Goodnotes vs Notability in 2026: which app is better for handwritten notes?

Notability scores higher than Goodnotes for handwritten notes on iPad. Its description says it is free to use, it lists all eight features on our checklist (including PDF markup, audio synced to your writing, and quizzes and flashcards from your notes), and its paid plans appear in the price list from $5.99 to $99.99. Goodnotes is close on features and has a slightly lighter privacy label, but its listing does not say what the free version includes or what full access costs. Pick Goodnotes anyway if you want planner templates, a whiteboard and flashcards with spaced repetition in the same notebook app.

Quick answer

• Best overallNotability Free to use according to the developer, with audio synced to the moment you write, PDF markup, handwriting search and notes on iPad, iPhone, Mac and the web.≈ $8.33/mo
• Best for planners and study setsGoodnotes Searchable handwriting, planner and journal templates, an infinite whiteboard and Study Sets with spaced repetition, but the listing does not say what is free.$0.99 to $12.99

How we ranked these apps AppsFor Score from public App Store data, November 2, 2026

Apps are ordered by the AppsFor Score, out of 100: free access 30, fit for this need 25, user ratings 20, price 10, privacy 10 and upkeep 5. We read each app's full App Store listing, in-app purchase list, privacy label and version history on November 2, 2026; every feature we credit is backed by the listing's own words, shown in each app's score. Nobody can pay to change a score. This is a desk review from public data, not a long-term learning test. The full method gives every rule, and scores.json has every input.

Comparison table

• Notability≈ $8.33/mo
• Goodnotes$0.99 to $12.99

Feature
Handwritten notes with a penWriting by hand with Apple Pencil is the main reason people compare these two apps.
Annotate PDFs and lecture slidesSlides and readings arrive as PDFs, so writing on them directly saves printing and retyping.
Typed text next to handwritingMixing typed text with ink keeps headings neat and lets you paste text without leaving the page.
Search your handwritingHandwritten notes are only useful later if you can find a word in them.
Audio synced to your notesReplaying the part of a lecture you were writing about is the feature both apps are known for.
Flashcards or quizzes from your notesTurning notes into practice questions is how students actually revise for exams.
Sync across iPad, iPhone and MacNotes written on an iPad are more useful when they also open on your phone or laptop.
Export or share notes as PDFClassmates and colleagues usually need your notes as a PDF.
Total	8/8	7/8

Key differences

Price and what is free

Notability's description says "Notability is free to use" and lists what a subscription adds: unlimited note-taking, AI study tools, handwriting recognition and math conversion, live audio transcripts, and auto-backup with iCloud sync. On the US App Store in November 2026, the price list shows Notability Lite at $5.99 and $14.99, Notability Plus at $7.99, $12.99 and $19.99, and Notability Pro at $19.99 and $99.99. The item names do not give billing periods. The description also mentions a one-time "Classic" plan, which does not appear by that name in the list.

Goodnotes is a free download, but its listing does not describe the free version. Its in-app purchase list shows only planners at $9.99 to $12.99 and covers, papers and sticker packs at $0.99 to $1.99. The description's line "unlimited notebooks for the price of a single physical one" suggests unlimited notebooks are paid, but the price of full access is not in the list.

Audio recording and transcripts

Both apps record audio while you write. Notability says recordings "are synced to the exact moment you write in a note" and adds live transcripts and real-time summaries with a subscription. Goodnotes says audio notes are synced to the moment you write, and its AI Audio and Meetings feature promises transcription and live summaries. The Goodnotes screenshots show a physics lecture with a recording timer and Summary and Transcript tabs.

Study tools

Goodnotes describes Study Sets: flashcards built from your notes with active recall and spaced repetition. Notability describes personalized quizzes and flashcards from your notes and a chat to review concepts, and one of its screenshots shows a 20-question multiple-choice quiz. If spaced repetition matters to you, only the Goodnotes listing mentions it.

Planners, whiteboard and documents

Goodnotes goes further beyond the notebook. Its description lists built-in and importable planner templates, a daily journal with stickers and washi tapes, an infinite whiteboard for mind maps, and typed Text Documents. Notability offers templates from the Notability Gallery and lets you view and edit two notes side by side, but it does not describe a planner or whiteboard.

Platforms and requirements

Both list iPad, iPhone, Mac and Apple Vision. Notability adds access on the web and needs iOS 18.0 or later. Goodnotes needs iOS 18.6 or later and backs up to Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive as well as syncing through iCloud. Notability's interface comes in 23 languages, Goodnotes in 15. Goodnotes was updated on November 1, 2026 and Notability on October 26, 2026.

Privacy label

Both developers declare that identifiers may be used to track you. Notability also lists contact info and diagnostics as linked to your identity. Goodnotes lists no data linked to you, only identifiers, usage data and diagnostics collected without being linked.

Notability: Best overall

Why we picked Notability, in detail

Notability has been on the App Store since 2010 and is built around one page where you can handwrite, type, add images and mark up PDFs, lecture slides and textbooks. Its signature feature, according to the developer, is audio that is synced to the exact moment you write, so the recording lines up with what you wrote during the lecture. The description adds search across handwriting, typed notes and transcripts, organization into folders and subjects, a full-screen presentation mode with a laser pointer, and sharing a PDF of a note in one tap.

The screenshots lean on AI: a typed outline of the solar system, a "Generating Smart Notes" screen with a large microphone button, and a multiple-choice quiz built from a note.

Strengths: free to use according to the description, all eight checklist features in the listing, notes on the web as well as Apple devices, a 4.8 rating from about 458,500 ratings.

Limits: unlimited notes, handwriting recognition, transcripts and iCloud sync are subscription features; seven price items without billing periods make plans hard to compare; identifiers are declared for tracking and contact info is linked to you.

Goodnotes: Best for planners and study sets

Why we picked Goodnotes, in detail

Goodnotes is a digital notebook for Apple Pencil. You write on paper templates such as blank, ruled, Cornell and checklist pages, combine handwriting with typed text, images and stickers, and search any word across your class notebooks. The description adds audio synced to your writing, AI summaries that rework messy notes into study material, Study Sets with spaced repetition, planners and journals, and an infinite whiteboard with real-time collaboration. You can edit handwriting after the fact by resizing it, recoloring it or moving it.

The screenshots show a hand-drawn volcano diagram with AI-suggested questions, a physics lecture with a transcript panel, and a PDF article with highlights and handwritten edits.

Strengths: searchable handwriting, the widest set of planner and journal tools of the two, backups to Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive, no data linked to your identity, a 4.7 rating from about 466,800 ratings.

Limits: the listing does not say what is free or what full access costs; the description does not explicitly mention annotating PDFs, so it scores no point for it; identifiers are declared for tracking; iOS 18.6 or later is required.

Which should you choose?

• If you record lectures and want to replay what you missed, choose Notability. Both sync audio to your writing, but Notability states its free and paid tiers clearly.
• If you want to know what you will pay before you start, choose Notability, whose plans appear in the price list from $5.99 to $99.99.
• If you plan your week and keep a journal on the same iPad, choose Goodnotes for its planner templates, stickers and whiteboard.
• If you revise with flashcards, Goodnotes is the one that mentions spaced repetition. For a dedicated review app, see our flashcard apps comparison.
• If you need your notes in a web browser, choose Notability, which lists web access.

For five more handwriting apps, including one-time purchase options, see our guide to the best note-taking apps for iPad.

Frequently asked questions

Is Goodnotes better than Notability?

Not by the AppsFor Score. Notability scores higher because its listing says it is free to use and shows all eight checklist features, while the Goodnotes listing does not describe its free version or full price. Goodnotes is the better fit if you want planners, a whiteboard and spaced-repetition flashcards.

Which is cheaper, Goodnotes or Notability?

It is hard to say from the listings. Notability's price list runs from $5.99 to $99.99 across Lite, Plus and Pro, without billing periods in the item names. The Goodnotes price list shows only planners and sticker packs from $0.99 to $12.99, not the price of full access.

Is Notability free?

Its description says "Notability is free to use." Unlimited note-taking, AI study tools, handwriting recognition, live transcripts and iCloud sync need a subscription, so the free version is capped.

Can I move my notes from Notability to Goodnotes?

Both apps export notes as PDFs, and both import PDFs, so you can carry notes across that way. Expect them to arrive as PDF pages you can write on, not as editable notes in the other app's format.

Can I use Goodnotes and Notability on iPhone and Mac?

Yes. Both list iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision. Notability also says notes are available on the web.

Which is better for students?

Both target students with audio sync, searchable handwriting and flashcards. Notability scores higher overall, and Goodnotes adds planners and spaced repetition. For more study tools, see our study apps comparison.