Notability allows you to resize selected parts by using your fingers to pinch instead of having to tap “resize” like in GoodNotes. GoodNotes has a sleeker photo input option and a screenshot feature that allows you to screenshot what you selected. This really comes down to preference, but my personal opinion is that Notability is more convenient since you don’t have to change tools every time you want to draw a straight line. In GoodNotes, you select a shape tool (separate from pen tool) and they automatically detect shapes. To draw shapes such as a perfect circle or a triangle in Notability, you draw the shape and hold the stylus down for a few seconds to the shape to snap into place. GoodNotes and Notability both have wonderful eraser tools, but GoodNotes has the edge with a function called auto-deselect eraser, which allows the eraser tool to switch back to the pen tool after a single use, saving time. Its simplistic style of navigation sacrifices customization but excels in functionality. With only two layers, there’s limited embedding, but you can see all the dividers and subjects all at once on the side bar. Notability has two layers of organization, dividers and subjects. The way Notability and GoodNotes stores each note file is quite different. There are so many benefits and drawbacks to each that alter the user experience, and I’ll be explaining in depth about all the features Notability and GoodNotes have and which app is better for which type of notetaker. The “best” app will be different for each person. I get so many questions on which app is better objectively better, but to be honest, there is no better app. When I got to college, I decided to try out Notability.

Its creativity and customization options appealed to me, and I used it to decorate my notes with flair. When I first got my iPad for school, I watched a few videos explaining the differences between the two, and ultimately bought GoodNotes 5. The answer lies in what sort of experience you’re looking for.

Change goodnotes folder color