Pen Journal vs GoodNotes

Struggling to choose between Pen Journal and GoodNotes? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Pen Journal is a Office & Productivity solution with tags like journal, writing, notes, pen, minimalist, private.

It boasts features such as Freeform writing with pen and paper styled vectors, Distraction-free interface for private journaling, Minimalist design, Cloud-sync and backup, Export journal entries as PDF or image files and pros including Simple and focused interface, Aesthetically pleasing pen and paper style, Supports private journaling, Ability to export entries.

On the other hand, GoodNotes is a Education & Reference product tagged with handwriting, notes, annotation, sketching.

Its standout features include 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, and it shines with pros like Natural writing and drawing experience, Powerful organization with notebooks, Ability to search handwritten notes, Integrates well with other Apple products and services.

Feature	Pen Journal	GoodNotes
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Office & Productivity	Education & Reference

Product Overview

Pen Journal

Description: Pen Journal is a minimalist journaling app that focuses on freeform writing with pen and paper styled vectors. It provides a simple, distraction-free interface for journaling privately on your device.

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.

Key Features Comparison

Pen Journal Features

• Freeform writing with pen and paper styled vectors
• Distraction-free interface for private journaling
• Minimalist design
• Cloud-sync and backup
• Export journal entries as PDF or image files

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

Pros & Cons Analysis

Pen Journal

Pros

• Simple and focused interface
• Aesthetically pleasing pen and paper style
• Supports private journaling
• Ability to export entries

Cons

• Limited customization options
• No collaboration or sharing features
• Lack of advanced formatting or organization tools

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

Pricing Comparison

Pen Journal

• Free
• Subscription-Based

GoodNotes

• One-time Purchase