Goodnotes
Goodnotes: A broad note-taking app for handwriting, PDFs, collaboration, and AI across five platforms. Ranked #4 of 214 in Note-Taking Apps by our editors (8.8/10); pricing: Free plan · 7-day trial; best for handwritten notebooks and PDF annotation.
At a glance
- Editor score8.8 / 10
- PricingFree plan · 7-day trial
- Best forHandwritten notebooks and PDF annotation
- Free planYes
- Offline accessYes
- Founded2011 · London, United Kingdom
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
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
Our verdict on Goodnotes
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, handwriting search, spellcheck, templates, sharing, and collaboration. Offline access is supported, with some features and document availability depending on prior local loading and platform. The app is available on the web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
The plan structure covers individual, Apple-only, and team use. Free includes up to three notebooks, text documents, and whiteboards, 100 MB storage, a 5 MB import limit, watermarked exports, and limited audio recording. Essential costs $11.99 per user per year and adds unlimited notebooks, documents, whiteboards, folders, 5 GB storage, unlimited audio, watermark-free exports, and basic Goodnotes AI. Pro costs $35.99 per user per year and adds Goodnotes Cloud cross-platform library synchronization, private link sharing, real-time collaborative documents, advanced AI, and Google Drive integration. Teams costs $120 per seat per year with collaboration, Drive and Google Calendar integrations, SAML SSO, domain control, and consolidated billing. Apple users also have the one-time Special Edition purchase, which excludes Goodnotes Cloud.
Its strongest distinction is the connection between handwriting and richer document workflows: audio recording can synchronize with handwriting, while AI can provide meeting transcription, live summaries, content generation, and image generation. Integrations include Google Calendar, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, ChatGPT, Claude, and iCloud. Goodnotes suits people who want a notebook-style workspace with PDF work and cross-platform options. Choose another app if you need unrestricted free storage, cross-platform cloud synchronization on the entry paid tier, or advanced AI without moving to Pro or adding AI Pass, which costs $9.99 per month and provides approximately 12 times more AI credits.
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Goodnotes pricing
All 7 Goodnotes plans and prices →
Goodnotes fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Offline access | Yes |
| Supported platforms | web, windows, macos, ios, android |
| Note sharing | Yes |
| Real-time collaboration | Yes |
| Storage limit | 5 GB |
| Integrations | Google Calendar, Google Drive, ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Outlook, Apple Calendar |
| Free trial | 7 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Desktop, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Compliance & security | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, SSO/SAML |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 6 integrations: Google Calendar, Google Drive, ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Outlook, Apple Calendar |
| Pricing | Free plan · 7-day trial (source) |
| Website | goodnotes.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Goodnotes integrations
Goodnotes lists 6 integrations on its own site.
- Google Calendar
- Google Drive
- ChatGPT
- Claude
- Microsoft Outlook
- Apple Calendar
Alternatives to Goodnotes
- Microsoft OneNoteA broad, collaborative note system with strong Microsoft integration and a capable free option.9.3
- NotionA flexible workspace for teams that want notes and knowledge bases alongside databases and collaboration.9.2
- EvernoteA broad note-taking workspace for organizing information, tasks, calendars, and documents.9.0
See all Goodnotes alternatives →
Goodnotes vs the competition
- Goodnotes vs Microsoft OneNote
- Goodnotes vs Notion
- Goodnotes vs Evernote
- Goodnotes vs Notability
- Goodnotes vs Joplin
- Goodnotes vs Zoho Notebook
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Also Ranked In
Goodnotes is ranked in 3 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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