GoodNotes and Notability are the two apps most people weigh up when they get an iPad for notes or planning. Both are good, both follow the links in a hyperlinked PDF planner, and both have changed their plans more than once in the last year. This comparison was checked on 5 November 2026 against each company's own help pages. App prices differ by country and store, so check the price in your app before you pay.
The short answer
- For a digital planner, GoodNotes is the usual pick. Many planner shops write their setup instructions for it first, and its folders, outline view and Elements sticker tool suit a big, tabbed PDF.
- For lectures and meetings, look hard at Notability. It's known for recording audio alongside your handwriting, and its paid plans add transcripts and AI summaries.
- On a budget, mind the free limits. GoodNotes Free allows three files and imports up to 5 MB, which is smaller than many full-year planners. Notability's free Starter plan limits how many notes you can edit.
- If you'd rather pay once, GoodNotes sells a one-time Special Edition on the Apple App Store, and Notability brought back a one-time Classic purchase in July 2026.
Plans and prices, checked November 2026
| Item | GoodNotes | Notability |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | GoodNotes Free: up to 3 files (notebooks, whiteboards or text documents), 5 MB import limit, watermarked exports | Starter: free, with a limited allowance of notes you can edit |
| Subscriptions | Essential and Pro (yearly), plus an AI Pass monthly add-on | Lite, Plus and Pro |
| Pay once | Special Edition, Apple App Store only, with fewer features than the subscriptions | Classic, reintroduced in July 2026 |
| AI features | Basic on-device AI on Free, advanced AI in Pro, extra credits with the AI Pass add-on | In Plus and Pro |
Neither company publishes one global price: both say to check the price shown in the app or store, because it varies by region. Sources: GoodNotes plans and the Notability subscription FAQ.
Devices
- GoodNotes runs on iPad, iPhone and Mac, and also on Android, Windows and the web. The Essential and Pro subscriptions are the cross-platform options; the one-time Special Edition is for Apple devices.
- Notability runs on iPad, iPhone and Mac and on the web, and since August 2026 it has a native Android app on Google Play.
So both now reach Android tablets. If you switch between devices, check that the plan you choose covers all of them before you subscribe.
Using a hyperlinked planner in each app
A hyperlinked planner is a PDF where tabs, dates and buttons jump to other pages. Both apps follow those links. The difference is mostly in how you switch between writing and tapping.
GoodNotes
- Import the PDF as a new document, not into an existing notebook.
- Links work in read-only mode, or with a finger tap when the app is set so only the Apple Pencil draws.
- Planners with a PDF outline show it in the page overview, so you can jump to a month without the tabs.
Notability
- Import the PDF as a new note. A large planner can take a moment to open.
- Links work when you're not writing: switch away from the pen, or tap with a finger if only the Pencil draws.
Our step-by-step GoodNotes planner guide covers importing, links and a daily routine in more detail.
Stickers, pens and templates
- GoodNotes has the Elements tool: keep stickers, including your own PNGs, in collections and tap to place them on any page.
- Notability: paste PNG stickers onto a page as images, or copy them from a sticker book with the lasso. Its Lite plan adds a library of note-taking templates.
- Both have pressure-sensitive pens, highlighters and a lasso for moving handwriting around.
Sticker books for any planner are part of our Pro plan, as a PDF and as single PNGs.
Which should you choose?
| If you… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Mainly want a tabbed planner and stickers | GoodNotes |
| Record lectures or meetings alongside your notes | Notability |
| Want to pay once | Either: GoodNotes Special Edition (Apple only) or Notability Classic |
| Plan on an Android tablet | Either now works; Samsung Notes, Penly and Noteshelf are worth a look too (Android guide) |
Your planner doesn't lock you in. It's a PDF, so it opens in either app. To move your handwriting across, export the annotated PDF and import that; on GoodNotes Free, exports carry a watermark.
Quick answers
Is GoodNotes or Notability better for students?
For lecture notes with recordings, Notability's audio features are the draw. For a study planner with tabs for each subject, either works, and GoodNotes is the one most planner shops write instructions for.
Can I use the same planner in both apps?
Yes. Import the same PDF into each. Your handwriting doesn't sync between them, so pick one for daily use.
Do digital planners work the same on both?
Yes. A planner sized for iPad portrait or landscape works in both, and so do its links. Planners from our builder can be previewed free before you buy.