Goodnotes vs Zoho Notebook

Goodnotes8.8Visit Zoho Notebook8.5Visit

Higher score Goodnotes #4 in Note-Taking Apps 8.8/10 Free plan · 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Goodnotes

vs

Zoho Notebook #7 in Note-Taking Apps 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Zoho Notebook

• Goodnotes fits best

  Handwritten notebooks and PDF annotation

• Zoho Notebook fits best

  Users wanting free notes with broad integrations

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Side by side

Feature	Goodnotes 8.8/10 Visit ↗	Zoho Notebook 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.5
Ranking	#4 in Note-Taking Apps	#7 in Note-Taking Apps
Best for	Handwritten notebooks and PDF annotation	Users wanting free notes with broad integrations
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	7 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Email, Community, Live chat, Docs
Compliance	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, SSO/SAML	GDPR
Integrations	6 integrations	17 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Goodnotes 3/3 · Zoho Notebook 3/3
Offline access	✓	✓
Note sharing	✓	✓
Real-time collaboration	✓	✓
Specs
Supported platforms	web, windows, macos, ios, android	web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android
Storage limit	5 GB (best)	0.5 GB
Integrations	Google Calendar, Google Drive, ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Outlook, Apple Calendar	Samsung Devices, IFTTT, Google Workspace, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Zapier, Zoho Mail, Zoho Meeting, Zoho Connect, Zoho Cliq, Zoho Projects, Zoho Flow, Zoho Scanner, Integrately, Zoho CRM, Bigin
Our review
Pros	Handwriting, typed notes, whiteboards, PDFs, and audio in one app Searchable handwriting plus AI transcription, summaries, and generation Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android support	Free plan includes varied note cards, scanning, reminders, and offline access Works across web, desktop, mobile, and Chrome Connects with Zoho apps, Zapier, IFTTT, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams
Cons	Free plan limits users to three notebooks and 100 MB storage Cross-platform Goodnotes Cloud sync starts with the Pro plan Advanced AI requires Pro or the separate AI Pass add-on	Free plan provides 2 GB of cloud storage per personal user Simultaneous editing of one notecard is not supported Advanced storage, OCR, Noteboards, and co-owner access require paid tiers
Our verdict	Goodnotes is a digital note-taking application for students, professionals, and teams who want handwritten notebooks alongside typed documents, whiteboards, PDFs, and audio. It supports digital ink, PDF import and annotation, signing,… Read the review →	Zoho Notebook is a cross-platform note-taking app for individuals, students, researchers, and teams. Its card-based structure supports text, checklists, audio, photos, sketches, files, and smart content, while notebooks, tags, collections,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Goodnotes — where it wins

  • Handwriting, typed notes, whiteboards, PDFs, and audio in one app
  • Searchable handwriting plus AI transcription, summaries, and generation
  • Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android support

  Where it doesn't

  • Free plan limits users to three notebooks and 100 MB storage
  • Cross-platform Goodnotes Cloud sync starts with the Pro plan
  • Advanced AI requires Pro or the separate AI Pass add-on

• Zoho Notebook — where it wins

  • Free plan includes varied note cards, scanning, reminders, and offline access
  • Works across web, desktop, mobile, and Chrome
  • Connects with Zoho apps, Zapier, IFTTT, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams

  Where it doesn't

  • Free plan provides 2 GB of cloud storage per personal user
  • Simultaneous editing of one notecard is not supported
  • Advanced storage, OCR, Noteboards, and co-owner access require paid tiers

• Goodnotes8.8/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial

  A broad note-taking app for handwriting, PDFs, collaboration, and AI across five platforms.

  Visit GoodnotesFull verdict →
• Zoho Notebook8.5/10 · Free plan

  A flexible free note-taking app with broad platforms, integrations, and content types.

  Visit Zoho NotebookFull verdict →