Goodnotes vs Penbook

Goodnotes9.2Visit Penbook8.0Visit

Higher score Goodnotes #1 in Handwritten Notes Software 9.2/10 Free plan · 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Goodnotes

vs

Penbook #8 in Handwritten Notes Software 8.0/10 Free plan · 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Penbook

• Goodnotes fits best

  Cross-platform note takers and collaborative teams

• Penbook fits best

  Apple Pencil users who want planners and templates

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	Goodnotes 9.2/10 Visit ↗	Penbook 8.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.0
Ranking	#1 in Handwritten Notes Software	#8 in Handwritten Notes Software
Best for	Cross-platform note takers and collaborative teams	Apple Pencil users who want planners and templates
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	7 days	7 days
Free trial length	7 days	7 days
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Mobile, Desktop
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	iOS, macOS
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Email
Integrations	6 integrations	2 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features Goodnotes 0/5 · Penbook 0/5
Handwriting to text	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
PDF annotation	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Audio recording	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Offline mode	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Shared note editing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Primary platform	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
OCR languages	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Mix handwritten and typed notes, annotate PDFs, and create whiteboards Sync audio recordings with writing and convert handwriting to text Use offline editing across web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android	More than 400 stationery types and layouts, with page and cover customization Imports PDFs as notebooks for annotation and editing Searches handwritten notes and syncs devices through iCloud
Cons	Free plan is limited to three files and 100 MB of storage Real-time collaboration and some AI features require an internet connection Key collaboration and cloud-sync features require the Pro plan	Free use is limited to one notebook at a time Premium export and unlimited notebooks require a paid plan Apple-focused platforms and a narrow integration set
Our verdict	Goodnotes brings handwritten and typed notes together with PDF annotation, text documents, whiteboards, and audio recording. It suits students, professionals, educators, and teams who want a digital notebook that works across web, Windows,… Read the review →	Penbook centers handwritten notes, planners, journals, and study notebooks on customizable digital paper. It is aimed at Apple-device users who prefer writing with Apple Pencil, another stylus, or a finger and want more structure than a… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Goodnotes — where it wins

  • Mix handwritten and typed notes, annotate PDFs, and create whiteboards
  • Sync audio recordings with writing and convert handwriting to text
  • Use offline editing across web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

  Where it doesn't

  • Free plan is limited to three files and 100 MB of storage
  • Real-time collaboration and some AI features require an internet connection
  • Key collaboration and cloud-sync features require the Pro plan

• Penbook — where it wins

  • More than 400 stationery types and layouts, with page and cover customization
  • Imports PDFs as notebooks for annotation and editing
  • Searches handwritten notes and syncs devices through iCloud

  Where it doesn't

  • Free use is limited to one notebook at a time
  • Premium export and unlimited notebooks require a paid plan
  • Apple-focused platforms and a narrow integration set

• Goodnotes9.2/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial

  A flexible digital notebook with offline editing, collaboration, and AI features.

  Visit GoodnotesFull verdict →
• Penbook8.0/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial

  A stationery-rich handwriting app for Apple devices, with PDF annotation and planner pages.

  Visit PenbookFull verdict →