The Best Notes Taking Application Or The Worst One Ipad Planner

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 2, 2026, 2:24 PM

the best notes taking application or the worst one ipad planner

I will share my years of experience using different notes taking application. What is an advantage of taking notes in a digital format? But are all digital note-taking apps really that good? I think everyone is familiar with GoodNotes, Notability, and Noteself. Let's compare GoodNotes vs Notability vs ZoomNotes. ZoomNotes is an attempt to create something new and from my point of view it's a failure, not an app.

In order to somehow compete with the well-known app brands, ZoomNotes tried to create something narrow, it looks like for geometry students, we have a huge lineup for drawing, What can I say about... When we open an application for digital notes, we expect from it first of all intuitive ease in the use of tools, but here we see everything is different, there are buttons for drawing... Of course, some people will find this function useful, but I think it is an unnecessary complication. As I said zoomnotes is a narrow application, you can consider zoomnotes for linear algebra. 'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping.

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That's why we urge you to imagine your iPad as a powerful digital notebook. It can be the ideal tool for organizing your personal life, taking notes in class, and transcribing important meeting notes. Today's note-taking apps come with flexible features designed to match any workflow, whether that's improving your handwriting or recording audio. The best note-taking apps for iPad are highly functional and easy to use. Looking for the best planner apps for iPad in 2026? GoodNotes is the best overall choice for exceptional handwriting recognition and versatility.

PlanWiz offers the most comprehensive free features, while Things 3 delivers the most elegant minimalist experience for $9.99. Whether you’re a student juggling assignments, a professional managing deadlines, or a planning enthusiast seeking better organization, the right digital planner for iPad can transform your productivity and daily workflow. This expert-tested guide covers free and paid options to help you find your perfect match. List of 20 Best iPad Planner Apps in 2026 Read More: Best Task Planner Apps for Students to stay organized and manage assignments effectively. Read More: Check out the best time planner apps to optimize your daily schedule and your time management.

Whether you're in a meeting or solo brainstorming, you take notes—and immediately forget they exist. There's a better way: taking notes on your iPad to access them anytime, anywhere. iPad note-taking apps do more than replace the iconic duo of paper and pen. These apps store and organize your notes, import links and media files, record meetings, mark up PDFs, foster team collaboration, help with studying, and much more. It's like carrying around one magical notebook instead of 463 dog-eared, coffee-stained hot messes. But which top iPad note-taking app is right for you?

I tested them all so you don't have to. .css-19a5n3-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;}Goodnotes for the best iPad note-taking app overall .css-19a5n3-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-brand-almost-white, #fffdf9);}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-19a5n3-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;}Apple Notes for text-based notes for Apple users If you’re a serious notetaker, you know that just having an iPad and an Apple Pencil isn’t enough. The app you use for notetaking can have a huge impact on the quality of your notes. But there are hundreds of apps to choose from, and not all apps are created equal.

Today, we’re going to take a closer look at 13 of the best notetaking apps in the App Store. While there’s no “correct” way to write your notes, one of the things you’ll have to decide early on is whether you should handwrite or type them. Picture this: You're sitting in your favorite coffee shop, Apple Pencil in hand, with the entire world of ideas at your fingertips. Your iPad transforms from a simple tablet into your most powerful productivity companion, ready to capture every brilliant thought, meeting note, and creative spark. But here's the million-dollar question: which note-taking app will turn your iPad into the digital notebook of your dreams?

After testing over 30 different note-taking applications (yes, my iPad survived the marathon), I've discovered that choosing the right app is like finding the perfect pen – it needs to feel natural, work reliably,... Whether you're a student cramming for finals, a business professional managing multiple projects, or someone who just loves the feel of digital ink on screen, this comprehensive guide will help you find your perfect... Don't get me wrong – Apple Notes is fine for grocery lists and quick reminders. But using it for serious note-taking is like trying to paint the Mona Lisa with crayons. Apple Notes uses raster ink, which is low-resolution and makes writing appear smudgy. As a result, the writing doesn't look neat or readable, leading to an overall poor note-taking experience.The best iPad note-taking apps offer vector-based ink, superior organization, and features that would make even Leonardo da...

Let's dive into the crème de la crème of digital note-taking. GoodNotes 6 is the AI note-taking app loved by millions around the world.Think of it as the iPhone of note-taking apps – it just works, and it works beautifully. The iPad is an excellent tablet for students, professionals, and everyone else. Thanks to the beautiful displays, and the Apple Pencil (and Apple Pencil Pro), the iPad also doubles up nicely as a note taking device, and it’s very handy both in lectures, and in office... So, if you’re wondering how to make the most out of your iPad’s note taking abilities, here are the 10 best note taking apps for iPad that you should check out. The latest verison of Goodnotes brings a lot of amazing features for note taking.

For starters, you get support for notebooks to easily organise your notes, and you can fully customise these notebooks complete with multiple cover options, and page styles to suit your needs. Once you’ve set up your notebook, you can start taking notes with your Apple Pencil — there are three types of Pen tools in the app, and each one comes with its own settings... There’s also a pencil tool which is great for sketching, and it supports the tilt functionality as well, so you can shade in your sketches too. You also get Sticky Notes, a ruler, and an audio recording functionality directly inside your notebook so you can record your lectures or meetings while taking notes. Plus, the app supports Math Notes, which means you can write equations within your notes and Goodnotes 6 can solve them for you. For students, the app also features Study Sets, which are basically flash cards, where you can write questions and answers and then practice them to learn and remember important information from your classes.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. We list the best note taking apps for iPad, to make it simple and easy to note-take grocery lists, creative ideas and personal journaling on your iPad. Although Apple provides its own Notes app with the iPad, that app only provides basic note-taking functionality. If you want to start managing files and folders and including multimedia options, you'll need to look for something different. Luckily, there are other note-taking applications developed specifically for use on the iPad Pro which provide more advanced options.

This can be especially useful when the iPad Pro has long been promoted as a useful productivity tool. Therefore look to the third-party software we feature below to extend its use and application for a range of business purposes, as well as provide value and purpose for general consumers. Turn your iPad into the ultimate notebook. Discover 10 top note-taking apps for iPad that offer handwriting, typing, and cloud sync to stay organized. Luckily for you, we deliver. Subscribe to our blog today.

A confirmation email is on it’s way to your inbox. Imagine: You’re halfway through an important training and taking diligent, handwritten notes to reference later. All the sudden your hand cramps up. Or later, you misplace the notebook. Or maybe you go to read what you wrote, and realize that you can’t read your own handwriting. What we’re saying is: There are a lot of risks associated with taking handwritten notes, and yet diligent note-taking is important for a variety of verticals.

Luckily, an iPad can function as a powerful tool in place of a notebook, and many note-taking apps can take the stress away from you having to keep track of your own, handwritten notes.

The Best Notes Taking Application Or The Worst One Ipad Planner

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