Goodnotes
A handwriting-first notes app for tablets, with PDF markup and AI study tools.
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 5
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Goodnotes
Goodnotes is a digital notebook app best known on the iPad, where people write by hand with a stylus on paper templates, mark up PDFs and slides, and keep everything in folders that are searchable thanks to handwriting recognition. It also has typed notes, audio recording, stickers, shapes, presentation mode and real-time collaboration, plus AI features that summarise notes and generate study material. It started on Apple devices and now also runs on Windows, Android and the web, and it has team and education plans with admin controls. A free tier allows a small number of notebooks; paid Essential and Pro plans, billed yearly, unlock unlimited notebooks and more features, and the full AI experience is an extra add-on. The trade-offs are that the best experience still needs a tablet and stylus, files use Goodnotes' own format, and AI costs extra. It suits students and professionals who prefer writing by hand.
Best for: Students and professionals who take handwritten notes on a tablet.
Pros and cons
What works
- Excellent handwriting and PDF markup
- Searchable handwriting and handwriting-to-text
- Templates, stickers and notebook organisation
- Available beyond Apple devices
Why people leave
- Free tier is very limited
- Full AI features cost extra
- Best experience needs a tablet and stylus
Top Goodnotes alternatives
See all 5- 1
Microsoft OneNote72.8Free notebooks with inking on Windows tablets and iPad.
- 2
Notability66.5Handwriting plus audio recording synced to your notes, popular with students.
- 3
Apple Notes59.6Free Apple Pencil sketching and scanning built into iPad.
- 4
RemNote57.2Typed notes that become flashcards for revision.
- 5
Evernote54.0Typed notebooks, web clipping and document search.
Why people left Goodnotes
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Goodnotes: common questions
Is Goodnotes free?
Goodnotes has a free plan and paid plans. Free plan: Yes, limited (checked on Goodnotes's own site).
Is Goodnotes open source?
No, Goodnotes is not open source.
What platforms does Goodnotes run on?
Goodnotes is available for iOS, macOS, Windows, Android and Web.
What are the best alternatives to Goodnotes?
The highest-ranked Goodnotes alternatives right now are Microsoft OneNote, Notability and Apple Notes. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.