Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Rnote VS GoodNotes

Compare Rnote VS GoodNotes and see what are their differences

Rnote logo Rnote

Rnote is a vector-based drawing app for sketching, handwritten notes and to annotate documents and pictures.Disclaimer: The file format is still unstable. It might change and break compatibility between versions.

GoodNotes logo GoodNotes

GoodNotes lets you take notes and annotate PDF documents.
  • Rnote Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-17
  • GoodNotes Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05

Rnote features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

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.

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.

Rnote videos

Issue with RNote on Ubuntu.

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

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Rnote and GoodNotes)
Note Taking
21 21%
79% 79
Todos
34 34%
66% 66
Task Management
22 22%
78% 78
Handwritten Notes
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 Rnote and GoodNotes

Rnote Reviews

We have no reviews of Rnote yet.
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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.

Social recommendations and mentions

Rnote might be a bit more popular than GoodNotes. We know about 7 links to it since March 2021 and only 5 links to GoodNotes. 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.

Rnote mentions (7)

  • Been urbancarliving for ~2 years now. Here's my battle station. I use Arch btw ;)
    It runs great! There's a few quirks since I'm not using the linux-firmware-full-surface-pro-3 , but other than that it's awesome. (it just has some issues recognizing when the flip cover is open once closed.) I especially love using Rnote with it. Source: over 3 years ago
  • I HATE CAPACITORS!!! What happens after you discharge a capacitor? Laplace transforms, integrals,...
    It's available on https://flathub.org/apps/details/com.github.flxzt.rnote for all Linux distributions. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Best compatible apps, extensions and tweaks for Linux on convertible laptops
    - Rnote : Follows Gnome HIG, but doesn't have input stabilization (the pen is not smoothed and is the least fluid I find. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • An ode to Flatpak (and Fedora Silverblue)
    Flatpak also allowed me to greatly simplify my documentation, as most (apart from packages not available as a Flatpak) of the software installation process is now the same across all Linux distributions, no matter if I use Fedora, Ubuntu or Arch. And finally, I am now always excited whenever I see someone posting about their new Linux application with a link to Flathub, so that one can try it immediately. No need... Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Fedora a good choice for school, stability-wise? Also, KDE or GNOME for Surface pro (touch + stylus)?
    Recently found Rnote and its the best one I've seen so far. These are for handwritten/drawing stuff. For typed notes, I just use notion. Source: about 4 years ago
View more

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

What are some alternatives?

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

Xournal++ - Xournal++ is a handwriting notetaking software with PDF annotation support. Written in C++ with GTK3, supporting Linux (e.g. Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, SUSE), macOS and Windows 10. Supports pen input fr...

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.

Notesnook - Notesnook is a simple and private note taking app that keeps your notes organized and synced on your phone, tablet and computer.

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.

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.

Concepts - Concepts is a digital design sketchbook for iPhone, iPad, iPad Pro and windows 10 devices.