Android PDF editor designed for digital planning and note taking. Take notes, insert images and photos and even add your own hyperlinks. Ideal for digital planning!
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
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.
AI-Powered Note Taking Penly leverages artificial intelligence to enhance the note-taking experience, offering smart features like handwriting recognition and intelligent organization that help users be more productive.
Digital Handwriting Support Penly provides a natural handwriting experience on digital devices, allowing users who prefer writing by hand to do so on tablets and other touchscreen devices with a pen or stylus.
PDF Annotation The app supports PDF annotation capabilities, making it useful for students, professionals, and anyone who needs to mark up documents, highlight text, or add notes to existing PDFs.
Clean and Intuitive Interface Penly offers a user-friendly and clean interface that makes it easy for users to get started with digital note-taking without a steep learning curve.
Cross-Platform Accessibility Penly aims to make notes accessible across devices, allowing users to sync and access their handwritten notes and documents from different platforms.
Possible disadvantages
Limited Brand Recognition Compared to well-established note-taking apps like GoodNotes, Notability, or OneNote, Penly is relatively lesser known, which may make users hesitant to commit to the platform.
Potentially Limited Feature Set As a newer or smaller platform, Penly may not yet offer the full breadth of features found in more mature competitors, such as advanced organization tools, extensive template libraries, or deep integrations.
Uncertain Long-Term Viability With a less established market presence, there may be concerns about the app's long-term support, development roadmap, and whether the service will continue to be maintained and updated.
Smaller Community and Ecosystem Penly likely has a smaller user community compared to major competitors, meaning fewer shared templates, tutorials, third-party resources, and community-driven support options.
Subscription or Pricing Concerns AI-powered features may come at a premium cost, and users might find the pricing model less competitive or less transparent compared to alternatives that offer one-time purchases or more generous free tiers.
Analysis
An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.
GoodNotes
P
Penly
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.
Overall verdict
I don't have verified, up-to-date information confirming the legitimacy, reputation, or quality of Penly (penly.net). I cannot provide a reliable assessment of whether this specific product or service is good, as I don't have confirmed details about what it offers, user reviews, or its track record.
Why this product is good
Unable to verify the company's legitimacy or business practices
No confirmed information about product/service quality or features
No access to verified customer reviews or ratings
Cannot confirm pricing, terms, or customer support quality
Domain names can be associated with various unrelated businesses over time
Recommended for
Before using Penly, research current reviews on trusted platforms like Trustpilot or the BBB
Check for verifiable contact information, business registration, and secure payment practices
Look for independent user testimonials and recent feedback
Verify the website's security (HTTPS, privacy policy, terms of service)
Consider reaching out directly to the company with questions before committing
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...
Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.
GoodNotes5 mentions
P
Penly0 mentions
Dislike recent update on speech notes regarding UI
Add your feedback to the support thread on goodnotes.com.
Source:
almost 4 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...
Source:
almost 5 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...
Source:
almost 5 years ago
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