Goodnotes vs Notability: Which Is Better for Students?

For students who write with a stylus, the choice often comes down to two apps: Goodnotes and Notability. They look similar and do many of the same things, but each has a feature that makes it the better pick for certain students.

This comparison covers handwriting, PDFs, audio, prices, platforms and the free plans. Prices change often, so we show the date we last checked, and we leave out anything we could not confirm.

At a glance

How we compared

We looked at:

• Handwriting and organization: how it feels to write and how you find notes later.
• PDFs and slides: how well you can mark up imported documents.
• Audio: recording and replay.
• Price and plans: what you get free and what each plan unlocks.
• Platforms: whether it works on the devices you own.

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Handwriting and organization

Goodnotes is built like a stack of digital notebooks, with covers, paper types, folders and searchable handwriting. If you like organizing by course and want something that feels like a set of paper notebooks, it fits well.

Notability is more of a single flowing note, with typing, drawing, images and audio on one page. It is quick for capturing a lecture, but it can feel less structured when you have a semester of notes to find.

For most students, both feel good with a stylus, so try each with your own handwriting and device.

PDFs and lecture slides

Importing a slide deck and writing next to each slide is one of the best uses of either app. Goodnotes has a long reputation here, with easy page management, templates and a good library for organizing imported documents. Notability handles PDFs well too, and its audio feature works on top of them.

If most of your courses run on slides, either works. If you mostly annotate readings and papers, Goodnotes' notebook-style organization often helps.

Audio recording

This is the biggest practical difference. Notability links the recording to what you write, so tapping a note plays the audio from that moment. That helps in fast lectures, in languages, and when reviewing complicated explanations.

Goodnotes also records audio, with 20 minutes on the free plan and unlimited recording on paid plans, which is enough for many students.

Always check your college's rules before recording a lecture. Many require permission from the instructor, and some do not allow it at all.

Prices and plans

Goodnotes. Free includes three notebooks, three files, three folders, 100 MB of storage and 20 minutes of audio recording. Essential is $11.99 a year with unlimited notebooks and files, 5 GB of storage and unlimited audio. Pro is $35.99 a year and adds cross-device sync, collaboration and fuller AI features. An AI Pass can be added for $9.99 a month. Goodnotes lists a free education option for schools, which requires an administrator to set it up.

Notability. The free Starter plan allows up to five notes. Lite is $11.99 a year, Plus is $15.99 a year, and Pro is $79.99 a year, with the higher plans adding limited or unlimited AI quizzes, flashcards and transcription.

Neither page lists a general student discount that we could confirm. Check each app's education pages and your school's offers before you pay.

Platforms

Both began on Apple devices, and both now list wider support. Goodnotes lists iPad, iPhone, Mac, Android, Windows and web, and Notability lists Mac, Windows, iPad, iPhone and Android. Handwriting sensitivity features may differ by device, so test on the one you own.

Which should you choose?

For planning and typed notes alongside either one, see our guide to the best note-taking apps for students.

Getting the most from a handwriting app

The app matters less than how you use it. A few habits make notes more useful:

• Name every notebook or note with the course and date, so search finds it later.
• Use the pen for structure. Underline headings, box definitions and use one color for questions you still have.
• Add a two-line summary at the end of each lecture in your own words.
• Use palm rejection and a stylus you like. A comfortable pen matters more than the app's pen settings.
• Pair handwriting with flashcards. Turn the boxed definitions into cards the same evening.
• Export or back up your most important notebooks to a PDF each month.

Writing everything by hand slows some students down, so type the parts that are mostly text and handwrite diagrams, equations and quick sketches.

Choosing your tablet and stylus

Both apps work with several devices, so spend on the hardware only after trying the software free:

• Screen size. Larger screens give more room for slides next to your notes, while smaller ones are easier to carry between lectures.
• Stylus latency. Test how natural writing feels in a shop or with a friend's device before you buy.
• Storage. Notes are small, but imported slides and recordings add up, so check how much space you will use.
• A matte screen protector. Many students find it feels more like paper, but it is a matter of taste.

If you do not own a tablet, remember that the typed apps in our other guides are free and work on any laptop, so a tablet is not required to take good notes.

Common mistakes

1. Paying before testing. Use the free plan for a couple of weeks.
2. Buying a plan for AI features you may not use.
3. Recording lectures without permission.
4. Never backing up. Export important notebooks regularly.
5. Handwriting everything. Typed notes search faster for some subjects.

A simple test

Take notes in each app for one week of real lectures. Notice which one you open first, which one you can find notes in later, and whether the audio feature earned its place. That experience will tell you more than any feature list.