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GoodNotes vs VLC Media Player

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

GoodNotes icon
GoodNotes
VLC Media Player icon
VLC Media Player

GoodNotes vs VLC Media Player: The Verdict

Last updated: May 2026 · Comparison by Sugggest Editorial Team

Feature GoodNotes VLC Media Player
Sugggest Score 30
User Rating ⭐ 4.0/5 (39)
Category Education & Reference Video & Movies
Pricing Free
Ease of Use 3.6/5
Features Rating 4.9/5
Value for Money 5.0/5
Customer Support 2.3/5

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

VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player

Description: VLC Media Player is a highly versatile, free, and open-source multimedia player developed by the VideoLAN project. It supports a wide range of audio and video file formats, streaming protocols, and provides various customization options. VLC is known for its cross-platform compatibility and extensive codec support.

Type: software

Pricing: Free

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
VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player Features
  • Plays a wide variety of media formats including discs, devices, streams and playlists
  • Supports many codecs and file formats including MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, Ogg, FLAC, TS, M2TS, Wv and AAC
  • Allows media playback without additional codecs
  • Provides advanced features like audio and video effects, audio visualizations, codec and format information
  • Offers customizable interface, playback speed and subtitles
  • Available on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS and other platforms
  • Open source and completely free

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
VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player
Pros
  • Free and open source
  • Plays almost any media file
  • Clean and easy to use interface
  • Highly customizable
  • Available on many platforms
  • Constantly updated
Cons
  • Lacks some advanced features of commercial media players
  • Can sometimes struggle with exotic codecs
  • Interface is not as polished as some alternatives
  • Limited support options since it is community-driven

Pricing Comparison

GoodNotes
GoodNotes
  • Not listed
VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player
  • Free

⭐ User Ratings

GoodNotes

No reviews yet

VLC Media Player
4.0/5

39 reviews

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