Note-Taking Apps User Guide
Let’s explore the similarities and standout features of GoodNotes, Noteshelf, Notability, Collanote, and Noteful, including their availability on iOS and Android.
Most note-taking apps share several common features. These include:
Handwriting & Drawing: All allow users to write or draw with a stylus, offering a natural writing experience.
Multi-Page Support: All apps support multiple pages in a single notebook or document.
Customizable Pen Tools: Each app offers a variety of pen types, colors, and thicknesses for writing and drawing.
Import PDFs: Users can import and annotate PDFs.
Export Options: Export files as PDFs or images for sharing or printing.
Highlighter Tool: All apps provide a highlighter for marking important text.
Undo/Redo Function: Ability to undo and redo actions in the document.
Page Templates: Offers various pre-made templates for notebooks, planners, and journals.
Zoom-in for Detailed Writing: Features a zoom window to write more precisely, particularly useful for small details.
Folder Organization: Support for organizing notebooks or documents into folders.
Sync Across Devices: Support for syncing notebooks across devices using cloud services (iCloud, Dropbox, etc.).
Search Function: Text and handwritten notes are searchable within the app.
Bookmarking: Users can add bookmarks to easily navigate important pages or sections.
Dark mode: Offers a Dark Mode for easy viewing in low light.
Password Protection: Add a password to lock and protect sensitive notes.
GoodNotes
iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac
GoodNotes Marketplace: Access a collection of customizable templates and stickers to enhance your note-taking experience.
Handwriting Recognition: Converts handwriting to text for searchable notes (on GoodNotes 6).
AI Features: Utilizes AI for features like handwriting recognition, note tagging, and text conversion, enhancing searchability and organization.
Presentation Mode: Turns your tablet into a digital whiteboard, projecting your notes to larger screens for presentations.
Shape Detection Tool: Perfectly smooths drawn shapes for diagrams and charts.
Collaborative Notebooks: Share notebooks with others for real-time collaboration and annotation.
Flashcards: Create flashcards from notes for easy review.
Noteshelf
iOS, Android, and Windows
Audio Recording: Record and attach audio to your notes.
Password Protection: Lock individual notebooks for privacy and security.
Realistic Pen Pressure Sensitivity: Supports a more natural writing experience with variable pen pressure and a variety of pen styles.
Audio Bookmarking: Bookmark specific points within audio recordings for easy reference and replay.
Customizable Cover Designs: Offers a wide array of cover designs to personalize each notebook aesthetically.
Dual Indexing System: Tag and categorize notes using folders and tags, creating a more dynamic organizational system.
Apple Watch Integration: Record audio on the go with your Apple Watch, which syncs directly to your Noteshelf notebooks.
Automatic Language Detection: Recognizes and converts handwriting in multiple languages without needing to switch settings manually.
Notability
iOS
Multimedia Notes: Combine handwriting, typing, and audio recording in a single note.
Multi-Note View: View two notes side by side for cross-referencing and multitasking.
Infinite Scroll: Infinite canvas for continuous note-taking.
Convert Handwriting to Math: Recognizes mathematical symbols and equations in handwriting, transforming them for clearer presentation.
Planner Mode: Integrate personal planners with task lists, due dates, and reminders within the notes.
Paper Templates: Offers a variety of unique paper templates such as engineering grid, sheet music, and calligraphy.
Collanote
iOS
Infinite Canvas: Create unlimited space for notes on a single page.
Gesture Controls: Intuitive gestures for erasing, zooming, and selecting text.
Apple Pencil Support: Enhanced features for Apple Pencil, including pressure sensitivity.
Offline Access: Work on notes without an internet connection.
Real-Time Collaboration with Audio Chat: Collaborate on notes with live voice chat.
Advanced Layer System: Work on multiple layers, great for complex notes or annotations.
Handwriting Playback: Replay handwritten notes stroke-by-stroke.
Customizable Writing Sounds: Realistic sounds for writing tools enhance the experience.
Interactive Hyperlinks: Add links within notes for easy navigation or external references.
Continuous Typing in Text Mode: Type seamlessly within the document without switching views.
Noteful
iOS
Noteful AI Assistant: Helps organize and prioritize notes with AI suggestions.
Smart Auto-Organization: Automatically categorizes notes as you type.
Visual Note Gallery: Displays notes as tiles with preview thumbnails for easy browsing.
Mood-Based Organization: Tags notes by mood (e.g., "happy," "stressed").
Note-to-Action Conversion: Turns notes into to-do lists with reminders and deadlines.
Interactive Sketches: Create and interact with diagrams or drawings within notes.
Seamless Video Embedding: Embed and play videos directly in notes.
Real-Time Collaboration: Edit notes together with live updates and version control.
Contextual Reminders: Automatically generates reminders based on note content.
You can explore additional apps like Kilonotes available on both iOS and Android, as well as Penly on Android. Each app brings its own unique features and functionalities.
I recommend checking the app stores or official websites for the latest features and details of each mentioned app.
Last updated