Notability
A handwriting and audio notes app that syncs your writing with recordings.
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 5
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Notability
Notability is a note-taking app from Ginger Labs that grew up on the iPad. You can handwrite or type, import and annotate PDFs and slides, and record audio while you write, then tap a word later to hear what was being said at that moment. Newer features include live audio transcription, AI summaries, chat with your notes, quizzes and flashcards generated from your notes, and turning YouTube videos into notes. It now runs on iPad, iPhone, Mac, Windows, Android and the web. A free Starter plan allows a handful of notes, and paid tiers, billed yearly or as a one-time option, unlock unlimited notes, longer version history and more AI; business plans add collaboration and admin features. The trade-offs are that the free tier is tiny, AI features are capped below the top tier, and its cross-platform apps are newer than the iPad app. It suits students who record lectures and want handwriting and audio together.
Best for: Students who want handwritten notes linked to lecture recordings.
Pros and cons
What works
- Audio recording synced with handwriting
- Live transcription and AI study tools
- Strong PDF annotation
- Apps beyond iPad, including Windows and Android
Why people leave
- Free Starter plan allows only 5 notes
- Best AI features are on the top tier
- Non-iPad apps are less mature
Top Notability alternatives
See all 5- 1
Microsoft OneNote72.8Free notebooks with inking and audio recording.
- 2
Goodnotes66.5Handwritten notebooks with a stronger focus on templates and organisation.
- 3
RemNote59.6Typed notes with flashcards and spaced repetition for exams.
- 4
Apple Notes57.2Free on iPad, with sketching and audio transcripts.
- 5
Otter.ai47.8If the lecture transcript matters more than handwriting.
Why people left Notability
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Notability: common questions
Is Notability free?
Notability has a free plan and paid plans. Free plan: 5 notes (checked on Notability's own site).
Is Notability open source?
No, Notability is not open source.
What platforms does Notability run on?
Notability is available for iOS, macOS, Windows, Android and Web.
What are the best alternatives to Notability?
The highest-ranked Notability alternatives right now are Microsoft OneNote, Goodnotes and RemNote. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.