Noteful
Handwritten notes and PDF markup for iPad, with tags and layers
What is Noteful?
Noteful is a handwriting and PDF annotation app for iPad and iPhone from Noteful Technologies. It pairs a vector ink engine built for Apple Pencil with tags, layers and audio recording that stays in step with what was written. The app is free to use with no time limit, and a one-time Noteful Pro purchase unlocks layers and sync between devices.
Noteful has a free plan. Paid plans start at $6.99 one-time purchase (Noteful Pro, Lifetime). See every plan
Good for
- iPad users who write with Apple Pencil and prefer to pay once
- Annotating PDFs, slides and textbooks on separate layers
- Organizing handwritten notes by tag as well as by folder
Worth knowing
- Made for iPad and iPhone only. The App Store shows it as "Designed for iPad. Not verified for macOS", and no Android, Windows or web version is offered.
- Layers and sync between devices are locked until the Noteful Pro upgrade is bought.
- The App Store listing requires iOS or iPadOS 16.4 or later.
Key features
- Vector ink for Apple Pencil
- A custom ink engine turns strokes into high-resolution vector ink, with ballpoint pen, fountain pen and highlighter brushes and recognition of geometric shapes.
- PDF and document markup
- PDFs and Microsoft Office documents import into a notebook for annotation alongside images, shapes and typed text, and the annotated pages export as PDF.
- Tags and nested tags
- Writing #tag or #nested/tag anywhere in a notebook files it. Notebooks and pages can be browsed by tag, and tags can be renamed, deleted or reassigned.
- Layers
- Annotations can sit on separate layers that are hidden, shown and rearranged independently, leaving the original content unchanged. Layers are a Noteful Pro feature.
- Audio recording
- Audio can be recorded while taking notes, and the playback position is synced with the notes written at that moment.
- Sync across iPhone and iPad
- Noteful Pro syncs notebooks between a user's iPhone and iPad devices. The listing says notebooks synced with iCloud are encrypted via account-based keys.
Noteful pricing
- Starts at
- $6.99 one-time purchase (Noteful Pro, Lifetime)
- Free plan
- Free with no time limit: handwriting, PDF and Office import, tags, audio recording and PDF export. Layers and sync between iPhone and iPad need Noteful Pro.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Noteful | $0 | Free to use without a time limit, minus the features the App Store listing marks as Pro: layers and sync across iPhone and iPad. |
| Noteful Pro, Lifetime | $6.99one-time in-app purchase on the US App Store | Unlocks the Pro features for good, including layers and sync to all of a user's iPhone and iPad devices. |
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Noteful before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Lifetime licenseNoteful Pro as a one-time purchase
The App Store listing says Noteful Pro is a one-time purchase that unlocks its features forever, listed in the US as Noteful Pro, Lifetime at $6.99.
Stated on apps.apple.com
How people rate the Noteful app
4.8
out of 5 for the iPhone and iPad app
- 5 stars86%
- 4 stars8%
- 3 stars3%
- 2 stars1%
- 1 star2%
23,910 ratings on the App Store in the United States, read Oct 9, 2026. It rates the app, not everything the product does. See the listing
Works with
Noteful alternatives
- Noteful vs Goodnotes
Free plan · from $11.99/yr
- Noteful vs Notability
Free plan · from $14.99/yr
- Noteful vs CollaNote
Free plan · from $13.90 one-time
- Noteful vs Noteshelf
Free plan · from $7.99 one-time
- Noteful vs Flexcil
Free plan · from $8.99
Common questions
Is Noteful free?
Noteful has a free plan. Free with no time limit: handwriting, PDF and Office import, tags, audio recording and PDF export. Layers and sync between iPhone and iPad need Noteful Pro. Paid plans start at $6.99 one-time purchase (Noteful Pro, Lifetime).
How much does Noteful cost?
Noteful lists 2 plans. Noteful: $0. Noteful Pro, Lifetime: $6.99 one-time in-app purchase on the US App Store. Prices were read from apps.apple.com on Oct 9, 2026.
What platforms does Noteful work on?
Noteful is available on iOS.
Does Noteful offer any discounts?
Noteful publicly lists the following: Noteful Pro as a one-time purchase.
How is Noteful rated?
Noteful's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 23,910 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 9, 2026. That is the store's rating of the app, not a score from us.
Does Noteful have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Noteful is listed for iOS.
Does Noteful have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Noteful is listed for iOS.
Is Noteful open source?
Noteful is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does Noteful integrate with?
Noteful's listing names iCloud. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Noteful?
Noteful is made by Noteful Technologies Limited.
What are the alternatives to Noteful?
The closest alternatives to Noteful in our directory are Goodnotes, Notability, CollaNote, Noteshelf and Flexcil. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Noteful.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026. What people say is linked where it appears.