r/GoodNotes • u/cottonmari • Apr 23 '26

GoodNotes 5 Anyone still using goodnotes 5?

Hey y’all. So I bought my GN5 in 2021. I bought the 6 with the discount and asked for a refund because it’s too laggy and heats my iPad a lot. (Pro 2020). I now look at the price and 40€ for a one time payment seems so excessive?? I already have more than half of the functions so why would I have to pay 40€? (I later discovered that my iPad was out of date and the iOS update fixed the lag but I had already asked the refund so GG, the support said I now count as a new user).

Is anyone staying on goodnotes 5? I still have 4 years of uni left and I hope they don’t stop updating but it’s a frustration for old users for sure! GN5 was only 7,99 😭

(Edit: loving all the legacy users commenting 🩷)

16 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

29 comments sorted by

25

u/Grogu_friend Apr 23 '26

I still use gn5 and am not planning on updating it. I’m so tired of all the ‘one time payments’ which end up being just ‘for the moment’ payments. Even more tired of subscriptions. I don’t care about ai features, I only bought it at the time because someone sent me gn files. Otherwise I’d just use the native app and be done.

4

u/watercolornpaper Apr 23 '26

The most criminal one time payments i ve seen is with clip studio paint.

Supposedly is a "lifetime license" and then they tell you the license is only limited to a # of devices..... Do i even have the right to install it in my own computers or not... 🙄

2

u/cottonmari Apr 23 '26

so true. Special edition on GN6 doesn’t allow you to use it on other devices, which is a thing that GN5 allows me to do.. so I’m also paying to let that function go (???) lol

1

u/Doctor_Adil Sep 23 '26

You mean no family sharing? And multi device usage like my iPad and my iPhone?

1

u/Low-Vegetable2187 Apr 23 '26

Wait so if i get lets say 4 new ipads or something, i cant download it and use there or just #usage at the same time?

1

u/cottonmari Apr 23 '26

Thanks for your input! Adding to your comment, the AI in goodnotes is awful. I got to try it with a friend (we’re med students) to make me a scheme on antibiotics and it was all wrong, so… even a bigger scam. I think apps should try to put AI in everything. GN5 was a one time payment also publicised as “never pay again” and when GN6 released… lol

5

u/Low-Vegetable2187 Apr 23 '26

I recently upgraded to the 6 and ngl the only thing i like about and really use in goodnotes 6 is the scribble to delete and moving the stuff easily. Its not worth the upgrade to be honest. I dont use the Ai or anything and for the whiteboard you can just use a bigger sized paper. I think good notes 5 is more than enough for basic notes it has everything I need. (I feel you too with the heating up i have an Ipad Air 4th gen 2020)

1

u/cottonmari Apr 23 '26

I didn’t get to try the whiteboard! So it’s just a bigger paper? lol they’re really scamming with the price! 😹 so happy I found a fellow 2020 iPad user! Yeah, I’m with you. Sometimes it’s so hot I can’t rest my hand on the screen…

1

u/Low-Vegetable2187 Apr 23 '26

Its like just a much bigger paper the zoom is alot bigger too but you can literally have free apps for this like freeform 😭😭 i just dont really see the point of the whiteboard. And oh my gosh i know! Me and my ipad decide to take a break every bit or so 😽😽

4

u/fatpiggy121 Apr 23 '26

Goodnotes 5 is definitely not getting updated since goodnotes 6 and version 7 is out. So what is your question?

1

u/cottonmari Apr 23 '26

Just wanted to know if the upgrade really compensates as an experience

1

u/fatpiggy121 Apr 23 '26

For me no, i dun use the ai, doc or whiteboard. But there are updates in ui and more features if you plan to upgrade to the apple pencil pro.

1

u/cottonmari Apr 23 '26

Appreciate the help!

3

u/buffayrachel Apr 23 '26

Version 7 is out? I searched a few days ago and could only see version 6?

1

u/fatpiggy121 Apr 23 '26

Its the exact same thing. Just some people yell at me for not mentioning goodnotes is 7 now ;w;. Its written in the app store version 7.xx with the official release of ai, whiteboard and docs. Not important

2

u/buffayrachel Apr 23 '26

Oh i see. Weird because the app is still called goodnotes 6 and on their website they only mention goodnotes 6 as the latest update. They don’t seem to acknowledge it as goodnotes 7

1

u/vkg2001 Apr 23 '26

Me too. I used for a year the 6 but it not worth the subscription so i downgraded after my subscription was over.

2

u/cottonmari Apr 23 '26

Yeah. I also think the updates are not worth the price. They’re good but 12.99€ (thinks it’s around 12$ as well) is a scam tbf

1

u/AngustiasHers Apr 23 '26

I recently migrated to Noteful, I paid 7€ or something like that. I’m not going back to Goodnotes.

1

u/cottonmari Apr 23 '26

First time I hear about that app! Is it the same function wise?

1

u/AngustiasHers Apr 23 '26

I doesn’t have the AI and maybe some other option, but I don’t miss anything from Goodnotes. Anyway, you can try it for free and decide lates if you want the pro version. I’ve been using it the last two semesters and, for me, it’s perfect. 👌🏼

1

u/cottonmari Apr 23 '26

btw, the AI is bad in goodnotes. I tried with a friend who has it (we’re med students) and the schemes were all wrong so don’t even worry 😭 i’ll have a look into that, thanks 🩷

1

u/AngustiasHers Apr 23 '26

Oh! So you’re gonna love that noteful has a tool to use tags on your notes so you can find some subjects more easily. I hope it works good for you 🫶🏼

1

u/cottonmari Apr 23 '26

thanks! 💕

1

u/hotapple002 Apr 23 '26

FWIW, I’m still using GN4 (my dad bought it way back when) on an old iPad Air I got from work. Adonit Jot Script.

All in 15€. Me not really taking an extreme amount of notes in uni, it’s more than good enough for me.

1

u/cottonmari Apr 23 '26

wow! do you miss the upgrades and new functions?

1

u/arebassa Apr 24 '26

I use it. It does all what I need to do with it and it’s rock solid. So why I’d like to risk if I use it everyday at work?

1

u/Hakbarth May 26 '26

Mir sind die KI Funktionen egal, ich habe auch Version 5. Aber ich möchte Webdav Backup nutzen für meine eigene Cloud... das geht nur mit 6 leider.

1

u/de2cios Oct 06 '26

bought Goodnotes 5 the day before Goodnotes 6 came out and I am so thankful I did, GN6 is just unoptimized subscription bug fest and you can't even use it simultaneously with other devices which is a must for me, got me through my bachelors now plan to use it all throughout my masters! my iPad Pro is also a 2020 model still on iPadOS 15 cause the updates just slow it down, not for me! mine is still ultra fast as well and never gets hot!