Is there a consensus on the best note taking app for the Apple Pencil?

[Username-already-in-use]

I’ve ordered an Apple Pencil 2 which arrives this week. I am mainly going to use it for annotating PDFs and screenshots, as well as the scribble functionality.

I am also interested in using a note taking app. I understand that iPadOS has Notes, but I have searched the threads on here and people are taking about GoodNotes, Notability and others.

Is there a stand-out favourite - or is it a case of personal preference?

I am interested in what people think - and if they use a specific note taking app and the reasons why they chose those specific apps. I am interested in hearing opinions on the various pros and cons if people have perspectives on this.

Thanks in advance.

 

[poorcody]

I've used Notability for years. I like how you can switch between ink and text very fluidly. I also like that they have a Mac app that syncs with iCloud so my notebooks are on all the devices. They also have been updating it for years, but have avoided "feature-creep".

 

[russell_314]

I've used Notability for years. I like how you can switch between ink and text very fluidly. I also like that they have a Mac app that syncs with iCloud so my notebooks are on all the devices. They also have been updating it for years, but have avoided "feature-creep".

I just got an iPad Air with the Apple Pencil in was thinking the exact same thing about what app to use. I’m guessing Notability comes with a subscription attached?

 

[Davidalan]

If you are looking for multiple features, notability hands down. Simple note taking on plain paper and with great handwriting to text, Nebo. Notability gives you so much, it’s worth the look.

 

[synicalx1]

Depending on how many notes you plan on taking, the default Notes app might be fine - definitely give it a try before you buy anything else.

But personally I have the same preference as many others here; Notability is excellent and the device sync features are super handy.

 

[Nhwhazup]

I vote for Notability as well.

 

[11235813]

I'm not comfortable handing over my private notes to any company other than Apple, so Apple Notes.

Think about it, all your notes are sitting on a company's server. Maybe that company respects privacy right now, but what about in 2 years, when another company buys them, along with your data. Encryption schmencryption. I don't trust anybody other than Apple.

 

[synicalx1]

I'm not comfortable handing over my private notes to any company other than Apple, so Apple Notes.

Think about it, all your notes are sitting on a company's server. Maybe that company respects privacy right now, but what about in 2 years, when another company buys them, along with your data. Encryption schmencryption. I don't trust anybody other than Apple.

To be fair to Notability, they don't sync notes using their own servers - they let you use your own personal iCloud storage for that. Their App Privacy report card also suggests they have fairly minimal data on you as well.

I can't speak for other note taking apps though, Notability is the only one I'm familiar with.

 

[Davidalan]

I'm not comfortable handing over my private notes to any company other than Apple, so Apple Notes.

Think about it, all your notes are sitting on a company's server. Maybe that company respects privacy right now, but what about in 2 years, when another company buys them, along with your data. Encryption schmencryption. I don't trust anybody other than Apple.

Notability does not auto back-up to iCloud. It uses iCloud to to sync your notes to all your devices that are signed in with your Apple ID. Such as your iPad and your phone. The auto back up feature is a choice you make to, turn it on or off and what service you wish to back it up too.

as you see from the attached shot of notability’s settings, the section for auto backup and then there is turning on the iCloud syncing of your notes between devices. The major difference is that if you delete a note from your iPad, notability will delete that note from iCloud and sync that to all your signed in devices.. however if auto backup is turned on, the note will remain in the auto backup file in the service you have chosen to use.

 

[poorcody]

I’m guessing Notability comes with a subscription attached?

No subscription, just one time purchase.

 

[random person]

Another vote for Notability! Great interface, easy to use, versatile.

 

[Username-already-in-use]

Thanks for the recommendations so far. I am very torn on the feature list between GoodNotes and Notability. Both have features that would be really good to have, but which the other does not do. I'll likely try Notability and see how I get on.

 

[Nhwhazup]

Thanks for the recommendations so far. I am very torn on the feature list between GoodNotes and Notability. Both have features that would be really good to have, but which the other does not do. I'll likely try Notability and see how I get on.

I’m one to always try out multiple products before making a selection. However, with Notability I found no reason to look further. It met all my needs/wants and then some.

I loved using it for doing presentations at work. I would save the PowerPoint to Notability and then highlight and add notations during the presentation on my iPad as I presented.

 

[marmiteturkey]

Just as a counterpoint, I’ve tried almost (and bought) all the big ones and have ended up thus:
For work notes and study - Craft (primarily text based and searchable - it’s extraordinary)
For simple day to day scribbles - Apple notes
For recording interviews - Notability

If I could only have one? Apple notes, honestly. it’s really, really good these days.

My advice is to avoid OneNote unless you really really like something specific about it - I’ve tried so hard but the syncing SUCKS
And Evernote’s pen engine is unspeakably awful

Goodnotes is not bad, and I used it for a while; but not as good as notability imho.

 

[crashnburn]

I just read about a free app called CollaNotes - Gonna try it out.

 

[LibbyLA]

I have used OneNote for years and have no trouble syncing across two Windows desktops, a Windows portable, multiple iPads (currently three), Galaxy Note 9, iPhone (wifi), and an Android tablet or two. I don’t use the pencil with it, though, but I record darned near everything I want to remember in it and it’s available on whatever device I happen to be using at the time.

I don’t use it for PDFs, though. I do have Notability but haven’t used it much because I had trouble marking up the PDFs I wanted to use. I have just not ever gotten comfortable with it. (That’s not a vote against it. I just don’t love it like everyone else does.)

 

[russell_314]

I’m trying Notability and we’ll see how that works. I found it annoying that after buying the app they nickel and dime you with in app purchases but at least it’s not a subscription. Is there a feature that will allow me to scan a handwritten paper note and convert that to a text note on my iPad or iPhone? I was at work yesterday and wrote on a post it note and thought how it would be nice to scan it and import the text

 

[Davidalan]

I’m trying Notability and we’ll see how that works. I found it annoying that after buying the app they nickel and dime you with in app purchases but at least it’s not a subscription. Is there a feature that will allow me to scan a handwritten paper note and convert that to a text note on my iPad or iPhone? I was at work yesterday and wrote on a post it note and thought how it would be nice to scan it and import the text

You can scan a post it or any other note on paper with the iPhone or iPads note app, choose scan. That will create a pdf and add it you notes app. Open notability and import that scan (PDF) and your post it will be in notability. Or you can scan it directly with notability. Create a new note, upper right side, the + (plus), select scan. As for extra purchases I would suggest the paper package. It has different types of lined and divided paper which come in handy.

 

[GerritV]

Goodnotes has a lot of built-in paper templates (to which you can add your own), and handles them well. For example, you can change a template per individual page of a notebook. Notability is rather limited in this regard.

Other than that, I personally recommend Notability all the way.

 

[GerritV]

I’m trying Notability and we’ll see how that works. I found it annoying that after buying the app they nickel and dime you with in app purchases but at least it’s not a subscription. Is there a feature that will allow me to scan a handwritten paper note and convert that to a text note on my iPad or iPhone? I was at work yesterday and wrote on a post it note and thought how it would be nice to scan it and import the text

Personally, I really like the Notability in-app store concept. It allows for the basic app price to remain stable (and relatively low). You only buy what you need (if any), and some additions even come with a trial period.
I don’t feel nickeled and dimed at all, and indeed - it sure beats a subscription.

 

[faustus]

I've tried a bunch of apps - OneNote, Evernote, Notability, Apple Notes and Goodnotes. Personally I've been using Goodnotes for a while. I like the way notebooks are organised and the different paper types in the notebooks. I also use Apple Notes sometimes for a scratchpad. To be honest, I don't think there is much between Notability and Goodnotes. Just a matter of personal choice.

 

[lexvo]

I think Goodnotes and Notability are both good for Pencil input. Personally, I find text input a bit more straightforward in Notability.

As for Apple Notes: it is a nice app, but I stopped using it after they changed the search function. Since iOS 10 or so, you can't change the sort order of the search results. I have like 1500 notes and being able to sort the search results (newest on top) is important to me. (Apple Notes gives me notes from years ago as first search results)

 

[tarsins]

After years of trying, using, switching, trying, switching, deleting, using .....: if you need multiple OS syncing then OneNote, otherwise Notability.

 

[Tagbert]

After years of trying, using, switching, trying, switching, deleting, using .....: if you need multiple OS syncing then OneNote, otherwise Notability.

OneNote is good if you need to organize lots of notes. It supports at up to 6 levels of organization. it support a fairly complete set of rich text content and embedded documents, too.