe Evernote or simple notes for quick capture.
The wrong answer is forcing everything into one tool because you think you “should” have everything in one place. Different information has different needs. Use specialized tools and let them integrate naturally.
What I Actually Use (and Why)#
Full transparency about my current setup:
Stashed.in for 90% of my saved links. Design inspiration, technical articles, tools I want to remember, examples for blog posts, resources to share. Organized in visual stashes by topic. This is my daily driver.
Notion for active projects and structured documentation. Blog post planning, product roadmaps, meeting notes with action items. Anything that needs relational data or complex structure.
Apple Notes for truly quick capture. Random thoughts, fleeting ideas, grocery lists. Stuff that needs zero organization or structure.
I tried using just Notion for everything. It was too much friction. I tried using just link managers for everything. They couldn’t handle notes or structured data. The hybrid approach works because each tool does its job without trying to be something it’s not.
Your ideal stack might be different. That’s fine. The key is intentionality: choose tools that match how you actually work, not how you wish you worked or how productivity gurus say you should work.
Moving Forward: Build Your Stack Intentionally#
Here’s what I want you to take away from this:
Stop trying to find the perfect all-in-one tool. It doesn’t exist. Even if something claims to do everything, it won’t do everything well.
Instead, build a stack of 2-3 specialized tools that each excel at their specific job. Less is more, but one is too few.
Start with your actual behavior. What do you actually save? How do you actually search for things? What organizational methods actually stick for you? Build your tool stack around reality, not aspiration.
Give tools a real trial. Use something exclusively for a month before judging. Surface-level testing doesn’t reveal whether a tool fits your workflow.
Don’t optimize prematurely. You don’t need the perfect system on day one. Start simple, use it consistently, and let complexity grow only as you discover genuine needs.
And remember: the best productivity tool is the one you actually use. Doesn’t matter how powerful Notion is if you never open it. Doesn’t matter how beautiful Evernote is if you never organize it. Doesn’t matter how perfect a link manager is if you keep bookmarking things in your browser out of habit.
Choose tools that reduce friction in your actual workflow. That’s the only metric that matters.
Now stop reading comparison articles and go actually organize something. Your future self will thank you.
