Xournal++ review

Xournal++ is the handwriting option for people who write on a computer rather than a tablet. It is open source, runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and supports pressure-sensitive styluses and drawing tablets from Wacom, Huion and XP-Pen. The pen, highlighter and eraser tools are customizable, and layers plus page previews keep long or complex notes manageable. Its standout for STEM users is a built-in LaTeX editor for differential equations, electrical circuits and molecular structures, alongside shapes, splines and snapping to a grid or rotation angle. You can record audio while writing and attach it to any object, then replay it with the Play Object tool. PDF annotation and Lua plugins round it out. The cost is zero, under the GPL-2.0 license. The trade-offs are the desktop interface, which needs more configuration than a tablet app, and the absence of mobile apps, cloud sync and handwriting conversion.

Who it is for

Linux and desktop users with a Wacom, Huion or XP-Pen tablet, and STEM students who need LaTeX in their notes.

Price

Free and open source under the GPL-2.0 license.

is an open-source and cross-platform note-taking software that is fast, flexible, and functional.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Support for pressure-sensitive styluses and drawing tablets
• Layers and page previews for complex notes
• Built-in LaTeX editor for equations, circuits and molecules
• Audio recording linked to objects in a note
• PDF annotation plus Lua plugins and a customizable toolbar

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free and open source
• Strength: Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
• Strength: Snapping to grid and rotation angles for neat diagrams
• Weakness: No iPad, iPhone or Android app
• Weakness: Desktop interface takes more setup than tablet apps
• Weakness: No cloud sync or handwriting-to-text conversion listed

Key facts

• Free plan: Yes, open source
• Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
• License: GPL-2.0
• Math input: Built-in LaTeX editor

Where it ranks

Xournal++ is No. 10 in our Best Handwritten Note-Taking Apps verdict and No. 7 in Best PDF Editors for Linux.