iOS

• 
  Universal (iPhone + iPad)

  Simplenote

  get itFree

  What good are notes on your phone if you can't access them from your desktop? With Simplenote, your notes are automatically synced and accessible just about anywhere using third-party apps for Mac, Windows, Android, and other platforms.
• 
  iPad

  Penultimate

  get itFree

  Miss taking notes with a pen and paper? Turn your finger into the ultimate pen, and your iPad into the ultimate, well, pad, with Penultimate. You can also use a stylus, for that full pen-on-paper experience.
• 
  Universal (iPhone + iPad)

  Evernote

  get itFree

  Evernote provides a whole ecosystem that lets you share and sync notes, photos, PDFs, and more. Some features, including offline access, require the $4.99-per-month premium plan, but even the free version includes a great set of note-taking tools.