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GoodNotes vs Notebooks

Professional comparison and analysis to help you choose the right software solution for your needs.

GoodNotes icon
GoodNotes
Notebooks icon
Notebooks

GoodNotes vs Notebooks: The Verdict

⚡ Summary:

GoodNotes: GoodNotes is a digital handwriting and note-taking app for iPad and iPhone. It allows you to take notes, annotate PDFs, sketch ideas, and organize notes into notebooks using the Apple Pencil or your finger. GoodNotes is intuitive, flexible, and great for students and professionals.

Notebooks: Notebooks is a free, open-source note taking app designed for organizing notes and tasks. It has basic formatting options, tagging, and cross-platform syncing capabilities.

Both tools serve their respective audiences. Compare the features, pricing, and user ratings above to determine which best fits your needs.

Last updated: May 2026 · Comparison by Sugggest Editorial Team

Feature GoodNotes Notebooks
Sugggest Score — —
Category Education & Reference Office & Productivity
Pricing — Open Source

Product Overview

GoodNotes
GoodNotes

Description: GoodNotes is a digital handwriting and note-taking app for iPad and iPhone. It allows you to take notes, annotate PDFs, sketch ideas, and organize notes into notebooks using the Apple Pencil or your finger. GoodNotes is intuitive, flexible, and great for students and professionals.

Type: software

Notebooks
Notebooks

Description: Notebooks is a free, open-source note taking app designed for organizing notes and tasks. It has basic formatting options, tagging, and cross-platform syncing capabilities.

Type: software

Pricing: Open Source

Key Features Comparison

GoodNotes
GoodNotes Features
  • Handwriting and drawing with Apple Pencil
  • Annotate PDFs and documents
  • Create and organize notes into notebooks
  • Variety of pen styles and colors
  • Shape recognition
  • Zoom writing
  • Search handwritten notes
Notebooks
Notebooks Features
  • Basic note taking
  • Markdown formatting
  • Tagging
  • Cross-platform syncing

Pros & Cons Analysis

GoodNotes
GoodNotes

Pros

  • Natural writing and drawing experience
  • Powerful organization with notebooks
  • Ability to search handwritten notes
  • Integrates well with other Apple products and services

Cons

  • No web or Windows version
  • Less templates compared to competitors
  • Can be pricey compared to free alternatives
Notebooks
Notebooks

Pros

  • Free and open source
  • Simple and easy to use interface
  • Available on multiple platforms

Cons

  • Limited features compared to proprietary options
  • Formatting options are basic
  • No collaboration features

Pricing Comparison

GoodNotes
GoodNotes
  • Not listed
Notebooks
Notebooks
  • Open Source

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Learn More About Each Product

GoodNotes
GoodNotes
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Notebooks
Notebooks
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