The Notein Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Notein 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.
Notein
The Insider’s Guide
Handwriting notes, PDF markup and linked notes for Android tablets
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Notein’s own pages.
Made by Orion Studio Pte. Ltd. · checked Oct 9, 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 Notein’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Notein’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 12 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
Notein is a handwriting note-taking app for Android tablets and stylus users from Orion Studio Pte. Ltd. It offers an infinite canvas or A4 pages, PDF and document annotation, layers, audio recording synced to handwriting and bidirectional links between notes. The free tier allows up to 3 notebooks and a VIP plan adds unlimited notebooks, AI features and cloud sync. US users are directed to a separate edition named Orion Notes.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Notein, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Install it on a tablet and write: nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for handwritten notes on an Android tablet with a stylus
Notein is a handwriting app for Android tablets with an endless canvas or A4 pages, PDF markup, layers, and lecture audio that plays from wherever you tap your writing.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $5.99 per in-app item on the US listing (Orion Notes); billing basis not shown.
- 3
There is a free plan
Core features are free with a limit of up to 3 notebooks, including all handwriting tools, editor features, page management and document organization.
- 4
It runs on Android
Android.
- 5
Infinite canvas and A4 notes
Two paper sizes: an infinite canvas for freeform sketching and A4 pages, with auto-shape, 3D shapes, color sets and a template library.
- 6
PDF and document annotation
Imports PDFs, images, Word and PowerPoint files to highlight, comment and draw on, with merge and split, an in-app split screen, dictionary lookup and translation.
- 7
Bidirectional links
Links connect notes and pages in both directions across all Notein documents, for study guides, planners or a personal knowledge base.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 12 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 Notein you could make: notes, linked notes and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Notein at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $5.99 per in-app item on the US listing (Orion Notes); billing basis not shown
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- The help center says all VIP plans include a free trial period; its length is not stated.
- Runs on
- Android
- Made by
- Orion Studio Pte. Ltd.
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for handwritten notes on an Android tablet with a stylus
Notein is a handwriting app for Android tablets with an endless canvas or A4 pages, PDF markup, layers, and lecture audio that plays from wherever you tap your writing. But no price list is published, the free plan stops at 3 notebooks, cloud sync is paid, the AI works in select regions only, and in the US it's a separate app called Orion Notes that needs your notes exported and re-imported.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No price list is published anywhere. The US Play listing, under the name Orion Notes, shows $5.99 per in-app item without saying whether that's a month, a year or for life, and the help center lists monthly, yearly and lifetime VIP with no figures. A listing that can't say lands here. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free covers every handwriting tool, the editor, page management and document organizing, but it stops at 3 notebooks, which is tight for a student with more than three subjects. VIP comes with a trial of a length the help center doesn't state. |
| Features | B | An infinite canvas or A4 pages, markup on PDFs, Word and PowerPoint, layers, links between notes in both directions, and audio tied to your handwriting with speed control and silence skipping. Nothing's missing from the handwriting job, though the AI features are in select regions only. |
| Ease of use | B | Install it on a tablet and write: nothing to set up. No store rating is on record to go by. One bump for Americans: Notein isn't on the US Play Store, so you're sent to Orion Notes and have to export and re-import any notes. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Android and only Android. The site lists no iPad, Windows or web version. Notebooks sync through Google Drive or OneDrive, and that cloud sync is part of VIP. |
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 Notein is for
- Fits if you have an Android tablet and a stylus and want handwritten notes
- Works for recording lectures and tapping a line of writing to hear that moment again
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you write on an iPad, as it's Android only
- Tight if you're staying free, because 3 notebooks is the limit and cloud sync needs VIP
- Not for you if you want to see the price before you install, since no price list is published and $5.99 shows with no period
- Watch out: in the US it's a separate app, Orion Notes, and switching means exporting and re-importing your notes
- Watch out: the AI features work in select regions only, and the VIP trial's length isn't stated
Good to know
Good for
- Android tablet and stylus users who want handwritten notes
- Students annotating PDFs and slides while recording lectures
- Building linked notes into a personal knowledge base
Worth knowing
- The free tier stops at 3 notebooks; unlimited notebooks, AI features and cloud sync need VIP.
- Android only, and not listed on the US Play Store: US users are sent to a separate app, Orion Notes, and must export and re-import their notes.
- No price list is published. Billing runs through Google Play, and the US Orion Notes listing shows $5.99 per item without a billing period.
- The Play listing says the AI features are available in select regions only.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5.99
To start. There is a free plan too
Notein has a free plan. Paid plans start at $5.99 per in-app item on the US listing (Orion Notes); billing basis not shown.
VIP comes with a trial of a length the help center doesn't state.
Free
$0
Up to 3 notebooks with all handwriting tools, editor features, page management and document organization.
VIP
$5.99
per in-app item on Google Play (US); billing basis not shown
Unlimited notebooks, AI features and cloud sync, offered monthly, yearly or as a lifetime purchase. The US listing, named Orion Notes, shows a single in-app price.
The free plan
Core features are free with a limit of up to 3 notebooks, including all handwriting tools, editor features, page management and document organization.
Trying it first
The help center says all VIP plans include a free trial period; its length is not stated.
Read from play.google.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Lifetime license
VIP as a lifetime purchase
Notein's help center lists a Lifetime option beside the monthly and yearly VIP plans: a one-time payment with no recurring charges. It does not state the price.
Stated on help.notein.ai
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Android
Handwriting notes, PDF markup and linked notes for Android tablets. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, notes, linked notes, whiteboard, templates.
Nothing's missing from the handwriting job, though the AI features are in select regions only.
- Infinite canvas and A4 notes
- Two paper sizes: an infinite canvas for freeform sketching and A4 pages, with auto-shape, 3D shapes, color sets and a template library.
- PDF and document annotation
- Imports PDFs, images, Word and PowerPoint files to highlight, comment and draw on, with merge and split, an in-app split screen, dictionary lookup and translation.
- Bidirectional links
- Links connect notes and pages in both directions across all Notein documents, for study guides, planners or a personal knowledge base.
- Layers
- Handwriting, shapes and highlights can sit on separate layers, so part of a page can be revised without erasing the rest.
- Audio-synced notes
- Records a lecture or meeting while writing. Tapping handwriting jumps to that moment in the recording, with speed control, silence skipping and looping.
- Sync and backup
- Notebooks sync through Google Drive or OneDrive, with automatic and local backups. Cloud sync is part of the VIP plan.
Where it runs
- Android
What it works with
- Google Drive
- OneDrive
Notein is made by Orion Studio Pte. Ltd.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
12/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Notein's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 12 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on features (B, above 100 of 147) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Notein’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 16 of 147
- CFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 147
- BFeaturesAbove 100 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 of 147
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 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 Notein you could make: notes, linked notes and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 126 of the 147 other note-taking apps grade higher.
What you could make
- Notes, linked notes and templates: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- An endless canvas that stays smooth with hundreds of things on it.
- A real app for Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- Hooks into the device itself: handwriting.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Notein’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
Samsung Notes, Noteshelf, Squid, Notewise and Flexcil
The 5 tools Notein is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Samsung Notes
Free
Samsung's free note app for Galaxy phones, tablets and Galaxy Book.
- Only Samsung Notes lists a Windows app.
- Notein also covers linked notes and whiteboard.
- 2.8GPA
Noteshelf
Free plan · from $7.99 one-time
Handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation for stylus devices.
- Only Noteshelf lists iOS, macOS and Windows apps.
- Noteshelf can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Notein also covers linked notes and whiteboard.
- 2.0GPA
Squid
Free plan · from $1.00
Handwritten notes and PDF markup for Android and Chromebooks.
- Notein also covers linked notes and templates.
- 2.2GPA
Notewise
Free plan · from $2.42/mo
Handwriting canvas and AI notes for iPhone, iPad and Android.
- Only Notewise lists an iOS app.
- Notewise can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Notein also covers linked notes and templates.
- 2.2GPA
Flexcil
Free plan · from $8.99
PDF reader and handwriting notebook built around pen gestures.
- Only Flexcil lists an iOS app.
- Notein also covers linked notes and whiteboard.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 Notein free?
Notein has a free plan. Core features are free with a limit of up to 3 notebooks, including all handwriting tools, editor features, page management and document organization.
How much does Notein cost?
Notein lists 2 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Notein work on?
Notein is available on Android.
Does Notein offer any discounts?
Notein publicly lists the following: VIP as a lifetime purchase.
Does Notein have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Notein is listed for Android.
Does Notein have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Notein is listed for Android.
Is Notein open source?
Notein is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does Notein integrate with?
Notein's listing names Google Drive and OneDrive. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Notein have a free trial?
Yes. The help center says all VIP plans include a free trial period; its length is not stated.
Who makes Notein?
Notein is made by Orion Studio Pte. Ltd.
What are the alternatives to Notein?
The closest alternatives to Notein in our directory are Samsung Notes, Noteshelf, Squid, Notewise and Flexcil.
How does Notein compare with other note-taking apps?
Notein's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 12 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 9.
Could I make my own version of Notein?
The plain part of Notein you could make: notes, linked notes and templates.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Notein’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Notein's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-10-01.
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 Orion Studio Pte. Ltd. Prices change, so check notein.ai before you buy.
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
- Notein, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/notein
- 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, "Notein: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/notein
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/notein/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Notein, 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 Notein’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. Notein is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Orion Studio Pte. Ltd. Prices and plans change: check notein.ai before you buy.