Seven AI Note-Taking Tools Tested: NotebookLM Leads, Notion AI Costs More Than It Looks

A reviewer tested seven AI note-taking tools over three weeks using the same mix of meeting recordings, research PDFs, and project notes, measuring whether each could return the right note on demand. The category has shifted, with Tana moving toward meeting memory and Reflect going open-source without a public pricing page. Google's NotebookLM is recommended first because it offers a generous free tier and cites exact source passages, though it works poorly as a daily capture habit. Notion's full AI is locked to its $20-per-seat Business plan plus metered agent fees, with cheaper plans offering only a trial. Obsidian contains no built-in AI but keeps notes as local Markdown files, appealing to users prioritizing privacy.