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GoodNotes VS Trilium Notes

Compare GoodNotes VS Trilium Notes and see what are their differences

GoodNotes

GoodNotes lets you take notes and annotate PDF documents.

Rating
0 reviews
Alternatives Is it good?
Trilium Notes

Trilium Notes is a hierarchical note taking application.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Alternatives Is it good?
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Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Trilium Notes seems to be a lot more popular than GoodNotes. While we know about 116 links to Trilium Notes, we've tracked only 5 mentions of GoodNotes.

social mentions
5 vs 116
Note Taking popularity
19% vs 81%

Base details

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

GoodNotes
Trilium Notes
Website goodnotes.com github.com
Pricing —
Open source
Company — Startup from the Czech Republic
Listed in
Note Taking Task Management Todos Project Management +1
Note Taking Notes Personal Notes Knowledge Management +1

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

GoodNotes 6 features
Trilium Notes 7 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.
  • Hierarchical Note Organization
    Trilium Notes allows complex, hierarchical organization of notes, helping users manage and navigate their information more efficiently.
  • Rich Text Editing
    It supports rich text formatting, which enables users to create well-structured and visually appealing notes, including tables, images, and code snippets.
  • Dynamic Note Linking
    Notes can be dynamically linked, which helps in creating a web of knowledge and improving information retrieval.
  • Cross-Platform
    Trilium Notes is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring users can access their notes from any system.
  • Version Control
    The application provides version control for notes, allowing users to track changes and revert to previous versions if necessary.
  • Encryption
    Trilium supports encryption for sensitive notes, ensuring that users’ confidential information remains secure.
  • Extensive Scripting and Automation
    Users can extend and automate functionalities through JavaScript-based scripts, making the system highly customizable and efficient.

Possible disadvantages

  • Complex Setup
    Initial setup can be complex for non-technical users, as it might require knowledge of server hosting and configuring local instances.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    The rich feature set and flexibility can result in a steeper learning curve, making it intimidating for new users.
  • Lack of Mobile Application
    Trilium Notes does not have a dedicated mobile application, which can limit accessibility and usability for users who rely on mobile devices.
  • Performance Issues with Large Databases
    Users with very large databases may experience performance issues, impacting usability and speed.
  • Limited Online Collaboration
    Trilium Notes does not offer robust online collaboration features, which can be a drawback for users who need real-time collaborative editing capabilities.
  • Community Support
    Being an open-source application, it primarily relies on community support, which might not be as responsive or comprehensive as dedicated technical support.

Analysis

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

GoodNotes
Trilium Notes

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

  • Trilium Notes is a solid choice for users who need a highly customizable and organized note-taking solution, particularly those comfortable with open-source software. Its rich features and flexibility make it ideal for power users and those looking to organize large volumes of notes.

Why this product is good

  • Trilium Notes is considered good because it offers a powerful note-taking environment with hierarchical structure, which allows for advanced organization of notes. It also supports rich text formatting, scripting, note versioning, and has encryption features to secure sensitive information. Additionally, Trilium is open-source, which means its development and feature set are guided by a community of users committed to improving the software.

Recommended for

    Trilium Notes is recommended for users who need detailed organization tools, enjoy customization, or have programming skills to leverage its scripting features. It is also suitable for privacy-conscious users who require encryption and for those who appreciate open-source platforms where they can contribute to the software's development.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

GoodNotes 3 videos + Add
Trilium Notes 1 video + 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

Steam Play for Linux, Ubuntu Touch, Flatpak 1.0, Kali, Trilium Notes & more | This Week in Linux 35

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
Trilium Notes
19% 19%
Note Taking
81% 81%
100% 100%
Task Management
0% 0%
19% 19%
Todos
81% 81%
0% 0%
Notes
100% 100%

User comments

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

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Reviews and articles

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

GoodNotes no reviews yet
Trilium Notes 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...

Social recommendations and mentions

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

GoodNotes 5 mentions
Trilium Notes 116 mentions
  • 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... 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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Alternatives to GoodNotes and Trilium Notes

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