Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

GoodNotes VS LibreOffice

Compare GoodNotes VS LibreOffice and see what are their differences

GoodNotes logo GoodNotes

GoodNotes lets you take notes and annotate PDF documents.

LibreOffice logo LibreOffice

Free office suite, open source, and compatible with .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx files. Updated regularly โ€“ download for free. Originally based on OpenOffice.org.
  • GoodNotes Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05
  • LibreOffice Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-15

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.

LibreOffice features and specs

  • Free and Open Source
    LibreOffice is completely free to download and use, and as an open-source project, its source code is available for anyone to inspect, modify, and distribute.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    LibreOffice can be used on various operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring broad availability and support.
  • Strong Community Support
    The LibreOffice community offers extensive support through forums, documentation, and regular updates, ensuring continued improvements and user assistance.
  • Compatibility with Multiple File Formats
    LibreOffice supports a wide range of file formats, including Microsoft Office documents, making it easy to work with files created in other office suites.
  • Feature-Rich Suite
    LibreOffice includes powerful tools like Writer (word processor), Calc (spreadsheet), Impress (presentations), Draw (vector graphics), Base (database), and Math (formula editor).

Possible disadvantages of LibreOffice

  • Compatibility Issues
    Although LibreOffice supports many file formats, there might be occasional compatibility issues with complex Microsoft Office documents, leading to formatting problems.
  • User Interface
    Some users find LibreOffice's user interface to be less polished and more dated compared to more modern office suites like Microsoft Office or Google Workspace.
  • Learning Curve
    Switching from another office suite to LibreOffice can involve a learning curve, as users may need to familiarize themselves with different tools and features.
  • Limited Cloud Integration
    LibreOffice offers limited cloud storage and collaboration features compared to other cloud-based office suites like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
  • Performance
    For very large or complex documents, LibreOffice may sometimes lag or perform slower compared to other proprietary office software.

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.

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

LibreOffice videos

Microsoft Office vs LibreOffice | How to Make the Change

More videos:

  • Review - LibreOffice Overview

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GoodNotes and LibreOffice)
Note Taking
100 100%
0% 0
Office Suites
0 0%
100% 100
Task Management
100 100%
0% 0
Project Management
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using GoodNotes and LibreOffice. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

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

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.

LibreOffice Reviews

Top Alternatives to Microsoft Office Suite
LibreOffice is a powerful open-source office suite that includes Writer, Calc, Impress, and more. With a user-friendly interface and compatibility with Microsoft Office formats, LibreOffice is an excellent alternative for businesses looking to save costs without compromising on functionality.
Source: saaszeal.com
10 Best Visio Alternatives for Cost Effective Diagramming [2022]
LibreOffice is a free and open-source office productivity software suite, a project of The Document Foundation. It was forked in 2010 from OpenOffice.org, an open-sourced version of the earlier StarOffice.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, LibreOffice should be more popular than GoodNotes. It has been mentiond 17 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.

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

LibreOffice mentions (17)

  • Microsoft degrades functionality of perpetually-licensed offline products
    I actually have a retiree in mind to whom Iโ€™ll have to recommend LibreOffice https://libreoffice.org. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • YouTube is taking down videos on performing nonstandard Windows 11 installs
    The solution is to run Linux. KDE is a good desktop environment: https://kde.org/ 90% of Windows games run on Linux: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45736925. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • If I can add a PDF as an object to a Word file without Acrobat?
    Install LibreOffice (https://libreoffice.org) โ€“ free. Then open it in Draw and save as PNG or SVG. The latter will give you a vectorial file. Import those files in Word. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Is libre office free?
    Libre office is open source and free. Ignore the MS store , download it from libreoffice.org. Source: about 3 years ago
  • What comes to your mind when you hear the words โ€˜tech abuseโ€™?
    Microsoft Office -- Libreoffice. A customizable free and open source office suite. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing GoodNotes and LibreOffice, 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.

ONLYOFFICE - ONLYOFFICE is a complete office and productivity suite.

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.

Microsoft 365 - Boost your productivity with reliable access anywhere with services like email, calendar, file sharing, meetings, instant messaging, and Office Online

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.

WPS Office - Would you need Office Word, Excel or PowerPoint for Home, business or School? WPS.com would give you right version for you.