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Apple iWork VS GoodNotes

Compare Apple iWork VS GoodNotes and see what are their differences

Apple iWork logo Apple iWork

iWork is an office suite by Apple.

GoodNotes logo GoodNotes

GoodNotes lets you take notes and annotate PDF documents.
  • Apple iWork Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-21
  • GoodNotes Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05

Apple iWork features and specs

  • Seamless Integration
    iWork integrates smoothly with macOS and iOS devices, ensuring a cohesive experience across Apple's ecosystem, allowing users to easily share and sync documents via iCloud.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The applications in iWork have an intuitive and clean interface, making them accessible to users who may find other office suites complex.
  • Free for Apple Users
    iWork is available at no additional cost for users on Apple devices, providing a cost-effective solution for document creation.
  • Rich Templates
    iWork offers a variety of visually appealing templates and design tools, helping users create professional-looking documents, spreadsheets, and presentations effortlessly.
  • Real-Time Collaboration
    iWork supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on documents simultaneously, which is beneficial for team projects.

Possible disadvantages of Apple iWork

  • Limited Platform Availability
    iWork is primarily designed for Apple devices, which limits accessibility for users on Windows or Linux platforms.
  • Feature Parity
    While iWork covers basic and essential features, it may lack some advanced functionalities found in other office suites like Microsoft Office.
  • File Compatibility
    Although iWork can export files to common formats, compatibility issues may arise when sharing documents with users of different office software.
  • Learning Curve for Switchers
    Users accustomed to other office productivity suites may face a learning curve when transitioning to iWork due to differences in interface and functionality.
  • Online Collaboration Limitations
    While iWork supports online collaboration, its functionality may not be as robust as other cloud-based solutions, potentially affecting productivity for large teams.

GoodNotes features and specs

  • Handwriting Recognition
    GoodNotes offers OCR (Optical Character Recognition), making handwritten notes searchable and easily convertible to text.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The application features an intuitive and well-organized interface, making it easy for users to navigate and use.
  • Cross-Platform Syncing
    GoodNotes allows for seamless synchronization across multiple devices, including iOS and macOS, ensuring your notes are always up to date.
  • Variety of Paper Templates
    The app offers a wide array of paper templates and covers, allowing users to customize their notebooks according to their needs.
  • Collaboration Tools
    GoodNotes supports collaborative note-taking, allowing multiple users to work on a single document simultaneously.
  • Annotation Features
    Users can annotate PDFs, images, and other documents, making it versatile for different types of note-taking and review.

Possible disadvantages of GoodNotes

  • Platform Limitation
    GoodNotes is currently available only on iOS and macOS platforms, limiting its accessibility for users on other operating systems.
  • No Audio Recording
    Unlike some other note-taking apps, GoodNotes does not offer an audio recording feature, which could be a downside for users who like to sync notes with lectures or meetings.
  • Learning Curve
    Although the interface is user-friendly, some of the advanced features can have a steep learning curve for new users.
  • Subscription Model
    While GoodNotes offers a variety of features, it comes with a subscription cost, which may be a consideration for budget-conscious users.
  • File Size
    Notes and documents in GoodNotes can become quite large, potentially taking up substantial storage space on your device.
  • Limited Cloud Storage
    Although GoodNotes supports iCloud syncing, it does not offer integration with other popular cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox out-of-the-box.

Analysis of GoodNotes

Overall verdict

  • GoodNotes is highly regarded among note-taking apps, particularly for iPad users who benefit from its extensive features optimized for using the Apple Pencil. While primarily designed for iOS devices, it offers a solid option for digital note-taking with its wide range of functionalities and continued updates that enhance user experience.

Why this product is good

  • GoodNotes is widely appreciated for its intuitive user interface, robust organizational tools, and advanced note-taking features. It provides users with the ability to write and sketch naturally using a stylus, as well as the capability to import, annotate, and export documents in various formats. Its synchronization across devices through iCloud allows for seamless access to notes from multiple locations, making it convenient for students, professionals, and creatives alike.

Recommended for

  • Students who want a reliable digital notebook for organizing class notes, especially those with an iPad and Apple Pencil.
  • Professionals looking for a powerful tool to manage meeting notes, planning, and document annotations.
  • Creatives who require a versatile app for sketching, brainstorming, and conceptual work.

Apple iWork videos

Free Office Suite Review - Including Microsoft Word / Excel / Apple iWork / GSuite and LibreOffice.

GoodNotes videos

GoodNotes 5 Review - Best iPad Pro Note taking app?? (2019)

More videos:

  • Review - GoodNotes 5 Walkthrough | iPad
  • Review - Notability vs Goodnotes 5 - The Best iPad Note Taking App (2019) | KharmaMedic

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apple iWork and GoodNotes)
File Management
100 100%
0% 0
Note Taking
28 28%
72% 72
Task Management
0 0%
100% 100
Tool
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Apple iWork and GoodNotes

Apple iWork Reviews

Top Alternatives to Microsoft Office Suite
Apple iWork includes Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, offering a seamless experience for Mac and iOS users. With visually appealing templates and a focus on design, iWork is an excellent alternative for creative businesses.
Source: saaszeal.com

GoodNotes Reviews

15 Best Notability Alternatives 2022
Automatically sync your note to the cloud to ensure the updated versions are always available on your app. GoodNotes allows you to import files, take photos, scan documents, and weave them into your notes to make them more comprehensive.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, GoodNotes seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 5 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Apple iWork mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Apple iWork yet. Tracking of Apple iWork recommendations started around Mar 2021.

GoodNotes mentions (5)

  • Dislike recent update on speech notes regarding UI
    Add your feedback to the support thread on goodnotes.com. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Some links work, some don't
    There's a share.goodnotes.com link and others are just goodnotes.com. I could only get one notebook to have the fist link a few months ago and it works for viewing it online on Windows on any browser, the other one just takes me to a page telling me to launch the app which I can only do on Apple devices. Is there any way to get the other type of link or was it just an experiment? Source: over 4 years ago
  • Paid opportunity for USF students!
    GoodNotes App is looking for Content Creators to help us build up study materials on our new platform- GoodNotes Community. GoodNotes is a digital note taking app- check us out here. We have just launched an exciting new product within our app- a note sharing platform. We are looking for students in USF studying either STEM or Business related disciplines. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Visual productivity app?
    It sounds like you need something like GoodNotes 5 or Miro. Source: about 5 years ago
  • Would yโ€™all be interested in a well-designed digital paper planner made specifically for folks with ADHD?
    Digital paper planners are like physical planners but you can store and write in them inside an app like Goodnotes (http://goodnotes.com) using a tablet and stylus. Source: about 5 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apple iWork and GoodNotes, you can also consider the following products

Google Docs - Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

Evernote - Bring your life's work together in one digital workspace. Evernote is the place to collect inspirational ideas, write meaningful words, and move your important projects forward.

Collabora Office - Collabora Productivity, of course with CollaboraOnline, offers the most powerful Cloud, Mobile and Desktop Enterprise Office Suite. Cross-device and fully Open Source.

OneNote - Get the OneNote app for free on your tablet, phone, and computer, so you can capture your ideas and to-do lists in one place wherever you are. Or try OneNote with Office for free.

Bit.ai - Bit is a smart real-time document collaboration platform for teams to create interactive documents, manage digital content and track document insights.

RedNotebook - RedNotebook is a software that format, tag and search entries and add pictures, links and customizable templates, spell check notes, and export to plain text, HTML, Latex or PDF.