In our fast-paced world, time is a hot commodity. Students, career-driven professionals, self-employed artists, and generally productive people are acutely aware of this dilemma. So, what’s the solution?
Well, besides cloning yourself, you can find a digital note-taking template that works for you. Templates eliminate unnecessary stress; you don’t need to buy pens, paper, and rulers. Plus, you can hit the ground running and start taking notes straight away.
We’re talking about plug-and-play template bundles that require minimal personalization. Just buy the bundle, download it to your preferred note-taking app and start writing.
For the productive professional, templates are a must. Don’t worry, there are templates for everyone. Alongside professionals, students, artists, and busy parents use note-taking templates to plan their lives.
We’ve gathered a list of all the best note-taking templates so you don’t have to. Let’s jump straight in.
Student & note-taking templates
We can’t mention the best note-taking templates for iPad users without talking about students. It’s fair to say that high school, college, and university students popularized digital note-taking. These brave digital natives sought out new ways to lessen their physical and mental load, saying goodbye to heavy notebooks and hello to plug-and-play digital templates.
Students also popularized some of the best-loved note-taking methods. Take the Cornell note-taking method, for example. It’s been taught in schools since the 1950s, and now you can find pre-made Cornell notes bundles all over the web.
Digital notes are a no-brainer for busy students. And, since iPads are the tablet of choice, it makes sense to look for the best note-taking templates for iPads. If you like the sound of that, you might want to check out the nine best to-do list apps for iPads [2025].
Best note-taking template for Cornell and Oxford notes
What is it? A note-taking template bundle with over 60 templates, including templates for the ever-popular Oxford and Cornell notes.
Cost: $4.00
Download: 1 ZIP file
Buy here: Etsy
Coolest feature: Variety of Cornell and Oxford-style note-taking templates for every kind of notetaker.
This is the ultimate digital download for students who have pledged allegiance to either Cornell or Oxford notes. Like both? Even better. This bundle contains 60 templates in total, 30 with topic tabs and 30 without. You can choose between Cornell-style, Oxford-style, dotted, and lined pages.
Why you’ll love it
If you’re an experienced notetaker, you’ve likely heard of Oxford and Cornell notes.
- Cornell notes method: A simple yet practical note-taking method that prioritizes separate sections, key ideas, and a minimalist design. It was created by Walter Pauk, an education professor at Cornell University.
- Oxford notes method: A strategy that avoids copying down facts and instead encourages notetakers to actively engage with the material. It was developed by teachers at Oxford University.
It doesn’t take much time to create your own Cornell or Oxford-style template, but having a pre-made version can massively streamline your workflow.
And with such a wide range of templates at your fingertips, you can find something that fits your personal note-taking style. For example, there are Oxford note templates with 5.5mm and 6mm intervals, with and without topic tabs, and so on. Small differences to some, but they serve to make this note-taking bundle even more versatile.
Best note-taking template for comprehensive topic notes
What is it? A comprehensive bundle of various templates with tabs and links.
Cost: $6.00
Download: 1 PDF
Buy here: Etsy
Coolest feature: 2,500 stickers!
This is one of the best note-taking templates for iPad users because of how extensive it is. We’re not joking — it contains 85 templates, 35 notebooks, 2,500 stickers, and 100 covers. In other words, it’s great for students who want to create comprehensive topic notes.
Why you’ll love it
Did we mention that this bundle has a lot of tabs? If you want to organize your notes with tabs, this is the bundle for you. It contains seven variations, with six, seven, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 24 tabs, and each notebook has five color options. Essentially, you’ve got 35 notebooks in one!
On top of all the notebooks, you can choose from 85 note-taking templates and 2,500 stickers. You know the drill: there are grids, lined pages, Cornell note templates, and every other standard template you can imagine. It’s also got ten daily, monthly, and weekly templates to plan your life down to the minute. It’s perfect for students who need to stay on top of classes, extracurriculars, and future plans.
See those logos in the top right corner? They link to Apple Calendar, Reminders, and Google Calendar, allowing you to sync your notes, tasks, and reminders across other apps that help with organization.
Once you’re finished taking notes, you can add a pop of color with any one of the 2,500 stickers, which include Post-it notes, graphics with dates, stars, and more. If you’re a visual learner, this bundle will help you focus your attention and create drool-worthy revision notes.
💡Good to know: Do you want to improve your digital handwriting? Our guide on how to make handwriting better on iPad is full of technical tips that will help you adjust your iPad and Apple Pencil settings.
Work & productivity templates
Professionals love digital note-taking templates. When we say professionals, we’re casting the net far and wide. Project managers, teachers, store supervisors, marketing executives, and logistics specialists can benefit from using digital note-taking templates.
99% of downloadable templates have clean, concise, and structured layouts that help busy professionals stay focused. And if you pick a niche note-taking template, you can get an even more personalized experience. These templates trim the fat, so to speak, boiling meeting notes, to-do lists, and project trackers down to their most basic, essential forms.
On the flip side, you can find templates that are detailed enough to flesh out your ideas. They act as both a place to jot notes and a space to explore topics more thoroughly. Some downloadable digital templates even integrate with your calendar, creating seamless cross-app functionality.
Best note-taking templates for meeting notes
What is it? An organized way to take meeting notes and minutes.
Cost: $9.25
Download: 2 PDF, 2 ZIP files
Buy here: Etsy
Coolest feature: You can edit and personalize the templates in Canva, Microsoft Word, or Google Docs.
This bundle comes with seven templates, including a one-page, two-page, and four-page version. There’s something for every type of meeting, from a quick catch-up to an in-depth progress report.
Why you’ll love it
Whether you’re the assigned notes person or you just like to keep a log of everything that’s happening within your team, meeting notes are a great way to stay on top of admin and see all the moving parts.
These templates have effective, informative headings for every possible variable. You can record the logistics of your meeting (time, date, etc), as well as the attendees, agenda items, and action items. You can also add a corresponding owner and due date for each task and send the completed meeting notes to your team to ensure everyone understands their roles.
And that’s just the one-page template! There are three versions, one with one page, another with two pages, and, finally, a four-page template.
And the cherry on top is that this template bundle is customizable. Simply import it into Canva, Microsoft Word, or Google Docs, and edit the headings to suit your job. For example, teachers might change “Meeting Notes” to “Class A Notes”, and team leaders could change the “Who” heading to “Level of Urgency”. You can even change the colors and import pictures to give your notes more visual appeal.
Best note-taking template for hitting deadlines
What is it? Your one-stop shop for everything to do with deadlines.
Cost: $19.23
Download: 3 PDF, 2 ZIP
Buy here: Etsy
Coolest feature: Space to break down your tasks into actionable chunks.
This bundle of templates has loads of ways to track deadlines. You’re sure to discover new methods and, hey, you might even revolutionize your workflows.
Why you’ll love it
If you don’t have a plan in place, you’re unlikely to hit your deadlines. Introducing one of the best note-taking templates: The Work and Office Essentials Planner. It comes with a bunch of productivity-boosting templates, including a work project planner, work to-do list, deadlines list, appointment schedules, meeting schedules, lead follow-ups, and a password tracker, as well as a daily, weekly, and 12-month office planner.
💡 Top tip: If you crave the dopamine boost you get after ticking an item off your to-do list, you’ll love habit tracker apps. We’ve found the best habit tracker apps for iPhone and iPad, and there’s something for everyone. Psychological hacks, enticing visuals, gamification — you name it, and there’s a to-do list app for it.
Our favorite thing about this bundle is the sheer number of templates that encourage you to make progress on your plans. The “Work Project Plan” page has a blank slate for brainstorming ideas and a lined space that encourages you to create a step-by-step action plan.
This page also has two trackers that are split into sections, so you can color a box every time you get one step closer to your deadline. This innovative concept is ideal for people who need to see their progress and physically tick items off their to-do list.
And don’t be scared off by the price; this bundle is often on sale. In fact, it’s available for $5.38 right now, a massive discount for such a comprehensive planner.
Best note-taking template for working from home
What is it? A remote work planner that’s built for focus, balance, and flexibility.
Cost: $2.88
Download: 1 PDF
Buy here: Etsy
Coolest feature: It’s editable and easy to personalize.
Working from home just became easier. This template bundle focuses on remote workers who need to carefully organize their days, plan tasks, and remember important details.
Why you’ll love it
Working from home might be the dream, but it’s difficult to stay focused with all your creature comforts within walking distance. One way to combat this is to invest in a digital planner.
This isn’t just any digital planner; it’s specifically designed to keep remote workers on track. It contains 39 pages, 34 of which are productivity tools and templates for notes. All the standard templates (think daily, weekly, and yearly planners) are there, as well as space to write down your passwords, to-do lists, and goals. The design is pretty simple, but some of the best note-taking templates for iPads focus on functionality over design.
Most templates have a dedicated section for notes, but avid notetakers might be disappointed by how small these spaces are. If this sounds like you, you’re in luck. This template bundle is editable, meaning you can remove headings that don’t serve your goals, add more space for notes, and duplicate pages.
Overall, it’s a brilliant tool for remote workers who want their digital notes to serve a more specific focus.
Creative & personal use templates
Note-taking templates aren’t just for people who are studying Chemistry 101 or working on a task for their manager. Ultimately, digital note-taking templates can help with motivation and routine building, no matter who you are or what goal you’ve set your sights on. They’re great for journaling your thoughts, brainstorming story ideas, and creating vision boards.
Best note-taking template for personal growth
What is it? A comprehensive note-taking guide that encourages you to work on your finances, fitness, and mental health.
Cost: $3.96
Download: 3 PDF
Buy here: Etsy
Coolest feature: Loads of trackers for different personal goals.
An extensive note-taking planner that has plenty of tools (checklists, planners, reflection templates) for personal development. Here, you can transform aimless notes into razor-focused ideas, progress reports, and intentions.
Why you’ll love it
Let’s forget about work for a second. Personal growth is just as important as career development, but it’s often overlooked. This template bundle seeks to right that wrong. It has over 1,000 hyperlinked pages, including routine planners, productivity trackers, and practical tools for personal development. We won’t list every single page, but rest assured that there’s something for everyone.
Take the ‘Self Care Menu’, for example. It has templates to track your period, medication, general health, doctor visits, body measurements, weight loss, and so on. The templates themselves aren’t revolutionary; most just contain columns for tracking information. Regardless, every template is fit for purpose, like the ‘Body Measurements’ tracker. It has a diagram of the human body, offering a more visual approach to note-taking.
There’s also a checklist for your daily routine. This template is split into two sections: one for your morning routine and one for your evening wind-down. You can pick and choose which checklist items apply to you: some people might not need to tick off ‘Oral care’, but it could be a big help for others who have executive function issues.
Best note-taking template for doodles
What is it? A note-taking template bundle that creates spaces for whimsical (or informative) doodles.
Cost: $3.50
Download: 1 PDF, 1 ZIP
Buy here: Etsy
Coolest feature: Inspirational quotes to color and doodle over.
An affordable template bundle with space for notes and doodles. It even has original quotes and drawings to guide your doodle session!
Why you’ll love it
Some of the best note-taking templates are pretty serious, which can be intimidating. Thankfully, this ten-page template bundle adds a burst of whimsy to all the essential note-taking tools.
Each page has a section just for doodles and, if you squint really close, you’ll see an outline for an inspirational quote framed by flowers and foliage. You can either use the preexisting drawings to guide your doodling or create something entirely new. It’s up to you!
This template bundle could be great for visual learners or those with ADHD who struggle to stay focused. All you doodlebugs out there know the importance of drawing. It engages a different part of the brain, calming your nerves and providing some much-needed respite from taking notes.
You could even incorporate doodles into your notes by using diagrams and drawings to highlight key ideas.
Unfortunately, the headings are a little basic, including “Vocabulary and definitions”, “Key points”, and “Important reminders”, but there’s no reason why you can’t change them. Remember, you need to leverage the flexibility and versatility of digital notes to create something that works for you.
Best note-taking template for fleshing out ideas
What is it? A bundle of four different mind maps.
Cost: $5.69
Download: 3 PDF
Buy here: Etsy
Coolest feature: Landscape and portrait orientations.
Go back to basics with one of the most underrated visual note-taking tools: mind maps! And, if you want to make your notes even more visually appealing, read our guide on how to take aesthetic notes on an iPad.
Why you’ll love it
Mind maps aren’t just for students. They’re also great for creative people who want to develop their ideas and find solutions to niggling problems.
CreativeJamCo’s mind map templates allow you to do exactly that. There are four templates in total, three landscape and one vertical. They all follow the typical mind map format, with an empty box in the middle (for your topic, question, or idea) and arrows that extend outward to different boxes. It’s a great way to break ideas, tasks, and big plans down into smaller steps.
The inclusion of two orientations is a nice touch, allowing you to dump all your important ideas in whichever way suits you.
We think that mind maps are one of the best note-taking template styles for people who want to fully realize their ideas. A self-employed artist might use mind maps to outline their marketing plans, self-development goals, and yearly overview, and a stay-at-home mum might download this template to explore home decor ideas. The possibilities are endless.
Looking for more templates?
The majority of note-taking apps allow you to import templates, provided they support the file type. You can also create your own templates with the tools in the app. Once you’ve perfected your template, just duplicate the page and enjoy hours of effortless note-taking.
Most popular note-taking apps already have templates. Depending on your preferences, you might find these templates too simple or broad. On the other hand, you might strike gold and find the perfect template bundle.
Here’s a quick overview of popular note-taking apps and the pre-made templates they offer.
Notability
Notability has a large selection of free pre-made templates, which are available in the Gallery. From there, you can browse and download templates created by your fellow Notability users and the Notability team.
The Gallery includes everything from the basics (ruled, lined, and dotted digital sheets) to full-scale planners and worksheets. We like the Daily Planner by dinougie8080, which has headings for hourly activities, a to-do list, and notes.
Goodnotes
Goodnotes has a Marketplace stocked full of stickers, notebooks, and templates. Unfortunately, none of these extras are free. You can use the “Sale only” filter, but you’re still likely to find more affordable note-taking bundles on sites like Etsy.
And beware, Goodnotes is only free for a total of three notebooks. So you’ll have to either buy notebooks from the Marketplace, purchase them externally and import them, or subscribe. A Goodnotes subscription will set you back $9.99 per year or, if you want to save some money, you can opt for a one-off payment of $29.99.
NoteShelf 3
Next up, we’ve got NoteShelf. The free version only includes a few basic templates (ruled, lined, and dotted), but you can unlock even more for a one-off purchase of $9.99. Not sure about NoteShelf? We recommend taking advantage of the three-day free trial to find out whether you actually like the app.
The templates are a bit hidden, but we know exactly where to find them. On the app, press the plus (+) symbol. Choose “Notebook”, select the dropdown menu underneath “Plain”, and scroll until you get to “More Templates”. The app will take you to the templates section, where you can browse, favorite, and buy all sorts of note-taking essentials.
Rock Daily Planner: An all-in-one solution
We built Rock Daily Planner because other note-taking apps are too cluttered. Students, professionals, and creatives don’t want to see dozens of tabs, tools, and complicated add-ons.
Rock Daily Planner consolidates everything you need to create effective notes, without the unnecessary extras. It has flexible templates for journaling, sketching, and brainstorming, a scheduling system that allows you to easily take notes hour-by-hour, and a seamless calendar integration feature.
The app is free to download and use, and the minimalist, user-friendly interface means you can hit the ground running.
Try Rock Daily Planner today to take seamless digital notes on your iPad.
For a pencil-on-paper experience, try Rock Paper Pencil
Now that you’ve found the best note-taking templates for every kind of iPad user, you need to upgrade your digital writing experience. Most digital notetakers invest in matte screen protectors.
Rock Paper Pencil is one of the few matte screen protectors that emulates the feeling of writing on paper. Combined with the Apple Pencil replacement tips (which come with the screen protector, by the way), you’ll get the most realistic pencil-on-paper experience possible.
Plus, they offer a 33% off student discount when verified with a student id or email. Just follow the steps at this link to access your exclusive code.
- Nano-texture screen protector: Infused with microscopic texture, the matte screen protector mimics the friction of fine-grain paper. It uses NanoCling technology (a form of static cling) to seamlessly attach to your iPad.
- Precision-engineered ballpoint tip: Delivers a subtle bite that replicates the feeling of using a pencil on paper.
Rock Paper Pencil v3.0 offers even more precision, making your iPad feel like a digital notebook. And did we mention it’s reusable? Once you’re finished taking notes, just remove Rock Paper Pencil and enjoy watching movies and playing games on your sleek, glossy iPad screen.
