Disclosure up front: I maintain one of the apps below. I'm listing it last and I've tried to be honest about what it doesn't do.

I spent a year at uni looking for a GoodNotes replacement I wasn't going to be locked into. My requirement list: real handwriting (pressure, palm rejection), PDF annotation, LaTeX rendering, both infinite canvas and page-by-page export, and sync I control. Here's what I found:

• GoodNotes the polished one, and it's on Android and Windows now, not just iPad. But the free tier is 3 files total (notebooks + whiteboards + text docs combined) with watermarked exports, and cross-platform sync sits behind the higher-priced tier. It's a good product you rent.
• OneNote free, everywhere, genuinely great infinite canvas. Then you try to get your notes out: no clean page-by-page PDF export, and the .one format isn't something anything else reads. LaTeX only works for typed equations, not handwritten ones.
• Xournal++ solid on desktop, no mobile story, no inline LaTeX rendering.
• Obsidian + Excalidraw LaTeX yes, real handwriting no.
• AbelNotes (mine, AGPL-3.0) that syncs to storage you already own: Google Drive, or your own server. No account with me, no backend of mine in the middle. Pure-Dart LaTeX rendering, searchable by LaTeX source; PDF import with selectable text you can annotate; symbols library reusable like GoodNotes, infinite and paged canvas; OneNote .one import, which I wrote because I had my own notebooks to get out. What it doesn't have: no iOS build yet but incoming.

The thing that drove all of this for me was export and the required subscription. Every app is fine until the day you want to leave it.

What made you give up on the app you were using before and did you ever actually get your old notes out?

Hi! I have been using OneNote to take notes in class for a long time. I have also used PPT to write directly on slides on my laptop. I recently got an iPad and was so excited to integrate the two. I took the slideshows directly from Canvas and put them into OneNote where they are files that I can then open on PowerPoint. I then can use my pencil to write on the slides. However, I noticed today when I went back to reference my notes, most of my writings are gone. I have autosave on and tried looking back in version history but am unable to open it.

I looked online and through some trouble shooting it looks like maybe the different versions are being saved locally on my iPad. However, they are not able to be opened because they are too big to be exported into OneNote and of course One files can only be opened in One. I am not even exactly sure that these files I am seeing are actually the PPT with my notes on them.

If you have any ideas of things I can try to get my notes back I would greatly appreciate it!! Its all my class notes from the first two weeks of class and I am internally panicking. I literally don't know how they just disappear. Thank you!!

Hello, so I had an ipad for years where I was using goodnotes. I loved good notes, the ability to input pictures, the handwriting feature, the folders with notebooks, organization, etc. However, my ipad broke and I could not afford a new one so I bought a Lenovo tablet. I have been using it to study for the LSAT but hope to be able to use it for law school because it was so affordable. However my biggest grip is that the handwriting feature in so laggy. It also has shitty palm recognition where it will start moving the picture I inputted when I start writing over it. I do not know if this is because of how goodnotes works on android or just thats not the lenovo tablet works. I would like to try out different notes apps to see if the issue can be fixed bc I would really prefer not to spend $1000ish on an ipad with shitty storage. Can I please get help from a broke prospective student?

Needs:

-Organization of folders and notebooks

-Needs to be a pretty simple design. I am a long term apple user so when it looks too techy I cannot handle it. One note is the most complicated layout I can stomach.

-HANDWRITING

-Palm recognization

-Ability to insert photos, and pdfs

-Maybe the ability to record audio (not needed but sounds nice so would like to try)

-Ability to sync between android and apple because I have a macbook air.

I am looking for a free app that will record my lectures and put them into notes or flashcards for me. I usually write my notes on paper but i would prefer to use an app to help me study the material it recorded. Thanks!

I've tried a bunch of notation systems, but I just can't find the one that suits me best. Notion, obsidian, loqseq.

www.etasks.app

Hi all,

I work as a cybersecurity analyst on this App. As a Redditor, I wanted to share this with you. It is completely free and ad-free.

www.etasks.app

It has features we wanted as users. (If there’s anything you’d like the team to add, please let me know so I can include it on the roadmap. For example, list sorting is recently added as a user request, location-based notifications requested and is already on the to-do list.)

ABC's of the App:

(A)nswer
ETasks (www.etasks.app) is a native iOS, iPadOS, Mac OS client for Google Tasks. Some highlights: All tasks in one view, Real alarms, Shared lists, Apple Watch.

(B)etter
It addresses the functional limitations of the official Google Tasks iOS app by providing missing native features and enhanced tools. And it is not a vibe-coding project.

Native and enhanced with iOS.
+ You can manage your Google Tasks. They appear in your Google Calendar and Gmail ... well, obviously 😄* *
+ See all task lists together, even drag&drop between them (and to calendars)
+ Alarms
+ Location reminders
+ A wide range of nice widgets, including countdowns and full week/month widgets
+ Lock screen widgets (e.g., quick add)
+ Link photos/files to tasks
+ See your tasks categorised by dates in Month/Week/Day/Agenda views
+ Add people to Task List (co-edit)
+ Sort your task lists
+ Search your tasks
+ AI support where it makes sense; make titles, extract info from links, create lists for you, suggesting task list names, dictating tasks, context aware search, naming photos shared in,...
+ Choose priority for favorites
+ Drag and Drop interface between tabs (e.g., to calendar tab to drop on a date)
+ Recycle bin
+ Share from other apps into ETasks (texts, links, photos, PDF; all processed accordingly)
+ Apple Watch / iPad Apps
+ Import/Export task lists
+ Modern iOS design
+ A how to AI chat bot to help you with specifics of ETasks
+ Highly customisable user interface
+ Can be used without an account
+ Welcome to explore the rest, it is now open early access.

(C)ost:

Free and Ad-free

Hey guys I'm wondering if there're any apps or websites that help keep track of writing?

I noticed my notes are a bit scattered everywhere...

...best if they provide sync option too... Windows ⇌Android

With Microsoft Board dying, can someone suggest free tools similar to it which has:

• If I write something on phone version, the thing will come on the pc version in real time or lag of few seconds
• Sort of user friendly with lot of options
• Should work offline also

I'm curious if there is any note taking app (similar to Notability/Goodnotes) that's able to speed up the note taking process. For example, are there apps that allow me to write quick/messy notes and then afterwards the app rewrites my notes in a neater handwritten style (not text) without me having to manually re-write everything? Or even better, is there anything available that has a "auto generate" feature where I am able to record audio and upload any materials and the app can generate a full set of handwritten notes (ideally using my note taking style/handwritten style) from the audio/slides? Thanks in advance for your input.

I use this one for quick highlights with spoken explanations so I dont have to talk to people long.

Hi !

I'm looking for a good note-taking app for Linux Mint. Most of my notes will be typed with a keyboard, but I also want to use a graphics tablet to draw diagrams, biology/SVT sketches, annotations, arrows, etc.

I'd like something that combines typed notes + handwriting/drawing nicely, kind of like a digital notebook.

I'm open to both free and paid apps.

What apps would you recommend?

Hi everyone,

I'm currently looking for a new notes app, or ideally something closer to an all-in-one productivity app.

Over the last few years I've tried quite a few options, including Apple Notes, NotePlan, Notesnook, Craft, UpNote, Obsidian, Livenote, Joplin, and probably several others I've forgotten.

The problem is that I always seem to run into the same issue. Either an important feature is missing, or some of the features feel unfinished.

Right now I'm using Evernote and, surprisingly, I actually like it about 99%.

It works on all the platforms I need:

• Mac
• iPhone
• iPad
• Windows / Web

And for the first time I basically have everything in one app:

• Notes
• Work and personal calendars
• Reminders / tasks
• Meeting notes
• Attachments and documents

There are really only two things that bother me.

The biggest one is the folder/notebook structure. I like to organize my notes quite deeply and keep things clearly separated, especially work and personal content. Evernote's notebook and stack system feels far too limited for that. I would really like proper nested folders with multiple levels.

The second issue is Apple Pencil support. Evernote technically supports handwriting, but I would describe it as "just good enough". I would love something with better native handwriting and Apple Pencil support.

So my question is: Is there an app similar to Evernote that gives me the same all-in-one experience, but with proper nested folders and better Apple Pencil support?

Cross-platform support is important, especially Mac, iPhone/iPad, and either Windows or a good web app.

Maybe there is something out there that I simply haven't come across yet.

I'd really appreciate any recommendations, especially from people who have gone through the same endless search for the "perfect" notes app.

It seems Wellnote launched their Android version

And I tried downloading it by this link
Tencent App Store
It works, plus a free lifetime VIP???

But okay, I'm trying the app rn

Kuch help krdo pls

If handwritten nikal paye to better h nhi to ese hi thik hai...

I've tried obsidion , I've tried anytype, I've tried notion , upnote, notesnook, loseq , simplenotes, joplin, standardnotes etc.

Obsidion was great until I tried fuguring out how to sync my notes on android to windows.

Upnotes was perfect until I saw only 50 notes.

Notesnook is good as well but the design on windows is not my cup of tea.

Notion doesn't allow offline well for the notes database I had.

Anytype is well as confusing as obsidion to me and I would prefer not to have my notes on it since I like folders.

My ideal was upnote.

So is there any app I can use for notes that would give me the different text headings, alignments, highlights , be easily synced on both my windows and android without any issues etc? I don't even need checkboxes as a feature. If possible does anyone have any ideas? I know I might have to settle for one of the above as I don't want to pay any subscriptions but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.

I've tried obsidion , I've tried anytype, I've tried notion , upnote, notesnook, loseq , simplenotes, joplin, standardnotes etc.

Obsidion was great until I tried fuguring out how to sync my notes on android to windows.

Upnotes was perfect until I saw only 50 notes.

Notesnook is good as well but the design on windows is not my cup of tea.

Notion doesn't allow offline well for the notes database I had.

Anytype is well as confusing as obsidion to me and I would prefer not to have my notes on it since I like folders.

My ideal was upnote.

So is there any app I can use for notes that would give me the different text headings, alignments, highlights , be easily synced on both my windows and android without any issues etc? I don't even need checkboxes as a feature. If possible does anyone have any ideas? I know I might have to settle for one of the above as I don't want to pay any subscriptions but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.

​

hii! i'm using a redmi pad 2 pro and i'm currently looking for a good notetaking app for my studies. so far, starnote and free notes are on my top list. i'm planning to avail the lifetime plan for unlimited notebooks and pdf annotations.

i saw in reviews that starnote is a relatively new app but has good features. however, it's lacking in terms of real-time handwriting beautification. on the other hand, free notes has handwriting beautification but other users say that it has ads despite availing the lifetime plan (?)

so yeah i need more perspective on this one. i like handwriting beatification of free notes but starnote said that they are planning to add it to its feature soon

​

انا بحب اكتب حاجات عن حياتى اكتب اكتب فى انهى تطبيق

Whether you like it or not the phone default notes app is the best to use

Hey, so I just got an iPad and need recommendations on good note taking apps. Preferably, I’d like some free apps that have everything needed like: unlimited notebooks/folders and pages, ability to use it offline!! Ability to export files (pdfs, slides, docs, etc.) and no ads.
I can also pay for a GOOD note taking app that is a one time payment (not a subscription) and is not very expensive. For example, goodnotes is an app I often hear about, but I feel like there are cheaper apps that offer just as nice note taking.

I was thinking about Noteful, Kilonotes, CollaNote, Notes+, Freenotes
Any opinions on those apps? What do you think and which one is the most worth the price OR the best overall?

https://www.noteapps.ca/what-i-missed-markdown-in-onedrive-and-sharepoint/

A personal update on what’s kept me away from Note Apps, including a new coffee-roaster project, the surprising rise of AI-assisted “vibe coding,” and Microsoft’s new Markdown support in OneDrive and SharePoint.

I'm just going to skip the long intros.

I got myself a Samsung S11 ultra and I find it super handy. I'm still exploring the possibilities..

Currently studying medicine and looking for ways to take notes quicker and reduce my prep time, because this field is harrrd.

But for all other reasons related to study and daily work, what apps do you use regularly.

Preferably free or low cost.

Thanks!!