GoodNotes

Handwriting on a tablet, done better than anyone else.

By GoodNotes Ltd · since 2011 · goodnotes.com

8.0

A- · out of 10

GoodNotes is a paper notebook simulator with excellent ink, searchable handwriting and a huge library of planner templates. Version 6 pushed it beyond Apple onto Windows, Android and the web, and added Ask GoodNotes, which answers questions about your own handwritten pages. It is a study tool, not a knowledge base.

How it scores

  • Features25% of score

    8.0

    Depth and breadth of what the app can do.

  • Ease of use20% of score

    8.8

    Speed, polish and how long it takes to feel at home.

  • AI15% of score

    7.0

    Quality and usefulness of the built-in AI, not just its presence.

  • Sync & reliability15% of score

    7.4

    How dependably notes move between devices.

  • Value15% of score

    8.6

    What you get for what you pay.

  • Platform coverage10% of score

    7.6

    How many places you can actually use it.

Pricing

$9.99/year · $29.99 one-time

Free tier: Three notebooks, full ink tools, no time limit.

Roughly $9.99/year, or a one-time purchase on Apple devices. AI credits are metered on top.

Platforms

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Web

41 tracked features supported

What it does well

  • The most natural pen feel on an iPad, still
  • Handwritten pages are fully searchable, in many languages
  • Enormous template and planner ecosystem
  • A one-time purchase option survives on Apple platforms

Where it falls short

  • Typed notes are second-class next to ink
  • No tags, no backlinks, no linking notes into a system
  • Windows and Android versions trail the iPad app
  • AI features are metered by credits

Our take

If you write by hand, buy it and stop reading. If you type, this is the wrong category of app.

Best for: Students and anyone whose thinking happens with a stylus.

Handwriting & tabletsStudents & study

Feature by feature

YesPartlyVia pluginNo

Capture & input

How notes get into the app in the first place.

  • Voice recording
  • Audio transcriptionPartly
  • Speaker identification
  • Meeting recording
  • Handwriting / stylus
  • Drawing canvas
  • OCR / handwriting search
  • Web clipper
  • Share extensionPartly
  • Quick capture
  • Images
  • PDF & documents
  • Document scanning

Organization

How notes are structured, linked and found again.

  • Tags
  • Folders / notebooks
  • Multi-level folders
  • Internal links
  • Backlinks
  • Graph view
  • Databases / boards
  • Daily notes / journalPartly
  • Note templates
  • Saved searches
  • Pins / favorites
  • Merge notesPartly

AI

Assistants, generators and meaning-based search.

  • AI chat / writing assistant
  • AI agent with tools
  • Custom AI agents
  • Semantic searchPartly
  • AI web search
  • Connected apps for AI
  • Prompt templates
  • Custom AI instructions
  • AI memory
  • Scheduled AI tasks
  • Flashcard generatorPartly
  • Spaced repetition
  • Quiz generatorPartly
  • Fill in the blankPartly
  • Mind maps
  • AI image generation
  • Infographic generator
  • Slide deck generator
  • AI mini apps
  • Brainrot video generator
  • AI audio overview
  • Bring your own model
  • AI job notifications

Writing & editing

What the editor itself can actually do.

  • Markdown
  • Rich textPartly
  • Code blocks
  • Math / LaTeXPartly
  • Tables
  • Find and replace
  • Version historyPartly
  • Note info

Sync & data ownership

Where your notes live and how easily they leave.

  • Cloud sync
  • Sync through your own cloud
  • Offline support
  • Offline-first / own your dataPartly
  • Self-hosting
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Locked notes
  • Daily backup
  • Import
  • Export
  • Public API
  • Command line tool
  • Remote MCP server
  • Plugins / extensions

Sharing & collaboration

Working with other people inside your notes.

  • Share with people
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Comments
  • Public sharing

Experience

The everyday polish around the writing surface.

  • Dark mode
  • Custom themesPartly
  • Multi-language
  • Command palette
  • Split viewPartly
  • Focus mode
  • Home screen widgets
  • Apple Shortcuts

Compare with

All GoodNotes alternatives

GoodNotes vs Grape

Adds: AI agent with tools, AI memory

9.0

GoodNotes vs Apple Notes

Already on your phone, and better than it has any right to be.

8.1

GoodNotes vs RemNote

Take notes and generate the flashcards in the same keystroke.

7.9

GoodNotes vs Heptabase

Notes on whiteboards, for when the outline is not the shape of the idea.

7.8