Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

RedNotebook VS Notability

Compare RedNotebook VS Notability and see what are their differences

RedNotebook logo 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.

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.
  • RedNotebook Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-22
  • Notability Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-02

RedNotebook features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    RedNotebook offers a user-friendly interface, making it simple for users to quickly jot down notes and organize them efficiently.
  • Tagging and Searching
    The application allows for tagging of entries and comes with a robust search functionality, which helps in efficiently finding past notes.
  • Journal Capabilities
    RedNotebook provides features specifically designed for journaling, including calendar navigation and templates for daily entries.
  • Cross-Platform
    The software runs on multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, offering flexibility to users across different platforms.
  • Backup and Export
    Data can be backed up and exported in various formats such as plain text, PDF, HTML, and LaTeX, making it easy to share and preserve entries.
  • No Internet Requirement
    RedNotebook works completely offline, ensuring privacy and allowing access to notes without an internet connection.
  • Open-Source
    Being open-source, RedNotebook is free to use and allows users to contribute to its development and customize it to their needs.

Possible disadvantages of RedNotebook

  • Limited Media Integration
    The tool lacks advanced media embedding options, restricting users primarily to text-based notes without rich multimedia support.
  • Basic Formatting
    While it supports basic text formatting, RedNotebook does not offer as many advanced formatting options as some other note-taking applications.
  • No Mobile App
    RedNotebook does not have a dedicated mobile app, limiting its accessibility on smartphones and tablets.
  • Potential Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues and lag when dealing with very large databases or entries.
  • Less Frequent Updates
    Compared to other note-taking applications, RedNotebook receives less frequent updates, potentially leading to slower fixes and feature additions.
  • Lack of Syncing
    The application does not natively support cloud syncing, which can be inconvenient for users who need their notes across multiple devices.
  • Learning Curve for Customization
    Although customizable, some users may find the process of personalizing RedNotebook's features and templates to be non-intuitive and time-consuming.

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.

RedNotebook videos

RedNotebook - App Reviews

More videos:

  • Review - RedNoteBook to keep tabs of your 2018 new year resolutions
  • Review - RedNotebook

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)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to RedNotebook and Notability)
Note Taking
67 67%
33% 33
Task Management
62 62%
38% 38
Todos
67 67%
33% 33
Online Services
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

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

RedNotebook Reviews

We have no reviews of RedNotebook yet.
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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

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, RedNotebook should be more popular than Notability. It has been mentiond 8 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.

RedNotebook mentions (8)

  • software wise, what's going to be my best approach? Two screens with a list of jobs and appointments.
    Possibly https://rednotebook.sourceforge.io/ could be a starting point if you want to hack about in Python. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Writing is physically painful
    As for a digital journal on your computer, take a look at RedNotebook. I liked it when I used it, before going back to physical journaling. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • TraderSync - A trading journal that I use
    I was using Microsoft Excel and Rednotebook. I still use Rednotebook as log for research info but no longer use Excel which Excel was being used for viewing my P/L on my trades. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Time tracking
    (by the way I use Red Notebook for my journal. It's spectacular. https://rednotebook.sourceforge.io/). Source: over 3 years ago
  • Please have mercy and just kill me
    What helped me to develop gratitude towards life in spite of everything happening was to start a journal. Get a diary where each day has a separate page. I like to do this in paper, but there are apps or a desktop version of a journal: https://rednotebook.sourceforge.io/. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

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: about 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: about 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: about 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

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

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.

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.

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

Workflowy - A better way to organize your mind.

Notezilla - Colorful & powerful sticky notes app for Windows & Phones.

CintaNotes - CintaNotes is a note taking application for Windows.