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The Noteshelf Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Noteshelf 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.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Noteshelf

The Insider’s Guide

Handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation for stylus devices

Noteshelf, as pictured on noteshelf.net

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Noteshelf’s own pages.

Made by Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd. · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.8GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Noteshelf’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Noteshelf’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

2.8

GPA, above 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade

Noteshelf is a handwriting-first note-taking app for iPad, iPhone, Mac, Android and Windows devices. It combines pens and highlighters modeled on real ones with PDF annotation, audio recording, typed text and more than 200 templates, and an AI assistant can summarize pages or generate notes. It is free to use with limits, and the Premium upgrade is sold differently on each platform.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Noteshelf, taken from its own pages and our grades.

  1. 1

    Best for handwritten notes on Android or Windows, bought once

    Noteshelf is a handwriting app for Android and Windows as well as Apple devices, with pens modeled on real ones, PDF markup and audio recording.

  2. 2

    What it costs

    Paid plans start at $7.99 one-time on Windows; Premium is $9.99 one-time on Android.

  3. 3

    There is a free plan

    Free: 3 notebooks with unlimited pages, hundreds of templates and Noteshelf AI with 30 monthly credits, as listed for Noteshelf 3 on Android.

  4. 4

    It runs on 4 platforms

    iOS, macOS, Android and Windows.

  5. 5

    Handwritten notes

    Write with pens and highlighters modeled on real ones, turn rough strokes into clean shapes, and use a zoom box for precise writing.

  6. 6

    Handwriting recognition

    Converts handwriting to text and searches handwritten notes in 65 languages. Recognition and search are part of Premium.

  7. 7

    PDF and document annotation

    Import PDFs, documents, slides and images, then highlight, underline and write on them. A built-in scanner digitizes paper documents.

  8. 8

    A 2.8 GPA, above 72 of 147

    That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  9. 9

    Keep it

    The plain part of Noteshelf you could make: notes and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.

Noteshelf at a glance

Pricing
Free plan, from $7.99 one-time on Windows; Premium is $9.99 one-time on Android
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Made by
Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd.
Category
Note-Taking Apps
Our grade
2.8 GPA, good
Store rating
4.6 on the App Store, 6,841 ratings

The report card

Best for handwritten notes on Android or Windows, bought once

Noteshelf is a handwriting app for Android and Windows as well as Apple devices, with pens modeled on real ones, PDF markup and audio recording. Premium is $9.99 once on Android. But free stops at 3 notebooks with no handwriting search, every platform sells it differently, the App Store shows yearly prices from $19.99 to $49.99, there's no web version, and nothing we read says notes sync between Apple and Android.

ToolGPA report cardNoteshelfGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyAPay once: $7.99 on Windows, $9.99 for Premium on Android, $14.99 Lifetime on the US App Store. A year of the middle note app here costs $72, at $6 a month, so any of those is a fraction of one year. Steer clear of Apple's Weekly at $7.99 and Monthly at $9.99.
Free plan and trialCFree gives you 3 notebooks with unlimited pages, hundreds of templates and 30 AI credits a month, going by the Android page. Three notebooks is a wall you'll hit in a term, and handwriting recognition and search are held back for Premium.
FeaturesCThe handwriting side is full: pens, shape tidying, a zoom box, PDF and slide markup, a scanner, audio recording, recognition in 65 languages, 200+ templates. But the listing names a gap in the bit that matters most, sync: iCloud on Apple, Google Drive on Android, nothing on record about moving notes between them.
Ease of useB4.56 from about 6,800 App Store ratings, which is in our B band and short of the 4.7 an A wants. Buying it is the fiddly part: the App Store shows several yearly prices from $19.99 to $49.99, so what you're offered in the app may vary.
Platforms and integrationsBiPad, iPhone, Mac, Android and Windows, with backup to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or WebDAV. No browser version at all, though, and an A here wants the web alongside the apps.
Grade point averageGood, out of 4.02.8

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 Noteshelf is for

  • Fits if you take handwritten notes with a stylus on an Android tablet or a Windows device
  • Works for marking up PDFs, slides and scanned paper, paid for once

Who it is not for

  • Tight if you're staying free, because you get 3 notebooks and no handwriting search
  • Skip it if you need the same notebooks on an iPad and an Android phone, as nothing describes sync between them
  • Pricey if you take the Weekly plan on Apple, at $7.99 a week against $14.99 once for Lifetime
  • Watch out: the App Store shows yearly Premium prices from $19.99 to $49.99, so what you're offered may vary
  • Not for you if you want to open notes in a browser, as there's no web version

Good to know

Good for

  • Students and teachers taking handwritten notes with a stylus
  • Marking up PDFs, slides and scanned documents
  • Planners and journals built from ready-made templates

Worth knowing

  • The Free tier is limited to 3 notebooks, and handwriting recognition and search require Premium.
  • Pricing differs by platform: $7.99 on the Microsoft Store, a $9.99 one-time upgrade on Android, and subscriptions or a lifetime purchase on the App Store.
  • The App Store shows several yearly Premium prices between $19.99 and $49.99, so the price offered inside the app may vary.
  • Sync uses iCloud on Apple devices and Google Drive on Android; the listings do not describe syncing between the two.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$7.99 one-time

To start. There is a free plan too

Noteshelf has a free plan. Paid plans start at $7.99 one-time on Windows; Premium is $9.99 one-time on Android.

Three notebooks is a wall you'll hit in a term, and handwriting recognition and search are held back for Premium.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Free

    $0

    3 notebooks with unlimited pages, hundreds of templates and Noteshelf AI for text with 30 monthly credits.

  • Noteshelf for Windows

    $7.99

    one-time purchase on the Microsoft Store

    The Windows app for stylus devices, with handwritten and typed notes, audio recording, PDF annotation and handwriting search.

  • Premium (Android)

    $9.99

    one-time purchase; local pricing may apply

    Unlimited notebooks, configurable digital diaries, handwriting recognition and search, and 100 monthly AI credits.

  • Premium (iPhone, iPad and Mac)

    $7.99 to $49.99

    in-app purchase: weekly, monthly, yearly or lifetime

    The US App Store lists Weekly at $7.99, Monthly at $9.99, Yearly at prices from $19.99 to $49.99, and a Lifetime purchase at $14.99.

The free plan

Free: 3 notebooks with unlimited pages, hundreds of templates and Noteshelf AI with 30 monthly credits, as listed for Noteshelf 3 on Android.

Read from noteshelf.net on Oct 9, 2026.

Ways to pay less

  • Lifetime license

    One-time Premium purchase

    Premium is a one-time $9.99 fee on Android, and the US App Store lists a Lifetime Premium in-app purchase at $14.99 next to its subscriptions.

    Stated on noteshelf.net

  • Education

    Reduced prices for schools and businesses

    Noteshelf 3 is offered to schools and businesses at reduced prices through Apple School Manager and Apple Business Manager.

    Stated on noteshelf.net

  • Other savings

    30% off Premium for Samsung Galaxy users

    The Android page advertises 30% off the Premium upgrade as an offer exclusive to Samsung Galaxy users.

    Stated on noteshelf.net

What the app costs elsewhere

Each country’s App Store price for “Noteshelf3 Weekly Premium”, against $7.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.

CountryPrice thereIn dollarsAgainst the US
Canada$7.99$5.6230% less
Turkey₺299,99$6.1024% less
Philippines₱ 399.00$6.3521% less
IndonesiaRp 119ribu$6.6617% less
Germany7,99 €$8.9512% more
South AfricaR149.99$9.0714% more
United Kingdom£6.99$9.2416% more
BrazilR$ 49,90$9.9725% more

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

4

Places it runs: macOS, Windows, iOS and Android

Handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation for stylus devices. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, AI features, notes, templates.

iPad, iPhone, Mac, Android and Windows, with backup to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or WebDAV.
From our grade for platforms and integrations
Handwritten notes
Write with pens and highlighters modeled on real ones, turn rough strokes into clean shapes, and use a zoom box for precise writing.
Handwriting recognition
Converts handwriting to text and searches handwritten notes in 65 languages. Recognition and search are part of Premium.
PDF and document annotation
Import PDFs, documents, slides and images, then highlight, underline and write on them. A built-in scanner digitizes paper documents.
Audio recording
Record lectures or meetings while taking notes and replay them later. The Apple version can also record from an Apple Watch.
Noteshelf AI
Generates handwritten notes on a topic, summarizes pages, translates text and explains terms, drawing on a monthly allowance of AI credits.
Sync and backup
iCloud sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac, Google Drive sync between Android devices, and automatic backup to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or WebDAV.

Where it runs

  • macOS
  • Windows
  • iOS
  • Android

What it works with

  • iCloud
  • Google Drive
  • OneDrive
  • Dropbox
  • Evernote
  • Unsplash
  • Pixabay

Noteshelf is made by Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

72/147

Other note-taking apps it is graded above

Noteshelf's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.

It stands best on value for money (A, above 62 of 147) and worst on features (C, above 2).

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Noteshelf’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
  • CFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 147
  • CFeaturesAbove 2 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 Noteshelf you could make: notes and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.

It costs $7.99, paid once.

What you could make

  • Notes and templates: an app builder makes these well.

What you could not

  • Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
  • It plugs into other products, iCloud, Google Drive and OneDrive among them.
  • AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
  • Hooks into the device itself: an Apple Watch app and handwriting.

What this rests on. Noteshelf’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

Goodnotes, Notability, Samsung Notes, CollaNote and Microsoft OneNote

The 5 tools Noteshelf is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 3.6GPA

    Goodnotes

    Free plan · from $11.99/yr

    Handwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant.

    • Only Goodnotes lists a web app.
    • Noteshelf also covers templates.
    • Goodnotes also covers transcription and whiteboard.
    Noteshelf and Goodnotes compared in full
  • 3.4GPA

    Notability

    Free plan · from $14.99/yr

    Handwritten notes with synced audio, transcripts and AI study tools.

    • Only Notability lists a web app.
    • Notability also covers transcription.
    Noteshelf and Notability compared in full
  • 3.2GPA

    Samsung Notes

    Free

    Samsung's free note app for Galaxy phones, tablets and Galaxy Book.

    • Only Noteshelf lists iOS and macOS apps.
    • Noteshelf can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Noteshelf and Samsung Notes compared in full
  • 3.0GPA

    CollaNote

    Free plan · from $13.90 one-time

    Handwriting and PDF markup notes for iPad, iPhone and Mac.

    • Only Noteshelf lists Android and Windows apps.
    • CollaNote also covers transcription.
    Noteshelf and CollaNote compared in full
  • 3.8GPA

    Microsoft OneNote

    Free plan · from $9.99/mo

    Microsoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes.

    • Only Microsoft OneNote lists a web app.
    • Only Microsoft OneNote lists a browser extension.
    • Noteshelf can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Noteshelf and Microsoft OneNote compared in full

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 Noteshelf free?

Noteshelf has a free plan. Free: 3 notebooks with unlimited pages, hundreds of templates and Noteshelf AI with 30 monthly credits, as listed for Noteshelf 3 on Android.

How much does Noteshelf cost?

Noteshelf lists 4 plans. Free: $0.

What platforms does Noteshelf work on?

Noteshelf is available on iOS, macOS, Android and Windows.

Does Noteshelf offer any discounts?

Noteshelf publicly lists the following: One-time Premium purchase; Reduced prices for schools and businesses; 30% off Premium for Samsung Galaxy users.

How is Noteshelf rated?

Noteshelf's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 6,841 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.

Does Noteshelf have a Linux app?

No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Noteshelf is listed for iOS, macOS, Android and Windows.

Is Noteshelf open source?

Noteshelf is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.

What does Noteshelf integrate with?

Noteshelf's listing names iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Evernote, Unsplash and Pixabay.

Does Noteshelf have a student discount?

Reduced prices for schools and businesses. Noteshelf 3 is offered to schools and businesses at reduced prices through Apple School Manager and Apple Business Manager.

Who makes Noteshelf?

Noteshelf is made by Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd.

What are the alternatives to Noteshelf?

The closest alternatives to Noteshelf in our directory are Goodnotes, Notability, Samsung Notes, CollaNote and Microsoft OneNote.

How does Noteshelf compare with other note-taking apps?

Noteshelf's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.

Could I make my own version of Noteshelf?

The plain part of Noteshelf you could make: notes and templates. What surrounds it you could not.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Noteshelf’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 Noteshelf's own pages on 9 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-02.

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 Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd. Prices change, so check noteshelf.net 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

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, "Noteshelf: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/noteshelf

Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/noteshelf/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded note-taking apps after Noteshelf, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

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Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Noteshelf’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. Noteshelf is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Fluid Touch Pte. Ltd. Prices and plans change: check noteshelf.net before you buy.