Whether you are a student, a business owner, or just someone making a grocery list. Finding the best notes taking apps is a must-have in today’s world!.
In this article, we have discussed the 12 best note-taking apps for your iPad. We will go over each of their pros and cons and see which one is the best for you.
Quick Summary
| Notability | GoodNote5 | Evernote | Microsoft OneNote | Apple Notes | Nebo | Noteshelf | Note Plus | Margin Note 3 | Liquid Text | Noted | Whink | |
| Handwriting | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| ✓ | | | ✓ | X | Add On | | | | | | | |
| Key-in Text | | |||||||||||
| Voice Recording | | ✓ | | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | | | ✓ | | |
| Cut | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | | ✓ | ✓ |
| Insert Picture | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Handwriting transfers to Text | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Search | | | | | ✓ | ✓ | | ✓ | | | | ✓ |
| Bookmark | | | | | ✓ | | | ✓ | | ✓ | | |
| Export File | | | ✓ | ✓ | X | | | | | | | |
| Sync Data | | | | | | Manual Backup | | | | | | |
| Devices | Family Sharing (up to 6 Family members) | Family Sharing (up to 6 Family members) | Family Sharing (up to 6 Family members) | Family Sharing (up to 6 Family members) | Family Sharing (up to 6 Family members) | Family Sharing (up to 6 Family members) | Family Sharing (up to 6 Family members) | Family Sharing (up to 6 Family members) | ||||
| Cost | $8.99 | $7.99 | Base: Free Premium: $7.99 Monthly | Free | Free | Base: Free Pro: $7.99 | $9.99 | $9.99 | Base: Free Full: $12.99 Monthly | Base: Free Pro: $29.99 | Free Monthly: $2.49 | $4.99 |
Notability
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4.8/5)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ Audio recordings sync with pen strokes. ✅ It enables users to embed images. ✅ It allows voice memos. ✅ It supports PDF annotation. ✅ It has Apple pencil support. It has multi-format compatibility. ✅ It has the option to share to iCloud. | ❌ The initial cost is quite high. ❌ It has limited pen options. ❌ It lacks PDF and editing templates. |
User Experience:
Notability is one of the most popular and top-selling note-taking apps for iPad with thousands of positive reviews to back its credibility. It can be referred to as the jack of all trades, making it the most versatile note-taking app.
Reason to use
It includes various functionality features including customized colors, audio recording, easy PDF export, etc. making it a resourceful tool for students, professionals, and anyone who needs to organize their day-to-day tasks. Notability’s easy UI makes it the perfect choice for almost all the users out there. Its high rating speaks for its user experience. It is without a doubt a must-have note-taking application that is perfect for every situation.
How to Close Apps on iPhone 11
GoodNotes 5
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.8/5)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ The notebook organization within folders is quite impressive. ✅ You can not only add images but move them around as well. ✅ It has 3 custom colors that you can switch between with a single tap. ✅ It has a search option. | ❌ You cannot decide the file backup format. ❌ It lacks a voice recording function. ❌ You have to pay to avail the features in the latest update. |
User Experience:
The app is suitable for almost everyone; whether it’s a student who wants to take notes during class or anyone else who needs to keep data organized. It supports imports from other applications and also syncs with iCloud. It is quite user-friendly as it is easily customizable; all the notes taken are sorted according to the users’ choice and style.
Evernote
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.6/5)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ Evernote has a free version that provides almost all its features. ✅ It has a lot of exciting templates to choose from ✅ AIl suggested content helps in taking notes. ✅ It allows integration, which allows users to access chrome to get images or clips. ✅ It can also access other platforms such as Google Drive and many more. | ❌ The customer support is a little problematic. ❌ For collaborations, the premium version is necessary. |
User experience:
Evernote is an application that has been on the digital market since 2008. It is one of the most used note-taking apps for iPhones, iPads, and other platforms too. Evernote has a larger market for consumers as it also extends into the realm of businesses. In short, it is the best note-taking app for an iPad if you are a businessperson.
Microsoft OneNote
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.7/5)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ The most attractive feature of this app is that it is very user-oriented. ✅ It gives the user a free hand on what they want the notes to look like. | ❌Due to compatibility issues between Apple and Microsoft, several bugs and syncing problems have been reported by the users |
User Experience:
This app allows users to export and share documents to other applications. This means more than one user can view and edit the document simultaneously. The One Note files support conversion to PDF as well. It is a default setting that has ample options if you do not have time or the mindset to self-organize.
Apple Notes
Rating: No ratings as it is a native app (comes with the phone by default)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ It is completely free. ✅ It provides a simple interface with most of the standard features of other apps. | ❌ It lacks organizational tools and complex functions like other applications. |
User experience:
Apple Notes is one of the most basic note-taking applications out there. Users who need a simple app to note down daily tasks, chores, lists, or even simple notes usually prefer this app. It allows the use of the Apple stylus for you to note stuff. So for users who prefer to keep things simple and get the task done, this is the best note-taking app for them.
Nebo
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5/5)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ It has the best handwriting recognition engine, which supports 66 languages. ✅ It has a unique feature of solving math and chemical equations for you as you make notes. ✅ It can handle more complex documents. | ❌ You need an Apple pencil to make notes on Nebo. ❌ It can not import documents and images can not be dropped into the notes externally either. ❌ The app has no recycle bin, so if you accidentally delete a note, it is gone forever. |
User experience:
Nebo is the best handwriting recognition note-taking app for the iPad. It is loved by users who prefer to write their notes but want them typed once they are done. This app provides a wide variety of features for its users, making it a popular choice.
Noteshelf
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.2/5)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ It has handwriting recognition. ✅ A very simple user interface. | ❌Mistakes and bugs are very frequent especially while converting handwriting to text. |
User Experience:
The user can record audio notes, import or export PDF and Microsoft documents, and multitask i.e. make two separate notes side by side. The app also encourages the use of charts, shapes, and colors in line with user choice. The app is available for both Apple and Android devices, which means communicating data through the app files is possible on a bigger scale.
10 Best iPad Cases for Kids
Note Plus
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3.6/5)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ It has an inbuilt browser that allows easy access to information. ✅ Allows you to export notes to other platforms and note-taking applications such as Evernote. | ❌ Note Plus gets glitchy which can be a nuisance. ❌Its struggles with data loss problems, which has overshadowed its other cool features over time. |
User Experience:
Among the many resourceful features of this app, the best part is their customer support. They have a prompt response to your concerns and work to curtail your reservations once they roll out their next update. Other than this, the handwriting feature is well-liked by most users, making it a frontrunner in that department.
MarginNote 3
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.7/5)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ This app becomes interesting with its mind map and framework feature. ✅ It is an e-reader app and well a note-taking app. | ❌ The application requires payment. ❌The app does not support KPF files so they will have to be converted to PDF to be displayed. I.e. a kindle file will not be directly displayed on the app. |
User Experience:
MarginNote3 allows a free trial for 14 days. The app has fewer glitches and errors than its previous versions. Data recovery is now possible from ‘trash’. It allows PDF conversion and multitasking. It supports apple pencil alongside typing, sketching, and editing. The app is user-friendly and has good features. This app is, particularly for students. Other users may also find it useful to some extent. The user can highlight the text while reading it.
LiquidText
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5/5)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ It provides the option of a split-screen, which allows you to read, review, and take notes at the same time. ✅ Helps you to easily navigate through your documents, providing a much user-friendly user interface. | ❌ When they rolled the new update out, the status of the app from free, rose to premium. ❌The app is still actively being updated (beta stages), there are a few bugs and glitches that might cause problems. |
User Experience:
LiquidText is an iPad-only note-taking application. The developer seeks to make it exclusive to the device and keeps improving on the issues that users might be facing. While amassing a lot of positive reviews for its ability to allow multitasking, easy accessibility of documents from Safari to the app, good import and export functionality. It still has a few glitches and problems to address.
Noted
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.4/5)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ The audio-focused feature, that Noted has worked hard to perfect, is the best feature of the app. ✅ It allows timestamps with each audio note which you can search easily. | ❌ Compared to other apps that offer a lifetime subscription. ❌Noted seeks an annual subscription to provide its complete services. |
User experience:
Not only is the audio-focused approach of Noted unique, but their user interface is too. Giving a vast variety of themes to select from, and the option of time stroke seems to be a user’s favorite. It is backed up with your iCloud, allowing easy access of your notes across all your devices.
Whink
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.1/5)
| PROS | CONS |
| ✅ Taking notes on this app is exactly like taking notes on a notebook with a pen! ✅ It has a gel ink pen with unlimited color options. ✅ The user can make charts, geometric shapes, and tags and even label them. | ❌ The most inconvenient specification is that it does not synchronize with iCloud. |
User Experience:
The app is not free yet very affordable. Users can doodle, draw, write, and even type notes. The app encourages multitasking. So adding notes and reading a separate document at the same time is possible. Fixing mistakes and errors is convenient in the app. The app supports PDF conversion as well.
Our Picks
All the applications have different perks and audience appeal, but they all are preferably the best note-taking apps for iPad that can be availed on the market. Most people keep separate note-taking apps, depending on the features they provide, at times individuals keep one app for taking the notes and the second one for incorporating those points more concisely.
Best for Handwriting
For users seeking apps that excel in handwriting, their top priority should be Nebo as it can read 66 languages. Noteshelf is another very good application for this task. If you seek to give your notes a more stylish and gel pen-like look, Whink seems to be the best app for that. Notability is an excellent option too. It provides other high-quality and advanced features along with this.
Best Free Note-Taking App
Moving on if you are a user who seeks note-taking apps for your iPad that are completely free. These are the apps you should choose from. The simplest of the bunch and easiest to use is the iPad’s built-in Apple Notes app. Then Microsoft OneNote takes the functionalities a notch higher, also being completely free. For users who prefer an app that will sync audio and handwriting, Noted is the best platform to go for.
Best for Avid Readers
If you are an avid reader and like to make notes on your e-books. Apps like Evernote, Microsoft OneNote, LiquidText, Notability all allow you to do that. Although MarginNote3 gives this feature too, it cannot support kindle files. So if you are a user that uses kindle for their e-books, it is better to avoid MarginNote3 for any future problems.
Best for Drawing
There are a lot of users, who are students of art or medicine, business owners, or even small children who must draw for their classes. These note-taking applications are well equipped for that too. For making diagrams, charts, hand drawings, or even doodles, when you get bored in class. Notability, GoodNotes5, Note Plus, Noteshelf, Noted, all are great apps
Keeping all these things in mind. It all comes down to what kind of note-taking services are you exactly looking for. Plus, are you willing to pay for them or not.
For other queries related to various iPhone features, check out our blog.
