Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Evernote VS GoodNotes

Compare Evernote VS GoodNotes and see what are their differences

Evernote logo 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.

GoodNotes logo GoodNotes

GoodNotes lets you take notes and annotate PDF documents.
  • Evernote Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-18
  • GoodNotes Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05

Evernote

Release Date
2000 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
California
Founder(s)
Phil Libin
Employees
250 - 499

Evernote features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Evernote is available on multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, ensuring that users can access their notes from any device.
  • Organizational Tools
    Evernote provides a range of organizational tools such as notebooks, tags, and a powerful search feature to help users keep their notes well-organized.
  • Web Clipper
    The Evernote Web Clipper allows users to save web pages, articles, and screenshots directly to their Evernote account, making it easier to gather and organize online resources.
  • Collaboration Features
    Evernote supports collaboration, enabling users to share notes and notebooks with others, which is useful for team projects and group work.
  • Integration with Other Apps
    Evernote integrates with a variety of third-party applications such as Google Drive, Outlook, and Slack, enhancing its functionality and ease of use.

Possible disadvantages of Evernote

  • Cost
    Evernote offers a free version, but its premium features and higher storage limits come at a subscription cost, which may be a drawback for budget-conscious users.
  • Learning Curve
    New users may find Evernote's extensive features and options overwhelming at first, requiring some time to fully understand and utilize all its capabilities.
  • Syncing Issues
    Some users have reported occasional syncing problems, where changes made on one device are not immediately reflected on others.
  • Limited Offline Access
    The ability to access notes offline is restricted in the free version, which may be inconvenient for users who often work without internet access.
  • Privacy Concerns
    There have been concerns about the privacy and security of the data stored in Evernote, as it involves uploading personal information to their servers.

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.

Evernote videos

10 Reasons why You Should Be Using Evernote in 2019

More videos:

  • Review - ใ‚นใ‚ญใƒฃใƒณใ‚ขใƒ—ใƒช Evernote Scannable Review
  • Review - Evernote Food app review for iPhone 4s
  • Review - Best Handwriting Note Taking App to use with Evernote 2018 | Penultimate vs ZoomNotes vs Noteshelf2
  • Review - Skitch Screen Capture & Annotation, from Evernote for Everyone
  • Review - how I get organized with Evernote
  • Tutorial - How to Use Skitch for Screenshots for Internet Marketing & More
  • Tutorial - iPadagogy - App Review - Skitch Video Tutorial

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 Evernote and GoodNotes)
Note Taking
92 92%
8% 8
Task Management
92 92%
8% 8
Productivity
95 95%
5% 5
Todos
92 92%
8% 8

User comments

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Reviews

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

Evernote Reviews

  1. Olivia_Sass
    Simple and efficient app

    The app helps keep everything organized and is really easy to use. Iโ€™ve been using it for a while now, and I really like it.

  2. Boyd Richardson
    ยท Writer at SE ยท

    If you're someone who likes to keep everything in order and easily accessible, you'll want to check out the Evernote app. This app is designed to help you keep track of all your notes, ideas, and to-do lists in one place, and it does so with style.

    From my experience using the app, I found that it's incredibly user-friendly and has a sleek design. You can easily create notes, organize them into notebooks, and even add tags to make it easier to find what you're looking for later on. Whether you're a student trying to keep track of your class notes or a busy professional juggling multiple projects, Evernote has you covered.

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Notion
    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    High capabilities|Supports multiple languages|Syncs|Easy integration
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Free plan with limited options|Syncing issue
  3. Deepak Kumar
    ยท Technical Reviewer at Screenshot Chrome Extensions ยท
    Intuitive Software

    The thing that I personally like about Evernote is that before I have used word as my note taking application, than on my smartphone I have had used Google Keep and so my notes were just unorganized mess. But with Evernote now I can have my notes at one place and unified. Also the fact that I can log to another device and my notes are "just there" is really nice. And also I like graphics user interface of Evernote.

    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Easy to use|Saves a ton of time|Sync across all my devices|Chrome extension available
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Few webpages takes time to load|Paid plan to use on multiple devices

Quick, Clear Ways to Edit Mac Screenshots for Dailyย Tasks
Skitch: Focuses on user-friendly annotation. Highlight text, blur details, or draw arrows without fuss.
11 Best Google Keeps Alternatives for 2024
It depends on your needs. Evernote offers advanced note-taking features and organization, suitable for complex tasks. Google Keep is simpler and integrates well with other Google services, making it ideal for basic note-taking and quick reminders.
Source: upbase.io
20 Obsidian Alternatives: Top Note-Taking Tools to Consider
Evernote is a note-taking tool with fantastic web-clipping capabilities. This handy app lets you clip, save, and sync notes from anywhere on the web to all your devices.
Source: clickup.com
The 6 best note-taking apps in 2024
Not only is Joplin the best open source note-taking app on our list, but it's also the best free Evernote alternative too. For a number of reasons I'll explore below, I don't feel Evernote merits a spot on this list right now; however, because Evernote has been such a staple of the note-taking app space, most other apps compete by trying to be different. OneNote is awesome,...
Source: zapier.com
The best note-taking apps for collecting your thoughts and data
That being said, the paid version of Evernote still does what it does well, especially if youโ€™re one of those users who has stuck with it for a while. The basic look and feel of the web app hasnโ€™t changed much, although the homepage now shows recent notes, a scratch pad, and recently captured websites. (The homepage can be personalized with other widgets if you have a paid...

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, Evernote seems to be a lot more popular than GoodNotes. While we know about 66 links to Evernote, we've tracked only 5 mentions of GoodNotes. 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.

Evernote mentions (66)

View more

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: almost 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: almost 5 years ago

What are some alternatives?

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

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.

Notion - All-in-one workspace. One tool for your whole team. Write, plan, and get organized.

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.

Google Keep - Capture notes, share them with others, and access them from your computer, phone or tablet. Free with a Google account.

Laverna - Laverna is a JavaScript note taking application with Markdown editor and encryption support.

Simplenote - The simplest way to keep notes. Light, clean, and free. Simplenote is now available for iOS, Android, Mac, and the web.