Noteshelf review

Noteshelf is the most decorative app on this list, and it backs the looks with solid tools. Its pens and highlighters are tuned for natural writing, and Premium adds handwriting recognition with search in 65 languages. PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoint files and images can be imported and marked up, and audio can be recorded alongside handwritten notes. For planners and journalers, it offers 200+ templates, 100+ notebook covers and 500+ stickers, plus washi tape and sticky notes. Organization is careful: folders, subfolders, tags, bookmarks, a table of contents and linked notebooks. Noteshelf AI can summarize a handwritten page, explain terms and translate, though Fluid Touch states the current page is sent to OpenAI for processing. The free version allows 3 notebooks. Sync is split by platform, with iCloud on Apple devices and Google Drive between Android and Windows. The US App Store lists several Premium prices, so we have marked the price as pending until one list price is clear.

Who it is for

Planners, journalers and students who want attractive notebooks and handwriting search in many languages.

Price

See vendor pricing (USD check pending); free for up to 3 notebooks.

US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.

Key features

• 4 pen styles and 2 highlighter styles with a natural writing feel
• Handwriting to text and search in 65 languages
• Import and annotate PDFs, Word, PowerPoint files and images
• 200+ templates for planners, journals, diaries and trackers
• Noteshelf AI to summarize handwritten pages, explain and translate

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Apps for iPad, iPhone, Mac, Android and Windows
• Strength: Notebooks lock with a password, Face ID or Touch ID
• Strength: Automatic backup to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or WebDAV
• Weakness: Free version is capped at 3 notebooks
• Weakness: Apple devices sync through iCloud, while Android and Windows sync through Google Drive, so there is no single sync across all platforms yet
• Weakness: Noteshelf AI sends the current page to OpenAI for processing

Key facts

• Free plan: Yes, up to 3 notebooks
• Platforms: iPad, iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, Android, Windows
• Handwriting languages: 65
• Stationery: 100+ covers, 500+ stickers

Where it ranks

Noteshelf is No. 4 in our Best Handwritten Note-Taking Apps verdict.