SearchTools.ai's automated opinion — blended from public reviews, community signals, and development activity. Not an editorial rating or statement of fact.Click the score for the full breakdown.Quality
Estimated visits per month, across the web app and mobile apps.Visits2.9M/mo
Largest visitor share — 36% of traffic from United States.Top region36%United States

What it is

Overview

Goodnotes addresses the challenge faced by professionals who need to capture ideas naturally but struggle with digital tools that force them into rigid text-based formats. Traditional note-taking apps fail to replicate the flexibility of pen and paper, while physical notebooks lack searchability and cross-device accessibility. The tool targets professionals across industries including healthcare, engineering, architecture, consulting, and education who require both handwriting capabilities and digital collaboration.

At a glance

Usability & Quality overview

Inputs
Outputs
Platforms

Best for

  • handwritten note-taking
  • searchable notes
  • annotating PDFs and class materials

Watch out for

  • recent-update regressions
  • feature bloat complaints
  • occasional crashes and glitches
Real product, not a wrapperIndependent product

Goodnotes offers genuine value beyond basic AI chat through deep Apple ecosystem integration, specialized handwriting recognition technology, and innovative features like the lasso tool for moving handwritten content. The seamless handwriting-to-text conversion and cross-device sync create a transformed digital note-taking experience that ChatGPT alone cannot replicate.

Strong evidence

Quality score

Updated monthly·498.8K ratings analyzed·4 sourcesHigh confidence
72/100
90-day trendStable

Goodnotes Handwriting-first digital note-taking with searchable notes and cross-device sync, but recent updates are buggy.

Score breakdown
=72/100
User verdict ×40 26Adoption ×22 17Honesty ×16 13Trust ×10 7Value ×12 8Adjustments +128 to reach 100

This score is our editorial judgment, computed automatically from the sources, weights, and dates shown above. It reflects the data we could verify as of October 12, 2026, not a guarantee or statement of fact about Goodnotes. Third-party ratings and quotes belong to their original platforms and authors. Thin data lowers our confidence label, and we say so instead of guessing. Work on Goodnotes? Dispute any datapoint and we will review it, publish your response, and correct verified errors.

Plans

Pricing

Pricing modelFreemium
Paid options from$11.99/year
BillingAnnual

How free is free?

Free with limits

Up to 3 files & 20min audio on free; Essential $12/yr for unlimited

What you get for free

  • Up to 3 files maximum
  • 5MB import size limit
  • 20 minutes of audio recording
  • Essential note taking tools

Behind the paywall

  • Unlimited filesEssential
  • Unlimited audio recordingEssential
  • AI capabilitiesPro
  • Drive integrationPro
  • Real-time collaborationPro
  • Cross-device syncPro

Cost to actually use

Based on 78 classified review complaints about rate limits, credits, and billing.

Casual3-file limit restricts casual users to very basic note-taking.
DailyDaily users quickly hit 3-file cap; Essential plan needed ($12/yr).
HeavyHeavy use requires Pro ($36/yr) for sync, collaboration, and AI.

Community feedback

Aggregated reviews

Ratings and quoted comments below are aggregated from third-party sources and reflect those users' views, not SearchTools.ai's.

What reviewers talk about

themes inside the Sentiment pillar — not score ingredients

47Output Quality112 mentions
Scored from 112 mentions · high confidence
POSITIVE trustpilot

“I've been using Goodnotes for the past four years, and I've been very satisfied with the app throughout that time. When I recently encountered an issue, the support team resolved it in under 15 minutes with clear communication and an effective solution. The prompt responses and excellent customer service made the entire experience smooth and reassuring. Overall, I'm very happy with both the app and the support I received.”

NEGATIVE trustpilot

“absolutely unusable on windows devices. The lag is so long, i got my degree before it was able to display the word i just wrote. PDFs load while you scroll, so youre scrolling thorugh black pages. BUT HEY at least we have freaking AI in a Notetaking tool now”

NEGATIVE trustpilot

“App completamente buggata. Non vale assolutamente la pena pagare i soldi per un'applicazione del genere. Si blocca in continuazione, se copio e incollo il testo mi cambia l'ordine delle parole, in più è veramente lenta. Sono stufa e ho completamente sbagliato a utilizzarla. Mai più. ”

POSITIVE trustpilot

“I have been using Goodnotes privately for a long time and have always been very satisfied with the app. Recently, I had a question about using Goodnotes for work purposes, and the support team provided a clear and prompt response. They addressed my concerns appropriately and helped me feel confident about using the app in a professional context. Both the product itself and the customer support are excellent. I highly recommend Goodnotes.”

33Value & Pricing43 mentions
Scored from 43 mentions · medium confidence
POSITIVE reddit

“Yes I think it’s worth it. I use it at least 15-20 hours per week and I have almost zero complaints.”

NEGATIVE trustpilot

“Support simply don't respond. Pro subscription is a scam and no way to backup anything on android. ”

NEGATIVE trustpilot

“App completamente buggata. Non vale assolutamente la pena pagare i soldi per un'applicazione del genere. Si blocca in continuazione, se copio e incollo il testo mi cambia l'ordine delle parole, in più è veramente lenta. Sono stufa e ho completamente sbagliato a utilizzarla. Mai più. ”

NEGATIVE trustpilot

“Seit dem neuen Update praktisch nicht mehr nutzbar. Teilweise speichert Good Notes meine beschriebenen Seiten nicht mehr, mein Finger wird als Stift erkannt und die einfachsten Funktionen funktionieren nicht mehr. Für eine App, für die man Geld bezahlen soll, ist das schon eine schwache Leistung. Vorallem weil Mitbewerber teilweise kostenlos ein deutlich besseres Ergebnis bringen.”

17Reliability59 mentions
Scored from 59 mentions · medium confidence
POSITIVE trustpilot

“Works brilliantly on all my devices, great app!”

NEGATIVE trustpilot

“Such a bad experience… it’s been almost a month since I send my request and no answer from a human, only an IA agent that can’t do anything about my problem. I’m completely blocked and I can’t use my account … ”

NEGATIVE trustpilot

“Goodnotes ist prinzipiell ein praktisches Tool. Es bietet viele nützliche Funktionen, ohne dabei überladen zu sein. Die Handhabung ist anfangs etwas gewöhnungsbedürftig. Leider ist die App nicht auf Smartphones verfügbar, sodass man dort seine Notizen unterwegs nicht sehen kann. Sowohl die Andorid-App als auch die webbasierte Version laufen sehr instabil und crashen häufig. Das wurde trotz Supportanfrage auch nie behoben. Seit kurzem werden Notizen auch nicht mehr verlässlich gespeichert, sodass”

NEGATIVE trustpilot

“Ich war mit dem alten Goodnotes immer sehr zufrieden. Es hat zuverlässig funktioniert, war übersichtlich und ich hatte eigentlich nie größere Probleme damit. Beim neuen Goodnotes finde ich es grundsätzlich schön, dass es mehr Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten gibt, zum Beispiel bei Textmarkern, Ordnerfarben und allgemein bei der Anpassung der Notizen. Leider sind die technischen Probleme mittlerweile ein großer Kritikpunkt. Die App hängt sich sehr häufig auf, Funktionen reagieren nicht oder funktioniere”

50Support60 mentions
Scored from 60 mentions · medium confidence
POSITIVE trustpilot

“I had an issue where my active Goodnotes Essential subscription was not being properly recognized on Windows and the Web version, even though everything worked normally on my Apple devices. The support process was smooth, and after I provided the requested diagnostic information, Judy quickly made an adjustment to my account and the issue was completely resolved.”

NEGATIVE trustpilot

“Such a bad experience… it’s been almost a month since I send my request and no answer from a human, only an IA agent that can’t do anything about my problem. I’m completely blocked and I can’t use my account … ”

POSITIVE trustpilot

“I had an account issue and needed to move my subscription plus my documents to another account. I contacted goodnotes support and they responded immediately. Jennifer, from goodnotes support helped me and in less than 5 days i got all my documents and my subscription to my new account, thanks to Jennifer who gave me great customer service and was extremely helpful!! Thanks to this great customer service i will definitely never stop using goodnotes in the future.”

POSITIVE trustpilot

“What made my experience great was the support team’s patience, responsiveness, and willingness to understand my situation. They took my account and subscription issue seriously and guided me through the process step by step until it was resolved. Goodnotes is doing especially well in providing personalized customer support. They didn’t just give me generic instructions—they actually helped me find a practical solution to recover access to my subscription. I really appreciate that level of care ”

52Ease of Use52 mentions
Scored from 52 mentions · medium confidence
POSITIVE reddit

“I’m aware in this community the price of Goodnotes 6 is abhorrent, but I believe Goodnotes is objectively the best notes app. And funnily enough only 3 features carry its value. Ranked 3 - Pencil Tools Selecting, removing and basic gestures are so good on Goodnotes that they practically become second nature. The cross out feature is something I use all the time and haven’t seen it on any other app, so there’s that. It makes the whole process of note taking much more enjoyable. 2 - Writing When I”

NEGATIVE reddit

“It's worth noting that this is just a Progressive Web App (PWA) which means it's simply a website that get's 'installed' as an app. It's slow, clunky, and almost useless without an internet connection. It lacks tools and is almost devoid of all features. There is absolutely no reason to use GoodNotes on Android (or Windows) with the low effort they have put into this.”

NEGATIVE reddit

“It’s terrible and I’m considering emailing them and asking for my money back because I can’t do anything with it, it takes me double the time to do good notes and it stresses me out”

POSITIVE reddit

“First of all GN is my favorite Notetaking app by far because of its features, mainly because of Links(why did you not mention them?) and because of its workflow (basic Tools like the Lasso tool provide more options and more fine-tuning) and more that make GN superior when it comes to usability and efficiency (Tape, etc.). However I disagree w/ the statement that GN has superior handwriting. The output in GN is a little bit less accurate, as if there is more processing or less effective process”

73Trust derived from dimensions + predator detectionview math

A composite of the quality dimensions weighted by mention volume, then capped by predator / abuse-detection rules.

Reasoning

earned (posterior 0.031): indepRating=95(w0.30) claimAlignment=70(w0.28) vendorReply=57(w0.20) support=50(w0.12) → trust 73

Watch & learn

Video content

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BehindToolsChannel1 month ago

Capabilities

Key features

Notes Assistant

Captures, organizes, and summarizes your notes into searchable, structured documents

PDF

Reads, summarizes, and answers questions about PDF documents you upload

Meeting Assistant

Records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings while capturing action items and decisions

Handwriting

Converts typed text into realistic handwritten styles or reads handwritten input

The honest take

What users love & flag

Distinct themes surfaced across 498.8K reviews from 4 sources — each grounded in real review text, ranked by how often it comes up.

What users love10
Handwriting recognition accuracy
PDF annotation and markup capabilities
Cross-device synchronization
Organizational features with folders and notebooks
Apple Pencil integration and writing feel
Search functionality within handwritten notes
Template variety and customization
Lasso tool for moving content
Document import capabilities
Real-time collaboration features
What users flag10
App crashes and freezing frequently
Poor performance on Windows and Android
Sync failures between devices
Notes disappearing or not saving
Slow loading and lag issues
Limited functionality on non-Apple platforms
Support response delays
Subscription model changes
Import layout issues with PowerPoint and Word
Cross-platform compatibility problems

Questions

Frequently asked

What is Goodnotes?

Goodnotes is a digital note-taking app that combines handwriting, typing, and sketches with cross-device synchronization. It's specifically designed for tablet users with superior Apple Pencil integration, allowing you to create handwritten notes, annotate PDFs, and collaborate in real-time across all your devices.

Is Goodnotes free?

Goodnotes offers a free tier with up to 3 files, 5MB import size, 20 minutes of audio recording, and essential note-taking tools. Paid plans start at $11.99 annually for Essential (unlimited files and audio) and $35.99 annually for Pro (adds collaboration and AI features).

Can I convert my handwriting to searchable text in Goodnotes?

Yes, Goodnotes automatically converts handwriting to searchable text across all your notebooks. This feature uses handwriting recognition technology to make your handwritten notes fully searchable, combining the natural feel of pen and paper with digital convenience.

What platforms does Goodnotes work on?

Goodnotes is available on iOS, iPadOS, Mac, Windows, Android, and web browsers. It also integrates with Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and calendar applications for seamless workflow integration across devices.

How does Goodnotes handle PDF annotation?

Goodnotes allows you to annotate PDF documents with highlighting, markup, and collaborative comments. You can import PDFs and use handwriting tools or typed text to mark them up, making it ideal for reviewing documents, contracts, or research papers.

What AI features does Goodnotes offer?

Goodnotes includes AI capabilities that can transform your meeting notes into project plans and mind maps. It also offers audio transcription during meetings with synchronized note-taking, helping you capture and organize information more effectively.

Can multiple people collaborate on the same notebook in Goodnotes?

Yes, Goodnotes supports real-time collaboration on notebooks and whiteboards with team members. This feature is available in the Pro plan ($35.99/year) and higher tiers, allowing multiple users to work together simultaneously.

How good is the Apple Pencil integration in Goodnotes?

Goodnotes was built specifically for tablet users and offers superior Apple Pencil integration with precise handwriting recognition and natural pen input. It includes palm rejection technology, allowing you to rest your hand on the screen while writing naturally.

What's the difference between Goodnotes Essential and Pro plans?

Essential ($11.99/year) provides unlimited files and audio recording with basic note-taking tools. Pro ($35.99/year) adds drive integration, private link sharing, real-time collaboration, cross-device sync, and full AI capabilities for transforming notes into project plans.

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