Best Note-Taking Apps For iPad

Last Updated on May 2, 2023 by Ernests Embutnieks

Attention all iPad users! Are you tired of juggling multiple notebooks, planners, and sticky notes to keep track of your thoughts, ideas, and to-do lists? Well, fear not, because there are plenty of amazing note-taking apps available for your iPad that can help you stay organized, productive, and creative!

Whether you prefer handwriting your notes or typing them out, there’s an app for that. Notability, GoodNotes, OneNote, Evernote, Apple Notes, and Google Keep are just a few of the most popular note-taking apps available on the App Store. Each of these apps has its own unique features and benefits, making them perfect, for different types of users and tasks.

With Notability, you can take notes with ease using your Apple Pencil, record audio notes, and even annotate PDFs. GoodNotes offers a variety of templates and paper styles, as well as handwriting recognition and advanced organization options.

OneNote is completely free and has great collaboration features, while Evernote is perfect for those who need powerful search functionality and cross-platform compatibility. AppleNotes offers seamless integration with other Apple apps, while Google Keep has a great voice memo option, and reminder options.

Comparison of 6 Best Note-Taking Apps for iPad

When it comes to choosing a note-taking app, there are plenty of options to choose from. Each app has its own unique features and limitations, so it’s important to find one that meets your specific needs. Here’s a comparison of some of the key features of popular note-taking apps:

Apps	Handwriting Recognition	Multimedia Support	Formatting Options	Advanced Note-Taking Features	Organization Options	Collaboration Tools	Pricing Model
Notability	Yes	Limited	Limited	Yes	Good	Yes	Freemium
GoodNotes	Yes	Limited	Limited	Yes	Good	Yes	Paid
OneNote	Yes	Normal	Normal	Yes	Good	Yes	Free
Evernote	No	Max	Max	Yes	Excellent	Yes	Freemium
Apple Notes	Yes	Limited	Limited	Yes	Good	Limited	Free
Google Keep	No	Limited	Limited	Yes	Limited	Yes	Free

We tested and analyzed 30 best note-taking apps for iPad, and after careful consideration, we have come up with a list of the 6 best apps for taking notes on your iPad. Notability, GoodNotes, OneNote, Evernote, Apple Notes, and Google Keep are all fantastic options, each with their own unique features and benefits. 

Notability: The best note-taking app for iPad

Notability is the best note taking app for iPad. What makes Notability best is how user-friendly it is. The interface is easy to navigate, and you can customize your notes with different pens, highlighters, and erasers. The app makes it simple to organize your notes into folders, so you’ll never lose track of your work again.

Notability also offers flexibility when it comes to note-taking. You can choose to type or handwrite your notes, which makes it easy to switch things up depending on your mood or preference, and if you choose to handwrite your notes, you won’t have to worry about accidentally deleting anything with the palm rejection feature.

The app’s audio recording feature is another standout. It’s perfect for when you’re in a lecture or meeting and need to take detailed notes quickly. The app syncs your audio recording with your notes, so you can easily listen back to specific parts of the recording while reviewing your notes.

Notability also lets you annotate PDFs, highlight important information, and import images and files into your notes. This makes studying and reviewing your notes a breeze. And if you ever need to share your notes with classmates or colleagues, the app supports sharing.

• Pricing: $14.99 per annum
• Reviews: 4.7/5
• Works with: Android, iPhone, iPad, MacOS, Windows, iPod touch
• Download link

Notability
Pros	Cons
Advanced note-taking features	Expensive compared to other note-taking apps
Seamless syncing with iCloud and other apps	Limited formatting options
Wide range of tools for customization	Limited multimedia support
Easy organization with folders and subjects	Can be overwhelming for first-time users
Good handwriting recognition	Limited options for sharing and collaboration

GoodNotes: Beautiful notes with ease

One of the things I like about GoodNotes is how easy it is to use. With a variety of writing tools like pens, highlighters, and pencils, you can create organized and detailed notes quickly and easily. Its app has a zoom feature that allows you to write in smaller areas without any hassle.

What really sets GoodNotes apart is its handwriting recognition feature. You can search through your handwritten notes just as easily as typed notes, which saves so much time when you need to quickly find a specific note or piece of information. And with GoodNotes, you can easily annotate PDFs, import images and files, and even draw perfect shapes with its shape recognition feature.

GoodNotes also syncs with iCloud and Dropbox, so you can access your notes from any device. And if you need to share your notes with classmates or colleagues, the app makes it easy to do so.

GoodNotes is an amazing note-taking app for iPad that is perfect for students who want to study more efficiently. While it doesn’t have an audio recording feature like some other apps, its handwriting recognition, shape recognition, and PDF annotation features make it stand out from the rest. 

• Pricing: $8.99
• Reviews: 4.8/5
• Works with: Android, iPhone, iPad, MacOS, Windows, iPod Touch
• Download link

GoodNotes
Pros	Cons
User-friendly interface	Limited multimedia support
Extensive library of templates and paper styles	No Windows or Android support
Advanced note-taking features	Limited formatting options
Easy organization with folders and subfolders	Limited options for sharing and collaboration
Seamless syncing with iCloud and other apps	No voice memo support

Goodnotes vs Notability

OneNote: Most versatile note-taking app for iPad

OneNote is all about versatility. Whether you prefer typing or handwriting your notes, OneNote has got you covered. And with a variety of formatting options available, you can make your notes look just the way you want.

But OneNote doesn’t stop at just note-taking. The app makes it easy to insert images, PDFs, and other files into your notes, so you can keep all your important work in one place. And if you’re the type of person who likes to record lectures or meetings, OneNote has got you covered there too – you can even record audio and video!

But perhaps one of the best things about OneNote is how organized it makes your life. You can create notebooks for different subjects or projects, and within each notebook, you can create sections and pages to keep everything in order. The app’s powerful search function makes finding what you need quick and easy.

And if you need to collaborate with others, OneNote has got you covered there too. You can share your notes with classmates or colleagues, and work on them together in real-time. With OneNote syncing with Microsoft OneDrive, you can access your notes from any device, anytime. 

• Pricing: Free
• Reviews: 4.7/5
• Works with: Android, iPhone, iPad, MacOS, Windows, iPod touch
• Download link

OneNote
Pros	Cons
Completely free and available on all platforms	Limited options for sharing and collaboration
Advanced note-taking features	Limited formatting options
Easy organization with sections and pages	Occasional sync issues
Collaborate in real-time with others	Can be overwhelming for first-time users
Seamless syncing with Microsoft account	No voice memo support

Evernote: Ultimate note-taking app for iPad

I personally like Evernote, but if you are purely looking for an app where you can take notes with Apple Pencil – this is not a good fit.

First of, Evernote mainly gives you the option to take notes in typing format. Plus, the app lets you customize your notes with different formatting options.

Another standout feature of Evernote is its organization tools. You can create notebooks for different subjects or projects, and within each notebook, you can create sections and pages to keep everything in order. 

But wait, there’s more! Evernote makes it easy to collaborate with others, so you can share your notes and work on them together in real-time. With the app’s top class cloud syncing capabilities, you can access your notes from any device with an internet connection.

Need to add some files or media to your notes? No problem! Evernote lets you insert images, PDFs, and other files, and even record audio and video. 

• Pricing: Free (Premium: $6.99)
• Reviews: 4.4/5
• Works with: Android, iPhone, iPad, MacOS, Windows
• Download link

Evernote
Pros	Cons
Advanced note-taking features	Expensive premium plan for advanced features
Easy organization with notebooks and tags	Limited formatting options
Cross-platform compatibility	Limited multimedia support
Excellent collaboration tools	No support for handwritten notes
Powerful search functionality	Limited free plan

Apple Notes: Seamless note-taking with Apple

Apple Notes is a free to use stock app with no speed issues at all! You can type out notes or even draw pictures using the Apple Pencil. It integrates really well with other Apple apps like Siri, Photos, and Reminders. You can use Siri to dictate your notes, add pictures or videos from your photo library, and set reminders based on your notes.  It’s like a one-stop-shop for all your note-taking needs!

But it’s not just about taking notes, Apple Notes also helps you stay organized. You can create folders and subfolders to keep your notes sorted, and even add tags to help you find what you’re looking for. And if you’re sharing notes with other people, you can collaborate in real-time.

Again, you don’t need to pay for any fancy subscription, it’s all included for free with your Apple device. 

• Pricing: Free
• Reviews: 3.3/5
• Works with: iPhone, iPad, MacOS, Windows, iPod touch
• Download link

Apple Notes
Pros	Cons
Seamless integration with other Apple deivces	Limited formatting options
Advanced note-taking features	Limited multimedia support
Free and available on all Apple devices	Limited options for sharing and collaboration
Easy organization with folders and subfolders	No voice memo support
Decent handwriting recognition	Limited customization options

Google Keep: Keep it simple

The reason why it is in our list is that Google Keep is simple. Its UI is clutter free that allows you to write notes without any second thought. If you are not in the mood of writing you can make use of its voice memos feature. With just a tap of a button, you can record a voice memo instead of typing out your note. This is perfect for when you’re driving, walking, or just don’t feel like typing.

Another great feature of Google Keep is its variety of reminder options. You can set time-based reminders, location-based reminders, and even recurring reminders, which is super helpful for keeping on top of important tasks and events.

With Google Keep, you can label and categorize your notes to keep them organized and easy to find. You can also add hashtags to your notes for even more organization goodness.

Collaborating with others is a breeze with Google Keep, too. You can share notes with specific people or make them public for anyone to view. And the best part? Google Keep automatically syncs across all your devices, so you can access your notes from anywhere, at any time. 

• Pricing: Free
• Reviews: 3.5/5
• Works with: Android, iPhone, iPad, MacOS, Windows, iPod touch
• Download link

Google Keep
Pros	Cons
Voice memos for hands-free note-taking	Limited formatting options
Variety of reminder types for better planning	Limited multimedia support
Label and category options for organization	No option for password protection
Easy collaboration with others	No way to set reminders for specific notes
Completely free and available on all platforms	Limited customization options

Why we ranked Notability above GoodNotes?

We ranked Notability above GoodNotes because of  its additional features and functionalities that were not available in GoodNotes. For example, Notability offers users the ability to record and playback audio notes within the app, which can be synced with the handwritten notes. This feature is not available in GoodNotes.

Notability also offers users more formatting options, such as the ability to add tables and shapes, which can be helpful for users who need to create structured notes.

Wrap Up!

So there you have it, folks – the lowdown on the 6 Best Note-Taking apps for iPad! With so many options available, there’s no excuse for being disorganized or unproductive anymore. These apps are perfect for students, creatives, and busy people who need to stay on top of their game.

Notability, GoodNotes, OneNote, Evernote, Apple Notes, and Google Keep are all fantastic apps that offer a variety of unique features and benefits. From handwriting recognition and advanced organization options to seamless syncing and collaboration tools, these apps have got you covered.

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