Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Notability VS Squid Notes

Compare Notability VS Squid Notes and see what are their differences

Notability logo Notability

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.

Squid Notes logo Squid Notes

Take digital handwritten notes for class, work, or fun with Squid on your Android or Chromebook! Markup PDFs, sign documents & more
  • Notability Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-02
  • Squid Notes Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-25

Notability features and specs

  • 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 of Notability

  • 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.

Squid Notes features and specs

  • Handwriting Experience
    Squid Notes offers a natural handwriting experience, allowing users to write or draw with a stylus as if on paper.
  • Versatile Input Options
    Supports a variety of input methods including stylus, finger, or keyboard, making it versatile for different user preferences.
  • PDF Import and Annotation
    Provides the ability to import PDFs and annotate them directly in the app, which is useful for editing or marking up documents.
  • Customizable Organization
    Notes can be organized into notebooks and pages, and users have the ability to customize the structure to suit their style.
  • Infinite Canvas
    Features an infinite canvas, which allows users to write or draw without being constrained by page limits.

Possible disadvantages of Squid Notes

  • Platform Limitation
    Primarily designed for Android devices, limiting its availability and native experience on other platforms like iOS.
  • Limited Cloud Integration
    Offers limited cloud service integrations compared to some competitors, potentially complicating sync and backup needs.
  • Paid Features
    Some advanced features require a subscription, which might not be ideal for users seeking a completely free tool.
  • Learning Curve
    Users new to digital handwriting apps might experience a learning curve when adapting to Squid’s interface and features.
  • Text Conversion
    Lacks robust handwriting-to-text conversion capabilities, which can be a downside for users needing this functionality.

Analysis of Notability

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

Notability videos

Notability on the iPad | Walkthrough & Review ✏️

More videos:

  • Review - NOTABILITY VS. GOODNOTES 5 - Best iPad Note-Taking App (2021)
  • Review - The ULTIMATE Notability vs GoodNotes 5 Comparison Video! (2022)

Squid Notes videos

No Squid Notes videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Notability and Squid Notes)
Note Taking
62 62%
38% 38
Task Management
72 72%
28% 28
Todos
100 100%
0% 0
Tool
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Notability and Squid Notes

Notability Reviews

15 Best Notability Alternatives 2022
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 note-taking app for everyone.
Which App is Best for Taking Notes?
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 text was added to the page during the recording so that it’s easy to know what prompted you to write something down.
Source: medium.com

Squid Notes Reviews

15 Best Notability Alternatives 2022
Whether you are writing a to-do list, meeting notes, journal entries, study notes, or project plans, SquidNotes makes your note-taking experience pleasurable and efficient. SquidNotes renders the notes you make in your real handwriting like you are using regular pen and paper.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Notability 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.

Notability mentions (5)

  • 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: almost 2 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: about 2 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 iPad with the Apple Pencil, so it was easy to see why both were pretty evenly matched with only a couple features or abilities to seperated them. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Pen down some thoughts in my journal after catching up with a designer friend.
    Oh nice! I think IPads have digital journals you can use so you can still doodle, draw maps, etc. Here’s one I found that’s highly rated: Notability. Source: over 2 years ago
  • What are your most used tools/products for essay writing?
    Notability - allows me to take notes on my iPad during lectures. Source: over 2 years ago

Squid Notes mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Squid Notes yet. Tracking of Squid Notes recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Notability and Squid Notes, you can also consider the following products

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.

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.

Workflowy - A better way to organize your mind.

Somnote - More often than not, note-taking is a pressing, off the cuff movement that requests a quick and productive approach.

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.

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