Noteshelf

Handwriting on every platform, with an AI that reads your pages.

By Fluid Touch · since 2011 · noteshelf.net

7.5

B+ · out of 10

Noteshelf has been drawing ink on tablets since 2011, and version 3 added the part everyone else was missing: an AI that summarizes a page, translates it, explains a term or writes fresh notes in a handwritten font. Underneath it is a complete stylus app with realistic pens, PDF annotation, audio recording, 200-plus templates and backup to whichever cloud you already use. It runs on iPad, Android, Windows and Mac, each bought separately.

How it scores

  • Features25% of score

    7.6

    Depth and breadth of what the app can do.

  • Ease of use20% of score

    8.2

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

  • AI15% of score

    6.4

    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

    7.6

    What you get for what you pay.

  • Platform coverage10% of score

    7.4

    How many places you can actually use it.

Pricing

$9.99/month · $29.99/year · $9.99 one-time

Free tier: A limited set of notebooks and tools, with no time limit.

On Apple devices Premium is $29.99/year. Android is a one-time $9.99 and Windows a one-time $7.99, and each platform is a separate purchase. AI runs on credits.

Platforms

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

34 tracked features supported

What it does well

  • One of the few handwriting apps that runs on Android and Windows too
  • Handwriting search and conversion work well across languages
  • Automatic backup to Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive, not just iCloud
  • The AI answers questions about the page you actually wrote

Where it falls short

  • Buying it again on each platform undercuts the cross-platform story
  • AI features are metered by credits
  • The interface is busier than GoodNotes or Noteful
  • Typed notes and linking are afterthoughts

Our take

The most complete handwriting app outside the Apple bubble, and the only one whose AI reads your ink back to you.

Best for: Stylus users who are not on an iPad, or not only on an iPad.

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 clipperPartly
  • Share extensionPartly
  • Quick capture
  • Images
  • PDF & documents
  • Document scanningPartly

Organization

How notes are structured, linked and found again.

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

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 generator
  • Spaced repetition
  • Quiz generator
  • Fill in the blank
  • 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 / LaTeX
  • Tables
  • Find and replace
  • Version history
  • 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 sharingPartly

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 Noteshelf alternatives

Noteshelf vs Grape

Adds: AI agent with tools, AI memory

9.0

Noteshelf vs Apple Notes

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

8.1

Noteshelf vs GoodNotes

Handwriting on a tablet, done better than anyone else.

8.0

Noteshelf vs RemNote

Take notes and generate the flashcards in the same keystroke.

7.9