How to Cancel Evernote Premium in 2026 (Export Notes + Free Alternatives)
Updated 2026-02-26 · 7 min read
💰 Evernote's Slow Decline
Evernote was once the king of note-taking, but after being acquired by Bending Spoons in 2023, the company laid off most staff and raised prices. Free tier: limited to 50 notes and 1 notebook (down from unlimited). Personal: $14.99/month ($129.99/year). Professional: $17.99/month. For comparison, Notion Free offers unlimited pages, Apple Notes is free and built-in, and Obsidian is free with local storage. Evernote is now one of the most expensive note apps with one of the weakest free tiers.
Step 1: Export All Your Notes
This is critical — do this BEFORE canceling:
Desktop app (recommended for large libraries):
Open Evernote desktop app (Windows or Mac)
Select All Notes in the sidebar
Select all notes (Cmd+A or Ctrl+A)
File → Export Notes
Choose ENEX format (.enex) — this is the universal format importable by most other apps
Save the file — this contains all your notes, tags, and attachments
For very large libraries (10,000+ notes), export notebook by notebook to avoid timeouts
Web app:
Go to evernote.com → Settings → Export your data
Request a full export — Evernote emails you a download link
This may take hours for large accounts
⚠️ Free Tier = 50 Notes Max
Evernote's free plan now limits you to 50 notes and 1 notebook. If you have more than 50 notes and downgrade to free, your notes become read-only — you can view them but can't edit or create new ones until you delete enough to get under 50. Export everything before downgrading.
Step 2: Cancel Your Subscription
Go to evernote.com → Settings → Account summary
Click Manage subscription
Click Cancel subscription or Downgrade to Free
Access continues until the end of your billing period
If billed through Apple/Google: Cancel through your device's subscription settings
Step 3: Migrate to a Better App
Where to import your ENEX file:
Notion (Free): Settings → Import → Evernote (.enex). Preserves formatting, tags become properties. Unlimited pages on the free plan
Obsidian (Free): Use the "Importer" community plugin → select Evernote. Notes become local Markdown files. No cloud dependency
Apple Notes (Free): File → Import to Notes (on Mac). Good for simple notes but doesn't preserve complex formatting
Joplin (Free, open source): File → Import → ENEX. End-to-end encrypted sync. Best privacy-focused alternative
Google Keep (Free): No direct import, but good for quick notes and checklists. Best for people who want simplicity
Upnote ($1/month or $30 lifetime): Direct Evernote importer, similar interface, fraction of the price
Bear ($2.99/month, Apple only): Beautiful Markdown notes with tags. Import via ENEX converter tools
💡 Best Migration Path
For most Evernote users, Notion is the smoothest migration — it imports ENEX files directly and the free tier is generous. For privacy-conscious users, Obsidian + local files means your notes never leave your device. For Apple users who want simplicity, Apple Notes is already on every device you own.
Refund Policy
No prorated refunds: Evernote does not offer partial refunds for unused time
Within first billing cycle: Contact support within 24-48 hours of purchase for the best chance at a full refund
App Store purchases: Request through Apple (reportaproblem.apple.com) — Apple is generally more generous with refunds than Evernote directly
Annual plan: If you just renewed for the year, try contacting support immediately — some users report success getting refunds within the first week
💸 The Math
Evernote Personal: $129.99/year. Notion Free: $0. Apple Notes: $0. Obsidian: $0. Even Obsidian with sync ($4/month) = $48/year — saving $82/year while getting a better, more modern note-taking experience. Evernote's pricing no longer matches its product quality.
Find All Your Subscriptions
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