The Notebooks Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Notebooks in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Notebooks
The Insider’s Guide
Writing, documents and tasks organized in nested books
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Notebooks’s own pages.
Made by Alfons Schmid · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Notebooks’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Notebooks’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
Notebooks is a writing and note-taking app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Windows from developer Alfons Schmid. Plain text, Markdown and formatted documents sit alongside PDFs and other files in nested books, any of which can be turned into a task list with due dates. Everything is stored as regular files in standard formats and synced through iCloud, Dropbox or WebDAV. Each platform's app is a separate one-time purchase with no subscription.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Notebooks, taken from its own pages and our grades.
There's no Android, Linux or web version, no free plan, no trial on iPhone, and WebDAV sync has to be set off by hand.
- 1
Best for notes, long documents and tasks kept as plain files
Notebooks keeps notes, long documents and to-dos in one place, as regular files in standard formats, paid for once.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $17.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $43.99 one-time for Mac.
- 3
You can try it first
Free trial versions for Mac and Windows; the Windows trial expires after 30 days
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
iOS, macOS and Windows.
- 5
Text, Markdown and formatted documents
Write in plain text, Markdown or formatted text with styles, tables, checklists, images and attachments, and convert between the formats at any time.
- 6
Nested books
Documents and imported files live in books that nest into hierarchies and can be reordered freely. Smart Books collect recent items, favorites and tasks.
- 7
Task lists inside books
Any book can become a task list and nested books become nested projects, with due dates, alerts and recurring tasks. Tasks can be extracted from documents.
- 8
A 3.0 GPA, above 107 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Notebooks you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes, tasks and long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Notebooks at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $17.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $43.99 one-time for Mac
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free trial versions for Mac and Windows; the Windows trial expires after 30 days
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, iOS
- Made by
- Alfons Schmid, since 2008
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for notes, long documents and tasks kept as plain files
Notebooks keeps notes, long documents and to-dos in one place, as regular files in standard formats, paid for once. But you pay once per platform: $17.99 on iPhone and iPad, $19 on Windows and $43.99 on Mac, with storage locations a $2.99 extra on iPhone. There's no Android, Linux or web version, no free plan, no trial on iPhone, and WebDAV sync has to be set off by hand.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | One-time prices: $17.99 for iPhone and iPad, $19 for Windows, $43.99 for Mac. Notes apps here run about $6 a month in the middle, so each of those is under a year of one and nothing recurs. Do add them up if you need more than one, because every platform is its own purchase. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. There are free trial versions for Mac and Windows, and the Windows one expires after 30 days. On iPhone and iPad it's a straight $17.99 purchase with no trial at all. |
| Features | B | Plain text, Markdown and formatted documents with tables, images and attachments, books nested inside books, any book turned into a task list with due dates and repeats, wiki links, backlinks, search inside PDFs and export to PDF or eBook. Nothing core is missing; WebDAV sync is manual only. |
| Ease of use | B | It installs like any app and your documents stay ordinary files. No App Store rating is on record to go by. Sync is the part to think about, since the WebDAV mode has no automatic option and has to be set off by hand. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac and Windows, with files synced through iCloud Drive, Dropbox or WebDAV, or straight between devices over Wi-Fi. No Android, Linux or web version, which is what keeps it off the top mark. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Notebooks is for
- Fits if you'd rather buy your notes app once than subscribe
- Works for writing long things and compiling several documents into one PDF or eBook, saved as regular files
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you have an Android phone, as there's no Android, Linux or web version
- Pricey if you need it everywhere, because iPhone, Windows and Mac are three separate purchases
- Not for you if you rely on WebDAV and want sync to run by itself, since that mode is manual
- Watch out: Custom Storage Locations is a $2.99 in-app purchase on top of the $17.99 iPhone and iPad app
- Tight if you want to try it first on iPhone or iPad, where there's no trial, and the Windows trial ends after 30 days
Good to know
Good for
- Writers who want notes, long documents and tasks in one app
- People who prefer one-time purchases to subscriptions
- Users who want their documents kept as regular files they can reach from other apps
Worth knowing
- Each platform is a separate purchase: $17.99 for iPhone and iPad, $19 for Windows and $43.99 for Mac.
- The site offers no Android, Linux or web version.
- On iPhone and iPad, Custom Storage Locations is a $2.99 in-app purchase on top of the app price.
- WebDAV sync has no automatic mode and has to be triggered manually.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$17.99 one-time
To start
Notebooks is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $17.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $43.99 one-time for Mac.
Do add them up if you need more than one, because every platform is its own purchase.
Notebooks for iPhone and iPad
$17.99
one-time purchase (US App Store)
The iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch app. Custom Storage Locations is a $2.99 in-app purchase, and optional tips are offered.
Notebooks for Windows
$19
one-time license
A license file for the Windows app, which shares its files with the iPhone and iPad app through iCloud Drive, Dropbox or WebDAV.
Notebooks for Mac
$43.99
one-time purchase
Sold directly, with activation on up to five Macs, or through the Mac App Store at the same price. There are no recurring fees.
Trying it first
Free trial versions for Mac and Windows; the Windows trial expires after 30 days
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 6, 2026.
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for the app, against $43.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $59.99 | $42.17 | about the same |
| India | ₹ 4,499 | $46.51 | 6% more |
| Turkey | ₺2.299,99 | $46.77 | 6% more |
| Philippines | ₱ 2,990.00 | $47.60 | 8% more |
| Mexico | $999.00 | $54.89 | 25% more |
| Germany | 49,99 € | $56.02 | 27% more |
| Brazil | R$ 299,90 | $59.92 | 36% more |
| South Africa | R999.99 | $60.48 | 37% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and iOS
Writing, documents and tasks organized in nested books. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: local-first, one-time purchase, notes, Markdown, linked notes, tasks, long-form writing.
Nothing core is missing; WebDAV sync is manual only.
- Text, Markdown and formatted documents
- Write in plain text, Markdown or formatted text with styles, tables, checklists, images and attachments, and convert between the formats at any time.
- Nested books
- Documents and imported files live in books that nest into hierarchies and can be reordered freely. Smart Books collect recent items, favorites and tasks.
- Task lists inside books
- Any book can become a task list and nested books become nested projects, with due dates, alerts and recurring tasks. Tasks can be extracted from documents.
- Links, backlinks and search
- Wiki-style links connect documents, backlinks show where a document is referenced, and full-text search covers documents, PDFs and attachments.
- PDF and eBook export
- Compile one or more documents into a PDF or an eBook at any time; the developer's own handbooks are produced this way.
- Regular files and flexible sync
- Documents are regular files in standard formats, synced through iCloud Drive, Dropbox or WebDAV, or directly between devices over a local Wi-Fi network.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
What it works with
- iCloud Drive
- Dropbox
Notebooks is made by Alfons Schmid, and has been around since 2008.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
107/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Notebooks's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 62 of 147) and worst on free plan and trial (C, above 7).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Notebooks’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- CFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 147
- BFeaturesAbove 100 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 of 147
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 86 of 147
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Notebooks you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes, tasks and long-form writing. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade. It costs $17.99, paid once.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown, linked notes, tasks and long-form writing: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Notebooks’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
DEVONthink, Keep It, Obsidian, Bear and NotePlan
The 5 tools Notebooks is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
DEVONthink
Free trial · from $99 one-time
Document and information manager for Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- Only Notebooks lists a Windows app.
- Only DEVONthink lists a web app.
- Only DEVONthink lists a browser extension.
- 2.4GPA
Keep It
Free trial · from $2.99
Notebook and document organizer for Mac, iPhone and iPad.
- Only Notebooks lists a Windows app.
- Only Keep It lists a browser extension.
- Notebooks also covers tasks and long-form writing.
- 3.6GPA
Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.
- Obsidian has a free plan. Notebooks does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Obsidian lists Linux and Android apps.
- Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
Bear
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with tags and links.
- Bear has a free plan. Notebooks does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Notebooks lists a Windows app.
- Only Bear lists a browser extension.
- 2.4GPA
NotePlan
Free trial · from $8.33/mo
Markdown notes, tasks and calendar in one daily note.
- Only Notebooks lists a Windows app.
- Only NotePlan lists a web app.
- Notebooks can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Notebooks free?
No, Notebooks is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free trial versions for Mac and Windows; the Windows trial expires after 30 days.
How much does Notebooks cost?
Notebooks lists 3 plans. Notebooks for iPhone and iPad: $17.99 one-time purchase (US App Store).
What platforms does Notebooks work on?
Notebooks is available on iOS, macOS and Windows.
Does Notebooks have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Notebooks is listed for iOS, macOS and Windows.
Does Notebooks have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Notebooks is listed for iOS, macOS and Windows.
Is Notebooks open source?
Notebooks is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
What does Notebooks integrate with?
Notebooks's listing names iCloud Drive and Dropbox. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Notebooks?
Notebooks is made by Alfons Schmid. It dates from 2008.
What are the alternatives to Notebooks?
The closest alternatives to Notebooks in our directory are DEVONthink, Keep It, Obsidian, Bear and NotePlan.
How does Notebooks compare with other note-taking apps?
Notebooks's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
Could I make my own version of Notebooks?
The plain part of Notebooks you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes, tasks and long-form writing.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Notebooks’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Notebooks' own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-09.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Alfons Schmid. Prices change, so check notebooksapp.com before you buy.
- apps.apple.com/us/app/notebooks-write-and-organize/id1449826029?mt=12
- apps.apple.com/us/app/notebooks-write-and-organize/id1490084838
- checkout.paddle.com/api/2.0/prices?product_ids=546055,864533&customer_country=US
- notebooksapp.com/
- notebooksapp.com/mac/
- notebooksapp.com/ios/
- notebooksapp.com/pc/
- notebooksapp.com/download/
- notebooksapp.com/faq/
- notebooksapp.com/ios/sync-between-devices/
- notebooksapp.com/task-management/
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Notebooks, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/notebooks
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Notebooks: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/notebooks
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/notebooks/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Notebooks, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 148 note-taking apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft OneNote Insider's GuideMicrosoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes3.8 GPA
- Goodnotes Insider's GuideHandwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant3.6 GPA
- Joplin Insider's GuideOpen source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose3.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Notebooks’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Notebooks is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Alfons Schmid. Prices and plans change: check notebooksapp.com before you buy.