Evernote has been slashing free features for years, and the cuts are set to continue as the note-taking app rolls out a new free version that limits people to one notebook and 50 notes.
As TechCrunch reports, the move is intended to push Evernote users to a paid plan. Those who encountered an initial test of the new plan—approximately 1% of free accounts—also got a 40% discount offer for Evernote's $129.99 annual Essentials plan.
In a blog post, Evernote says its free plan will formally change effective Dec. 4. The limit of 50 notes and one notebook "refer[s] to the number of notes and notebooks a user can have in their account at one time: you can always delete unwanted content to remain below the threshold," Evernote says. It won't delete existing content; those with more than the free limit just won't be able to add anything to their accounts until they clear things out.
According to the company, "the majority of our Free users fall below the threshold of fifty notes and one notebook."
The blog post acknowledged that those who need more storage may jump ship for an alternative service. "We hope...that you’ll consider a paid subscription if you’re interested in exploring Evernote’s full potential and supporting its future development," according to Evernote, which touted recent back-end improvements that were possible in part due to subscription funds.
The site's "compare plans" page doesn't currently specify notebook and note limits. It says only that users are limited to 60MB monthly uploads and a 25MB maximum note size. When TechCrunch asked the company about that earlier this week, Evernote said it hadn't updated the page because the new plan was not final; perhaps that will change on Dec. 4.
If the change has you looking for a new service, we have a full rundown of Evernote alternatives.
