Imagine turning your iPad into a digital notebook – one that combines the satisfying feel of pen-on-paper with the limitless possibilities of the digital world.
That’s the promise of digital note-taking apps, tools that are almost essential today to mange your personal and professional life.
Whether you’re a student juggling multiple subjects, a professional managing client meetings, or simply someone who loves to jot down ideas, resorting to a good note-taking app is what you need.
But in a market crowded with digital notebooks, it can be difficult to find out which tool offers what. To take it easier for you, in this post, we’ll take a look at Goodnotes, a popular note-taking app.
We’ll dive deep into it and find out if it deserves a spot on your home screen.
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Goodnotes Overview & the features it offers
Goodnotes is a digital note-taking app designed primarily for iPad users, allowing them to create, organize, and annotate notes seamlessly.
It has gained popularity among students, professionals, and creatives for its user-friendly interface and extensive features that cater to various note-taking styles.
It has a rich set of features that include:
1. Handwriting Recognition and Customization
Goodnotes excels in handwriting recognition, enabling users to write naturally with a stylus. The app can convert handwritten notes to text, making it easier to search through notes and find specific information.
Users can customize their notebooks with different templates (e.g., lined, grid, or blank pages) and personalize their writing experience with various pen styles and colors.
2. Cross-Device Synchronization
The app offers robust synchronization across devices, allowing users to access their notes on both iPads and iPhones. This feature is crucial for students and professionals who need their notes readily available on multiple platforms.
Also Read: Best Note-Taking Apps With Stylus
3. PDF Annotation and Document Management
Goodnotes allows users to import PDFs for annotation, making it a valuable tool for reviewing documents. Users can highlight text, add comments, and draw directly on the PDF.
4. AI Features
The latest version includes AI enhancements such as a spell checker for handwritten text and a “Word Complete” feature that predicts and completes handwritten words based on contextThese features aim to improve the accuracy and efficiency of note-taking.
5. Templates and Custom Page Sizes
Users can create custom templates tailored to their specific needs, whether for journaling or project planning. The ability to adjust page sizes further enhances flexibility in organizing content.
Also Read: Apple Notes Review
How does Goodnotes handle cross-device synchronization?
Goodnotes handles cross-device synchronization primarily through iCloud, allowing users to seamlessly access and edit their notes across multiple Apple devices, such as iPads, iPhones, and Macs.
To enable this feature, users must ensure that iCloud Drive is activated for Goodnotes on all devices using the same Apple ID.
Once set up, any changes made on one device, whether adding notes or annotating documents, automatically sync to others connected to the same iCloud account, provided they have an active internet connection.
While the synchronization process is generally efficient, it may not be instantaneous, and offline work is supported; changes made without internet access will sync once the device reconnects.
Although Goodnotes has recently expanded its capabilities to include Android and Windows platforms, full synchronization with these devices is not yet available, limiting direct access to shared notebooks rather than a complete library sync.
Are there any specific features that make Goodnotes ideal for students?
Goodnotes is particularly beneficial for students due to its seamless handwriting experience, which closely mimics writing on paper, making note-taking during lectures intuitive and efficient.
The app allows for easy import and annotation of PDFs, enabling students to highlight and comment directly on lecture slides and reading materials.
With advanced AI-powered tools like real-time spell-check and word prediction, as well as interactive exam practice features, Goodnotes enhances study effectiveness.
Its organizational capabilities allow students to create custom notebooks with various templates and categorize notes into folders, ensuring easy access to study materials.
Additionally, cross-device synchronization via iCloud ensures that students can access their notes anytime and anywhere, while collaboration features facilitate group work and study sessions.
Check Out: OneNote Review
Does Goodnotes work on all devices and software?
Goodnotes is now available on multiple platforms, including Android, Windows, and the web, expanding its accessibility beyond just iOS and iPadOS.
Users can download the Goodnotes app from the Play Store for Android devices, and from the Microsoft Store for Windows.
While Goodnotes allows for the creation and editing of notes across these platforms, full synchronization with the iOS library is not yet available; users can share notebooks via links to collaborate but cannot sync their entire library directly between iOS and other platforms.
The app supports a variety of features such as handwriting and typing integration, PDF annotation, and multimedia note creation.
However, to access notebooks on different devices, users must log into their Goodnotes account, which ensures that their notes are stored in one place.
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Is Goodnotes free?
Goodnotes is not entirely free; it offers a limited free plan that allows users to create and edit up to three notebooks.
For full access to its features, users can choose between a subscription model priced at $9.99 per year or a one-time purchase option for $29.99.
Additionally, there is a version available for Windows and Android that costs $6.99 per year.
Users who previously purchased Goodnotes 5 can continue using it without additional charges, but they will need to upgrade to Goodnotes 6 for the latest features and updates.
While there is a free tier, accessing the complete functionality of Goodnotes requires a paid subscription or one-time payment.
Check Out: Evernote App Review
Does Goodnotes need improvement? Are there any cons?
While the app offers a free version, Goodnotes restricts users to creating only three notebooks, which can be a significant drawback for those who need to manage multiple subjects or projects simultaneously.
Additionally, the text formatting options are quite basic, lacking customization features such as varied font types and sizes, which limits its utility for more extensive word processing tasks.
Users have also reported issues with the app’s handling of larger notebooks, as performance may degrade when files exceed certain sizes, leading to crashes or slowdowns.
Furthermore, some features, such as audio recording and AI-driven tools for handwriting recognition, have been criticized for their limited functionality and effectiveness.
Lastly, Goodnotes has been noted for its reliance on experimental features that may not be fully polished or integrated into the app, potentially affecting user experience and reliability.
Also Read: Google Keep Review
Verdict
Goodnotes stands out for its combination of functionality and ease of use, making it a strong choice among note-taking apps.
However, some of the limitations listed above might push users to explore other apps too.
At the end of the day, it’s a good idea to consider your specific needs and preferences before making a decision.
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