Notability vs Joplin

Notability8.7Visit Joplin8.6Visit

Higher score Notability #5 in Note-Taking Apps 8.7/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Notability

vs

Joplin #6 in Note-Taking Apps 8.6/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Joplin

• Notability fits best

  Students using handwriting, PDFs, and recordings

• Joplin fits best

  Open-source, privacy-conscious note takers

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Side by side

Feature	Notability 8.7/10 Visit ↗	Joplin 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.7	8.6
Ranking	#5 in Note-Taking Apps	#6 in Note-Taking Apps
Best for	Students using handwriting, PDFs, and recordings	Open-source, privacy-conscious note takers
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$14.99/user/yr	€2.40/mo
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	30 days	14 days
Free trial length	30 days	14 days
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension
Support	Tickets, Docs	Community, Docs
Compliance	SOC 2, GDPR	GDPR, 2FA
Integrations	6 integrations	7 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Notability 3/3 · Joplin 3/3
Offline access	✓	✓
Note sharing	✓	✓
Real-time collaboration	✓	✓
Specs
Supported platforms	web, windows, macos, ios, android	web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension, API
Storage limit	Not checked yet	2 GB
Integrations	iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, WebDAV	Joplin Cloud, Nextcloud, S3, WebDAV, Dropbox, OneDrive, Local filesystem
Our review
Pros	Combines typed notes, handwriting, PDFs, audio, and transcription Searches handwritten notes and links audio to annotations Supports collaboration and cloud storage across five platforms	Open-source, Markdown-based notes with offline-first local access End-to-end encrypted synchronisation and multiple storage options Broad platform coverage with clipping, publishing and plugins
Cons	Many advanced AI and audio features require a paid plan Pro costs $79.99 per year, above the Plus tier The broad feature set may exceed simple note-taking needs	Collaboration and publishing features depend on Joplin Cloud Basic limits notes and attachments to 10 MB Advanced storage tiers cost more than the entry plan
Our verdict	Notability is a note-taking application for students, professionals, educators, and teams. It combines typed and handwritten note creation with PDF, document, and slide import and annotation. Notes can be organized into folders, shared by… Read the review →	Joplin is an open-source note-taking and to-do application for individuals and teams who want Markdown editing, local access and control over synchronisation. It organises content with notebooks and tags, supports full-text search, and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Notability — where it wins

  • Combines typed notes, handwriting, PDFs, audio, and transcription
  • Searches handwritten notes and links audio to annotations
  • Supports collaboration and cloud storage across five platforms

  Where it doesn't

  • Many advanced AI and audio features require a paid plan
  • Pro costs $79.99 per year, above the Plus tier
  • The broad feature set may exceed simple note-taking needs

• Joplin — where it wins

  • Open-source, Markdown-based notes with offline-first local access
  • End-to-end encrypted synchronisation and multiple storage options
  • Broad platform coverage with clipping, publishing and plugins

  Where it doesn't

  • Collaboration and publishing features depend on Joplin Cloud
  • Basic limits notes and attachments to 10 MB
  • Advanced storage tiers cost more than the entry plan

• Notability8.7/10 · Free plan · 30-day trial

  A flexible notes app for handwriting, PDFs, recordings, and AI study tools.

  Visit NotabilityFull verdict →
• Joplin8.6/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial

  A privacy-focused Markdown notebook that works across desktop, mobile and web.

  Visit JoplinFull verdict →