Goodnotes review

Goodnotes is the handwriting app to beat. Ink feels natural, handwriting becomes searchable and editable, and PDFs can be imported and marked up like paper. The free plan is a taster, limited to three files and 20 minutes of audio recording. Essential costs $11.99 per year and removes those limits, adds unlimited audio recording and includes limited Goodnotes AI. Pro at $35.99 per year adds private link sharing, real-time collaboration and cross-platform library sync. AI Pass adds advanced AI features and more credits for $9.99 per month, which costs more in a year than Pro itself. Both paid plans have a seven-day trial. Goodnotes is less useful if you mostly type, where Notion or Obsidian give better structure and linking. For students annotating lecture slides or anyone who thinks better with a pen, it is excellent value.

Who it is for

Students and professionals who take handwritten notes with a stylus.

Price

Free for up to 3 files; Essential $11.99 per year; Pro $35.99 per year; AI Pass adds $9.99 per month.

Essential $11.99 /yearly
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 4, 2026.

Key features

• Searchable, editable handwriting
• PDF import and annotation
• Unlimited audio recording on Essential
• Real-time collaboration and private link sharing on Pro
• Goodnotes AI, with more credits through AI Pass

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: One of the best Apple Pencil writing experiences
• Strength: Low yearly price for Essential
• Strength: 7-day free trial on paid plans
• Weakness: Free plan is limited to 3 files
• Weakness: Cross-platform library sync needs Pro
• Weakness: Advanced AI costs an extra $9.99 per month

Key facts

• Free plan: Up to 3 files, 20 minutes of audio recording
• Pro: $35.99 per year
• Teams: $120 per seat per year

Where it ranks

Goodnotes is No. 5 in our Best Note-Taking Apps verdict.