Notability vs reMarkable (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Notability grades higher than reMarkable: 3.4 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Notability 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.
Notability
Handwritten notes with synced audio, transcripts and AI study tools
reMarkable
Paper tablets for handwritten notes, plus an optional subscription
Which one is for you
Pick Notability if
- Fits if you record lectures and want to hear what was said when you wrote a line
- Works for students who revise from flashcards and quizzes made from their own notes
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're never paying, because the Starter plan stops at 5 notes
- Pricey if you pay monthly, with Lite at $4.99 a month against $14.99 for the whole year
- Skip it if you want AI summaries and unlimited transcription for little money, as those sit on Pro at $99.99 a year
- Watch out: audio recording starts at Plus, and the only free trials are 30 days on the Business plans
- Watch out: handwriting recognition, math conversion and audio playback sync are iOS and Android only, and YouTube conversion is web only
Pick reMarkable if
- Fits if you want a screen with no apps or notifications for handwriting and reading
- Works for people who mark up Word and Google Docs files by hand
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you want colour or the pen bundle: prices shown are the starting configuration
- Tight if you skip Connect: files not touched in 50 days leave the cloud and the apps can't take notes
- Watch out: the site says it doesn't ship to every country, and sells from its own web shop
- Not for you if you want a try-before-you-buy: only a 50-day return period
How we grade them
| 3.4GPANotabilityVery good | 1.8GPAreMarkableWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | ALite is $14.99 a year and Plus $19.99, where notes apps here sit around $6 a month in the middle: a whole year for less than three months of the usual. Classic is $49.99 once if you hate subscriptions. Do pay yearly, though, since Lite month to month is $4.99, or $59.88 over a year. | CPaper Pure is $399, Paper Pro Move $449 and Paper Pro $629 as starting prices, plus Connect at $3.99 a month or $39.90 a year if you want the full set of features. It is hardware, so we set it against other tablets, not note apps. |
| Free plan and trial | CStarter is free with every editing tool, PDF import and 20,000+ templates, but it's 5 notes and that's your lot, which you'd pass in a week. The only free trials are 30 days on the Business plans. | FNothing is free: you buy the tablet first. The 50-day Connect trial and 50-day return period are not a free way in. |
| Features | BHandwriting, typing and PDF markup on one page, with audio recorded and transcribed alongside and playback that follows the line you were writing. Plus makes up to 400 quiz questions a month, Pro adds live summaries. Handwriting recognition, math conversion and audio playback sync are iOS and Android only. | CHandwriting, conversion to text, Word and Google Docs import, and sync to phone and computer. The listing's gaps: without Connect the apps can't take notes and old files leave the cloud. |
| Ease of use | A4.76 from about 457,000 App Store ratings, the top mark on our scale. The plan list is the one chore: six of them, with different features on each. | CNo store rating on record. A device to pair with an account, with its own way of working to learn. |
| Platforms and integrations | AiPad, iPhone, Mac, Windows, Android and the web, with iCloud, YouTube and school device managers like Jamf, Mosyle and Intune. That covers every device type, though YouTube conversion is web only and third-party backups are iOS only. | BMobile and desktop apps, with Slack, Miro, Google Docs and Word. The pages don't list which systems the apps run on. |
| Best for | lecture notes with the audio attached | handwritten notes on a paper-like tablet |
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: Notability and reMarkable. How we grade
Where they differ
- Notability also covers transcription and templates.
At a glance
| Notability | reMarkable | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $14.99 per year, or $4.99 per month (Lite) | $399 one-time (Paper Pure); Connect from $3.99 per month |
| Free plan | Starter plan: 5 notes with all editing tools, PDF and document import, access to 20,000+ templates and 7-day version history. | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial on the Business and Business Pro plans. | 50-day free trial of Connect when pairing a device; 50-day return period on tablets |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Ginger Labs | reMarkable AS |
| Price read from | notability.com | remarkable.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Notability
- The free Starter plan is limited to 5 notes.
- Audio transcription and the AI quiz and flashcard tools start at Plus; real-time summaries, note chat and unlimited transcription are listed under Pro.
- Third-party backups are iOS only, and YouTube link-to-note conversion works on the web only.
- The plan comparison marks handwriting recognition, math conversion and audio playback sync as iOS and Android only.
reMarkable
- Without Connect, only files used and synced in the last 50 days stay in the cloud, and the apps cannot take notes.
- Prices shown are the starting configuration of each tablet; the Marker and other bundles raise the price.
- The site says it does not ship to every country, and its tablets are sold from its own web shop.
- The pages do not list which operating systems the desktop and mobile apps support.
Key features
Notability
- Handwriting, typing and document markup
- Notes combine handwriting, typed text, images and sketches on one page, and PDFs, documents and slides can be imported and written on.
- Audio recording with transcripts
- Lectures and meetings are recorded alongside your notes and transcribed, and playback follows the moment each note was written. Live transcription is unlimited on Pro.
- AI flashcards and quizzes
- Practice questions, quizzes and flashcards are generated from your notes: up to 400 questions a month on Plus and unlimited on Pro.
- Summaries and chat with your notes
- Pro generates real-time summaries of notes, imported documents and recordings and answers questions about a note in a chat. Meeting notes can also yield action-item checklists.
- YouTube link-to-note
- On the web, a YouTube link is converted into a note with a transcript and summary: 100 conversions a month on Plus, unlimited on Pro.
- Collaboration and shared libraries
- Notes can be shared by link and edited together live. Business plans add shared note libraries, centralized user admin and admin-based feature controls.
reMarkable
- Paper-like writing surface
- Tablets have no apps or notifications; the screen is built for handwriting, reading and annotating documents.
- Handwriting to text
- Convert handwritten notes to typed text and select, move or layer work on the device.
- Sync to phone and computer
- Mobile and desktop apps let you view, organize and import files; taking and editing notes in the apps needs Connect.
- Connect subscription
- Adds unlimited cloud storage, handwriting search, templates, and sending notes to Slack or Miro.
- Import Word and Google Docs
- With Connect, Word files and Google Docs can be turned into notebooks to read and mark up with the pen.
Plans
Notability
Starter$0
5 notes with all editing tools, PDF and document import, 20,000+ templates and 7-day version history.
Lite$4.99
per month, or $14.99 per year
Unlimited notes and third-party backups (iOS only), with 7-day version history.
Plus$7.99
per month, or $19.99 per year
Adds audio recording and transcription, handwriting search, up to 400 AI quiz and flashcard questions and 100 YouTube conversions a month.
Pro$19.99
per month, or $99.99 per year
Unlimited live transcription, real-time AI summaries, quizzes, flashcards and YouTube conversions, chat with your notes and 90-day version history.
Classic$49.99
one-time purchase
Unlimited notes with handwriting recognition and search, math conversion to LaTeX, live collaboration and Notability Cloud sync.
Business$6
per user / month, or $60 per user / year
Shared note libraries, central admin and billing, AI summaries and transcription. Business Pro is $18 per user / month or $180 per year.
reMarkable
Connect, monthly$3.99
per month
Optional subscription: unlimited cloud storage, handwriting search, note-taking in the apps, and sharing tools.
Connect, annual$39.90
per year
The same Connect subscription billed yearly, described as 12 months for the price of 10.
Paper Pure$399
one-time, starting price
Black-and-white paper tablet; the price shown is the starting configuration, with up to 3 weeks of battery life.
Paper Pro Move$449
one-time, starting price
The most portable tablet, with a 7.3-inch color display and up to 2 weeks of battery life.
Paper Pro$629
one-time, starting price
Full-size 11.8-inch color tablet with an adjustable reading light; higher configurations cost more.
Ways to pay less
Notability
- Annual discount
Yearly plans cost far less than paying monthly
Lite is $14.99 per year against $4.99 per month ($59.88 over a year), Plus $19.99 against $7.99 per month and Pro $99.99 against $19.99 per month. Business is $60 per user yearly or $6 monthly.
- Lifetime license
Classic one-time purchase
The Classic plan is a one-time purchase, regularly $49.99, with unlimited notes, handwriting recognition, live collaboration and Notability Cloud sync and no subscription.
- Education
Free for schools that manage devices
Schools managing devices through an MDM such as Jamf or Mosyle can use Notability for Education at no cost. It is similar to the Plus subscription and configurable by administrators.
- Other savings
Back-to-school sale: up to 20% off all plans
At the time of checking, the pricing page showed sale prices of $11.99 (Lite), $15.99 (Plus) and $79.99 (Pro) per year and $39.99 for Classic. No end date is stated.
reMarkable
- Annual discount
Connect annual billing: 12 months for 10
Connect costs $39.90 a year instead of $3.99 a month, which reMarkable describes as 12 months for the price of 10.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Notability or reMarkable?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Notability starts at $14.99 per year, or $4.99 per month (Lite), and reMarkable starts at $399 one-time (Paper Pure); Connect from $3.99 per month.
Which has a free plan, Notability or reMarkable?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Notability has a free plan. reMarkable does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Notability and reMarkable run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Notability 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.