Combine handwriting, photos and typing in a single note to bring your projects to life. Use a wide range of note-taking and sketching tools to capture every detail. You can even add and annotate PDFs in Notability.
Notes, tasks, passwords, journal, files, calendar, contacts and bookmarks, with mood and medication tracking. Encrypted on your device. Open source, no ads, no trackers. Free forever; Pro is a one-time purchase.
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Which is more popular?
Based on our record, Logseq
seems to be a lot more popular than Notability.
While we know about 300 links to Logseq,
we've tracked only 5 mentions of Notability.
social mentions
5 vs 300
Note Taking popularity
13% vs 87%
alternatives listed
216 vs 240+
Base details
Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.
User-Friendly Interface Notability provides an intuitive and straightforward user interface, making it easy for users of all ages and technical abilities to navigate and use the app.
Multi-Platform Availability The app is available on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, allowing users to access their notes across multiple Apple devices seamlessly.
Versatile Note-Taking Notability supports a wide range of note-taking formats, such as handwritten notes, text notes, audio recordings, and even web clips, enabling users to capture information in various forms.
Robust Annotation Tools Users can annotate PDFs and other documents easily with a variety of tools, including highlighters, pens, and shapes, enhancing the document review process.
Cloud Syncing and Backup Notability offers cloud syncing with services like iCloud, Google Drive, and Dropbox, ensuring that users' notes are backed up and accessible from anywhere.
Audio Recording Synchronization The app offers a unique feature that allows users to record audio while taking notes, with the ability to sync playback to match the timing of handwritten or typed notes.
Customizable Organization Users can organize their notes using dividers and subjects, allowing for a high degree of customization in how their notes are categorized.
Possible disadvantages
Platform Limitation Notability is only available on Apple devices, which excludes users who are on Android or Windows platforms.
Cost Although Notability offers a free version, many of the more advanced features are behind a premium subscription, which may be viewed as costly compared to one-time purchase apps.
Limited Export Options While the app supports exporting notes in formats like PDF, there are fewer options for exporting notes in other common formats like Word or Excel.
Learning Curve for Advanced Features Some users may find the more advanced tools and functionalities a bit complex, requiring additional time to learn and master.
Occasional Syncing Issues At times, users have reported experiencing delays or problems with the app's ability to sync notes across devices seamlessly.
Storage Consumption Given that Notability allows users to save audio recordings and high-resolution images within notes, the app can consume a significant amount of device storage space over time.
Bidirectional Linking Logseq allows users to easily create bidirectional links between notes, enhancing organization and navigation through related information.
Graph View The graph view provides a visual representation of how notes are interconnected, helping users see the bigger picture of their knowledge network.
Markdown Support Logseq supports Markdown, making it easy to format notes and write in a widely-used plain text format.
Local Storage Notes are stored locally, giving users full control over their data and enhancing privacy and security.
Customizable Workflows Users can customize their workflows with plugins and templates to suit their specific needs and preferences.
Open Source Being an open-source project, Logseq invites community contributions and ensures more transparency in development and issue resolution.
Task Management Logseq integrates task management features, such as to-do lists and scheduling, directly within notes, improving productivity.
Possible disadvantages
Learning Curve New users may find Logseq's extensive features and unique workflow approach challenging to learn without dedicated time and effort.
Sync Complexity While storing notes locally is a pro for privacy, it requires additional tools or manual methods to sync notes across multiple devices.
Mobile App Limitations The mobile version of Logseq is still in development, meaning it may lack some features and fluidity found in the desktop version.
Resource Intensive Logseq can consume considerable system resources, particularly when dealing with large datasets or extensive use of graph view.
Community Dependency As an open-source project, certain features may rely on community contributions, which could lead to inconsistent updates or support.
Customization Complexity While high customization is a benefit, it can become overwhelming and complex to manage for users who prefer a more straightforward tool.
Analysis
An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.
NotabilityLogseq
Overall verdict
Overall, Notability is considered a good software option for those in need of a comprehensive note-taking solution. Its combination of features, ease of use, and cross-platform availability makes it a valuable tool for a wide range of users.
Why this product is good
Notability is a popular note-taking application known for its versatility and user-friendly interface. It allows users to take handwritten or typed notes, annotate PDFs, and record audio during note-taking sessions. The app is highly favored by students, educators, and professionals for its seamless integration across devices, customizable features, and ability to organize notes efficiently.
Recommended for
Students looking for a tool to organize lectures and study materials
Professionals needing a reliable app for meetings and annotations
Educators who want to create interactive lesson plans and resources
Anyone seeking a versatile app for personal or professional note-taking and organization
Overall verdict
Yes, Logseq is generally considered a good tool, particularly for individuals seeking a robust, free-form method of organizing notes and knowledge that goes beyond traditional hierarchical models.
Why this product is good
Logseq is a versatile tool for managing notes and knowledge using a graph-based interface similar to networked thought processing. It offers features like linked references, back-linking, and support for Markdown and org-mode, making it a valuable tool for those who value interconnected note-taking. Its open-source nature ensures constant community-driven improvements and transparency, encouraging a strong user community.
Recommended for
Students and researchers who manage a large volume of interconnected notes.
Professionals who require a flexible and dynamic knowledge management system.
Writers and content creators looking for a tool to visualize ideas and concepts.
Tech enthusiasts and developers who appreciate open-source software.
Notability is one of the most popular and reliable apps when it comes to creating handwritten, typed, or visual notes. Despite its notoriety, Notability is not without its shortcomings and may not be the best...
Notability also offers a unique audio recording option. You won’t find it in Good Notes. When using the app, users can record audio files while taking notes. When playing back audio, Notability will animate when the...
Logseq is a powerful and advanced tool for thought that has been gaining attention among note-taking enthusiasts and productivity seekers. In this article, we will provide an overview of Logseq, explore what users can...
Outliners (think Workflowy, Roam, Logseq) rely on blocks and indentation for primary connections, and references to other blocks or pages for richer links. They’re optimized for capturing quick thinking.
Refined user interface: Logseq offers a refined user interface that is easy to understand and pleasing to the eyes. On the other hand, Obsidian looks like a jumble of various UI elements which are hard to figure out...
Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.
Notability5 mentionsLogseq300 mentions
Why do they make it so complicated?
You are using a third party app (https://notability.com) for notes. It’s very likely it has it set to sync with iCloud as a default - in order for you to be able to access said notes from other devices as well.
Source:
over 3 years ago
Anyone else dislikes studying with soft copy notes?
When I used ipad in sec school I found Notability to do wonders in making/editing notes, bonus if you have an apple pencil to go with it. Editing PDF, adding pics, arranging texts and diagrams, exporting, importing etc.
Source:
over 3 years ago
GoodNotes 5 is Now the Better Option than Notability
If you were looking for a great writing option in the past, you often would have been recommended Goodnotes 5 or Notability, as often times it simply came down to personal preference. Both offered similar feature and worked great on the...
Source:
over 3 years ago
Using Logseq[1][2] for years and quite happy with it, especially since it has apps for tablets/iPad and phones as well, while being completely FOSS. [1] https://logseq.com/ [2] https://github.com/logseq/logseq.
- Source: Hacker News
/
3 months ago
Choose a local Markdown tool like Obsidian, Logseq, Foam, or Tolaria to store all your knowledge as plain .md files you own and control.
- Source: dev.to
/
6 months ago
Forgetful gets procedural and prospective memory
I should call out another thing that convinced me was a user of forgetful (twsta) posted in the discord a skill for managing wok and todos from how they used to use Logseq.
- Source: dev.to
/
7 months ago
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.
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.
Joplin is a free, open source note taking and to-do application, which can handle a large number of notes organised into notebooks. The notes are searchable, tagged and modified either from the applications directly or from your own text editor.
Evernote
OneNote
GoodNotes
Workflowy
Apple Notes
Simplenote
Somnote
Obsidian
Notion
Joplin
Anytype.io
Roam Research
Zettlr
