Software Alternatives & Startups

GoodNotes VS Sketch

Compare GoodNotes VS Sketch and see what are their differences

GoodNotes

GoodNotes lets you take notes and annotate PDF documents.

Rating
0 reviews
Sketch

Professional digital design for Mac.

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, GoodNotes should be more popular than Sketch. It has been mentioned 5 times since March 2021.

social mentions
5 vs 3
Note Taking popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

GoodNotes
Sketch
Website goodnotes.com sketch.com
Pricing —
Company — Startup from The Netherlands · 10 - 19 employees · 2010
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

GoodNotes 6 features
Sketch 6 features
  • 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.
  • User Interface
    Sketch has a clean and intuitive user interface that is easy to navigate, which makes it accessible for both beginners and advanced users.
  • Design Tools
    Provides robust vector editing tools and a wide range of design features, making it versatile for various kinds of digital design work.
  • Plugins Ecosystem
    Offers a rich ecosystem of plugins that enhance functionality and can be customized to fit specific needs.
  • Community and Resources
    There is a strong community of designers using Sketch, which means plenty of tutorials, resources, and shared assets are available.
  • Symbol and Reuse
    Supports symbols and reusable design components, making it efficient for maintaining consistency across a design project.
  • Performance
    Generally performs well even with complex design files, as it is optimized for the Mac environment.

Possible disadvantages

  • Mac-only
    Sketch is available only on macOS, limiting its accessibility to users on other platforms such as Windows or Linux.
  • Learning Curve
    While the interface is intuitive, mastering Sketch's full suite of tools and features can still take some time.
  • Pricing
    Sketch requires a subscription or one-time payment, which can be a consideration for freelancers or small teams with limited budgets.
  • Collaboration
    Real-time collaboration features are not as advanced as some of its competitors, which can pose challenges for team-based projects.
  • Compatibility
    Because it uses its own file format, working cross-platform or with non-Sketch users can present challenges, requiring conversion tools or additional steps.
  • Limited Prototyping
    While it offers some prototyping functionality, it is not as robust as tools specifically designed for prototyping such as InVision or Figma.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

GoodNotes
Sketch

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

  • Sketch is highly regarded in the design community, particularly for those working on digital interfaces. While it may not have as broad a range of features as some of its competitors, its specialization in UI and UX design makes it an industry-standard tool for many professionals.

Why this product is good

  • Sketch is a vector graphics editor primarily used for user interface and user experience design. It is appreciated for its intuitive design, powerful features tailored for UI/UX designers, and a vibrant community with an extensive library of plugins and integrations. The software is known for its ease of use, real-time collaboration capabilities, and efficient prototyping tools, making it a go-to tool for many designers.

Recommended for

    Sketch is recommended for UI/UX designers, product designers, and digital artists who focus on app and web design. It is particularly suitable for teams that require real-time collaboration and those who benefit from using a tool with a vast ecosystem of plugins that can extend its functionality.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

GoodNotes 3 videos + Add
Sketch 3 videos + Add

GoodNotes 5 Review - Best iPad Pro Note taking app?? (2019)

More videos

  • - GoodNotes 5 Walkthrough | iPad
  • - Notability vs Goodnotes 5 - The Best iPad Note Taking App (2019) | KharmaMedic

Sketch Review | Vikram | Tamil Talkies

More videos

  • - Sketch vs. Photoshop: The 5 Things Sketch Can Do That Photoshop Can’t
  • - sketch review by prashanth

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
GoodNotes
Sketch
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using GoodNotes and Sketch. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Log in or Post with

Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

GoodNotes no reviews yet
Sketch no reviews yet
  • 15 Best Notability Alternatives 2022
    rigorousthemes.com · May 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...

View more

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

GoodNotes 5 mentions
Sketch 3 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

View more

  • How to make a Portfolio!?
    Start by building the PDF version, as that's easier. I use Sketch (sketch.com) for designing layout. Source: about 4 years ago
  • TurboPad Vector Illustration
    This TG-16 controller was originally drawn in Fireworks CS4 waaaaaay back in the day, but I re-drew it by hand using simple shapes and effects in Sketch and Figma. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Starting off as a UI/UX Designer.
    Every designer has to choose their preferred design tool where they can implement their prototypes.Try Figma, Sketchand Adobe XD. These are the main tools, try each and find your favorite, as for me I love Figma(Very good in collaboration). - Source: dev.to / about 5 years ago

Alternatives to GoodNotes and Sketch

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