Goodnotes vs Supernote (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Goodnotes grades higher than Supernote: 3.6 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 2, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Goodnotes grades higher on value for money, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Goodnotes
Handwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant
Supernote
E Ink handwriting tablets with companion mobile and desktop apps
Which one is for you
Pick Goodnotes if
- Fits if you take notes by hand on an iPad with an Apple Pencil
- Works for marking up PDFs like lecture slides, contracts and reports
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're never paying, because the Free plan stops at 3 files, 100 MB, 20 minutes of audio and watermarked exports
- Skip it if you mostly type, as reviewers who like everything else describe the text tool as clunky
- Not for you if you'd use it mainly on Android or Windows, where Goodnotes says the full feature set isn't offered
- Watch out: one library synced across Apple and non-Apple devices needs Pro at $35.99 a year, and AI Pass is $9.99 a month on top
- Watch out: the one-time Special Edition is Apple only, has limited AI and can't use Goodnotes Cloud
Pick Supernote if
- Fits if you want to write by hand and keep the notes without paying a subscription
- Works for people who read and mark up documents on a paper-like screen
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you only want to take notes: $359 for the tablet, and pens and folios cost extra
- Not for you if you want to try the product first, as there is no trial and only a 30-day return window
- Watch out: no price is given for Supernote Cloud or the partner apps
- Too light for typed notes, search and team sharing, since the device is built for handwriting
How we grade them
| 3.6GPAGoodnotesExcellent | 1.8GPASupernoteWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AEssential is $11.99 a year, about $1 a month, and Pro is $35.99, about $3, against a category middle of $6 every month. On Apple devices there's also a one-time Special Edition at $35.99. The dear bit is the AI Pass add-on, at $9.99 a month. | C$359 for the Nomad and $505 for the Manta, bought once, with no subscription listed. It is hardware, so it sits next to other tablets like reMarkable at $399, not next to note apps. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree for ever, and small with it: 3 files in total, 100 MB of storage, 20 minutes of audio recording and a watermark on every export. Enough to see whether you like the pen feel, nowhere near a term of lectures. Essential and Pro have a 7-day trial. | FNothing is free: you pay for the tablet. A 30-day return window is not a trial. |
| Features | AIt does the whole job, and one thing its rivals don't: the AI answers questions from your own handwriting and cites the page it took the answer from. Around that, searchable handwriting, PDF markup, an infinite whiteboard, typed documents and audio recorded in step with your writing. Typed text is the weak bit. | CE Ink writing, handwriting recognition, a custom Android-based system, microSD up to 2 TB and companion apps. Pens and folios are sold separately, and this is for handwriting more than for typed notes. |
| Ease of use | A4.72 from about 460,000 App Store ratings, above the 4.7 from 1,000 ratings an A needs. Writing by hand and still being able to search it is the thing reviewers keep naming. | CNo store rating on record. A device to set up and pair with an account, then learn its own system. |
| Platforms and integrations | AiPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, Windows and the web, with Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Calendar hooked in. Two catches: one library synced across Apple and non-Apple devices needs Pro, and Goodnotes says the non-iPad versions don't have every feature. | BCompanion apps for Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, plus Supernote Cloud. No API or wider integration list is shown. |
| Best for | handwritten notes and PDF markup on an iPad | handwriting on an E Ink tablet with no subscription |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Goodnotes and Supernote. How we grade
Where they differ
- Goodnotes also covers transcription and whiteboard.
At a glance
| Goodnotes | Supernote | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | $11.99 per year (Essential) | $359 one-time (Supernote Nomad) |
| Free plan | Free forever: up to 3 files in total across notebooks, whiteboards and text documents, 100 MB of storage, a 5 MB import limit, 20 minutes of audio recording and watermarked exports. | None |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial on Essential and Pro; 30-day free trial on Teams. | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Goodnotes Limited | Supernote |
| Price read from | goodnotes.com | supernote.com |
| Checked | Nov 2, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Goodnotes
- The Free plan stops at 3 files in total, 100 MB of storage and 20 minutes of audio recording, and its exports carry a watermark.
- Keeping one library in sync between Apple and non-Apple devices needs Goodnotes Cloud, which is included only from Pro.
- Goodnotes says the Android, Windows and web versions do not offer the full range of features available on iPad.
- Essential, Pro and Teams are priced per year, and AI Pass is a separate $9.99 per month add-on for more AI credits.
Supernote
- Hardware purchase only: the price is for the tablet, and pens and folios are sold separately.
- Pages we read give no price for Supernote Cloud or the partner apps.
- The site lists a 30-day return window and a 2-year warranty, with conditions in its policy.
Key features
Goodnotes
- Handwritten notebooks
- Notebooks mix handwriting, typed text, images and stickers on customizable paper templates. Handwriting stays searchable and can be converted to text.
- PDF annotation
- Imported PDFs are highlighted and marked up by hand, searched alongside notes, and keep their table of contents for navigating long documents.
- Whiteboards and text documents
- An infinite-canvas whiteboard for diagrams and mind maps and typed text documents with inline blocks sit in the same library as notebooks.
- Audio recording and meeting notes
- Audio is recorded in sync with what you write. On Pro, Goodnotes AI for Meetings transcribes and summarizes discussions and links notes to calendar events.
- Goodnotes AI
- An in-app assistant answers questions from handwriting, typed text and PDFs, with citations back to the source page. AI credits vary by plan; AI Pass adds about 12 times more.
- Sharing and real-time collaboration
- Every plan can share documents by link. Essential can join real-time collaborative documents, and Pro can host them and share by private link.
Supernote
- E Ink writing surface
- The Nomad has a 7.8-inch glass screen and the Manta a 10.7-inch flexible one, both with a frontlight.
- Handwriting recognition
- The Nomad's spec sheet lists handwriting recognition in more than 60 languages.
- Custom Android-based system
- Devices run Chauvet, an Android 11-based system built for writing, with expandable storage through a microSD card.
- Companion apps and cloud
- Partner apps for iOS, Android, macOS and Windows and Supernote Cloud are listed for moving notes off the device.
- Repairable Nomad
- The Nomad is designed so the battery, motherboard and microSD card can be replaced by the owner.
Plans
Goodnotes
Free$0
Up to 3 files, 100 MB of storage, 20 minutes of audio recording, limited sharing and limited Goodnotes AI usage.
Essential$11.99
per year
Unlimited files and audio recording, 5 GB of storage, exports without a watermark, basic Goodnotes AI and Google Calendar integration.
Pro$35.99
per year
Adds cross-platform library sync, private link sharing, hosting real-time collaboration, Drive integration and advanced AI including meeting notes.
Special Edition$35.99
one-time purchase, Apple devices only (US App Store)
Unlimited note-taking on Apple devices without a subscription. Limited Goodnotes AI and not eligible for Goodnotes Cloud.
Teams$120
per seat / year
Everything in Pro, plus SAML SSO, domain control, consolidated billing and user and admin management.
EnterpriseCustom
For 25 seats and above: AI permissions, the Microsoft Intune App SDK, dedicated account support and custom contracts.
Supernote
Supernote Nomad$359
one-time purchase
7.8-inch glass E Ink tablet with frontlight, microSD slot up to 2 TB and a replaceable battery.
Supernote Manta$505
one-time purchase
10.7-inch flexible E Ink tablet with frontlight and a microSD slot up to 2 TB.
Ways to pay less
Goodnotes
- Education
Goodnotes Education is free for K-12 schools
K-12 schools get Goodnotes Education at no cost, with no trial period, including its classroom tools for teachers and students. It currently works only on Apple devices.
- Lifetime license
Special Edition one-time purchase on Apple devices
Special Edition unlocks unlimited note-taking on Apple devices without a subscription and is listed at $35.99 on the US App Store. Availability varies by region.
Supernote
- Education
Student and teacher discounts
The site menu lists student, teacher, military and first-responder discounts; the amounts are on the linked pages.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Goodnotes or Supernote?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Goodnotes starts at $11.99 per year (Essential), and Supernote starts at $359 one-time (Supernote Nomad).
Which has a free plan, Goodnotes or Supernote?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Goodnotes has a free plan. Supernote does not.
Which platforms do Goodnotes and Supernote run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Goodnotes lists a web app. Both list macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.