Alternatives to GoodNotes
The digital paper favorite
GoodNotes ranks #9 of 13 in Note-taking, with an Alt Score of 55. It is proprietary, freemium from $11.99/year and available on iOS, macOS, Windows, Android and Web. 8 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Tablet and stylus users who take handwritten notes or mark up documents — students, and professionals in fields like law, healthcare, and architecture/engineering/construction — as well as teams needing shared notebooks or whiteboards.
A digital notebook for handwriting, typing, sketching, and audio notes with Apple Pencil (or other stylus) support, plus PDF annotation and markup tools. AI features convert handwriting to text, search across handwritten, typed, and sketched content, summarize notes, and generate mind maps from them. Notebooks and whiteboards sync across iOS/iPadOS, macOS, Windows, Android, and web, and support real-time multi-user collaboration.
Create a notebook, document, or whiteboard, then write, type, sketch, or import a PDF into it using a stylus, keyboard, or audio input. Content syncs automatically across your devices, and AI tools can search, summarize, or convert it as needed.
Where GoodNotes stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave GoodNotes
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How GoodNotes compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Note-taking checklist | GoodNotes | Amplenote | Joplin | Evernote | Standard Notes | UpNote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Sync between devices (native) | ||||||
| Local-first storage | ||||||
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| Web clipper | ||||||
| Templates | ||||||
| Tags & notebooks | ||||||
| Handwriting & stylus | ||||||
| OCR of images | ||||||
| Version history | ||||||
| Data export formats | ||||||
| Offline access |
Every fact and feature listed for GoodNotes is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Pricing model Freemium verified 2026-07-11
Compare Goodnotes pricing plans: Free, Essential ($11.99/year), Pro ($35.99/year), Teams ($120/year), and Enterprise.
https://www.goodnotes.com/pricing -
Starts at $11.99/year verified 2026-07-11
Compare Goodnotes pricing plans: Free, Essential ($11.99/year), Pro ($35.99/year), Teams ($120/year), and Enterprise.
https://www.goodnotes.com/pricing -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
Is Goodnotes worth it in 2026?
https://www.goodnotes.com/pricing -
License Proprietary verified 2026-07-11
© 2026 Goodnotes. All rights reserved.
https://www.goodnotes.com/pricing -
Platforms iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, Web verified 2026-07-11
Goodnotes works on Apple, Android, Windows, and web.
https://www.goodnotes.com/pricing -
Markdown support No verified 2026-07-11
Capture and organize your thoughts with handwriting
https://www.goodnotes.com/features -
Sync between devices (native) Partial verified 2026-07-11
Goodnotes works on Apple, Android, Windows, and web. No matter your device, our core note-taking experience, PDF markup and sync work the same. Pro subscribers get cross-platform sync across all four,
https://www.goodnotes.com/pricing -
Local-first storage Yes verified 2026-07-11
Yes. Your notebooks live on your device, so you can write, annotate, and organize with no connection at all. Once you're back online, everything syncs automatically across your other devices, so nothi
https://www.goodnotes.com/pricing -
Templates Yes verified 2026-07-11
Yes! Let your creativity flow with customizable templates. Use templates for meeting agendas, project trackers, planners and more.
https://www.goodnotes.com/tools/notebook -
Handwriting & stylus Yes verified 2026-07-11
Capture and organize your thoughts with handwriting
https://www.goodnotes.com/features -
OCR of images Yes verified 2026-07-11
Yes, our AI is trained on a vast array of handwriting styles to accurately recognize and convert even quick scribbles into text.
https://www.goodnotes.com/ai -
Data export formats Partial verified 2026-07-11
Yes. After you annotate a PDF, you can export and share the file via email or cloud storage, making it easy for colleagues or collaborators to review your feedback.
https://www.goodnotes.com/features/pdf-annotation -
Offline access Yes verified 2026-07-11
Yes. Your notebooks live on your device, so you can write, annotate, and organize with no connection at all. Once you're back online, everything syncs automatically across your other devices, so nothi
https://www.goodnotes.com/pricing
FAQ
Yes. Amplenote, Joplin and Evernote have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Joplin, Standard Notes and Notesnook — every license claim links its source.