The Best Digital Notetaking Apps for the iPad

If you haven’t tried digital notetaking yet, what are you waiting for? Or, perhaps you’ve wanted to give it a try but can’t help but wonder which app to choose. With so many options, often the most challenging part of trying new apps is just deciding which one to go with. Now, we don’t want you to flounder in indecision so we’ll make it really easy and give you our thoughts on a few amazing apps that you can choose from.

The best digital notetaking apps for the iPad.

GoodNotes

Of course, we have to start with one of our favorites which is GoodNotes. The GoodNotes tagline is, “Leave paper behind. Take beautiful, searchable handwritten notes with the note-taking app that turns your iPad into digital paper.” You’ll find so many convenient features such as, a searchable feature to find what you’ve already written, folders to organize all of your notes, and automatic syncing between devices. You can even choose from different covers and paper templates. Another awesome feature is being able to have two documents open at the same time, allowing you to read or search while also taking notes. Whether you’re a student or a busy professional, you’ll find everything that you need in one place and you’re sure to be the most organized person you know.

Price: $7.99

To Do List Planner

Penultimate

If you’re already an Evernote user, it’s worth trying out the app Penultimate which was actually created by the team at Evernote. If we piqued your interest with the GoodNotes features like multiple templates and searchable features, this is a great free option. If you are new to digital notetaking, you can always start off with a free option like this, and then transition to GoodNotes or Notability later on. The app also has a great “zoom in” feature allowing you to see what you’ve written in closer detail. With an Evernote account, you’ll be able to sync your notes across all of your devices.

Price: Free (with in-app purchases)

Notability

Users tend to love the app Notability for the ability to record voice memos, embed images, and the ease of writing, sketching and drawing. And of course, like the other apps, you can easily search the previous notes that you’ve written. Plus, as with GoodNotes and Nebo, you have the option of opening two documents at once, in case you need to reference something for when you’re drawing or writing. You also have the option of sharing your notes through GoogleDrive, Dropbox, and AirDrop.

Price: $8.99

Nebo

Nebo describes the app as, “The future of note-taking. Take smarter, more beautiful notes with the only app that makes handwriting as powerful as typed text.” If you’re looking for a little something extra, Nebo allows you to take your notetaking to the next level with the ability to structure your notes, and also add paragraphs, bullet points, and titles. You can also export your documents to Word, PDF, and HTML. Unbelievably, Nebo can even help you do simple calculations and develop equations and matrices.

Price: Free (with in-app purchases)

Now that you have four great options to choose from, click on the links for each one and see what you think! And remember what entrepreneur Marie Forleo always says, “clarity comes from engagement, not thought” So, don’t worry about making the wrong choice, instead, try out one of these for a month and see what you think. If it doesn’t completely meet your needs, try another. Even the paid ones are extremely affordable so they won’t break the bank but will definitely add a lot of convenience and simplicity to both your work and personal life!