SMART Notebook review (2026): is it any good?
Lesson-building software for SMART Board classroom displays
SMART Notebook report card
Weak · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for lessons on a SMART Board
SMART Notebook is desktop software for building lessons on a SMART Board, and the vendor says it's free with one. The pages read give no price for it on its own, it only runs on Windows and macOS, and student-device work is a separate product. Skip it if you don't own the board.
Who SMART Notebook is for
- Fits if your classroom already has a SMART Board
- Works for teachers moving PDF and PowerPoint lessons onto an interactive board
Who SMART Notebook is not for
- Skip it if you don't own a SMART Board, as the pages frame it as free with one
- Not for you if you want a web or tablet version, since only Windows and macOS are named
- Too light for live work on student devices, which is the separate Lumio product
- Watch out: no price is given for the software on its own
Why SMART Notebook gets a 1.8
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyThe vendor says it's free with a SMART Board and needs no subscription, but gives no price for the software alone. The board is the real cost.
- DFree plan and trialNo standalone free plan or trial is stated. The software is free only as part of a SMART Board purchase.
- CFeaturesLesson building, PDF and PowerPoint import and a document camera link. Student-device collaboration is a separate product, Lumio.
- CEase of useNo store rating on record, and it's lesson-building software tied to a board, which takes some getting used to.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWindows and macOS desktop only. No web or tablet version is listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from SMART Technologies's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make SMART Notebook? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/smart-notebook#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/smart-notebook.svg" alt="SMART Notebook: 1.8 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where SMART Notebook stands among whiteboard and mind map tools
SMART Notebook's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 2 of the 61 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on value for money (C, above 7 of 61) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 1).
SMART Notebook has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 62 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. SMART Notebook’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 7 of 61, level with 30
- DFree plan and trialAbove 1 of 61, level with 5
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 61, level with 42
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 61, level with 44
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 61, level with 21
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 55 whiteboard and mind map tools. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep SMART Notebook, or make your own?
Keep it
SMART Notebook is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 58 of the 61 other whiteboard and mind map tools grade higher.
What you could not
- An endless canvas that stays smooth with hundreds of things on it.
- A slide editor.
- A real app for macOS and Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. SMART Notebook’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.
What is SMART Notebook?
SMART Notebook is desktop software from SMART Technologies for creating and delivering lessons on a SMART Board. The company says it is free with a SMART Board and needs no subscription. It runs on Windows and macOS and can import PDF and PowerPoint files.
Worth knowing
- The vendor frames it as free with a SMART Board; the pages read do not give a price for the software on its own.
- Desktop only: Windows and macOS are the platforms named, with no web or tablet version listed.
- Collaboration across student devices is a separate product, Lumio.
Key features
- Lesson creation
- Teachers build and deliver lessons on a SMART Board from desktop software.
- Object awareness
- The software is designed so a teacher can pick up a pen or eraser and start writing without changing a tool on screen.
- Content import
- PDF and PPT files and other curriculum content can be imported into lessons.
- Document camera link
- A SMART Document Camera can be connected to bring physical material into a lesson.
SMART Notebook pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, SMART Notebook is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Described by the vendor as free with a SMART Board, with no subscription required.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| With a SMART Board | $0 | Free with the purchase of a SMART Board; the vendor states no subscription is required. |
Read from smarttech.com on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with SMART Notebook before you buy.
Works with
- SMART Document Camera
- PowerPoint
SMART Notebook alternatives
- SMART Notebook vs Explain Everything
Free plan · from $7.49/mo
- SMART Notebook vs Ziteboard
Free plan · from $9/mo
- SMART Notebook vs Limnu
Free plan · from $5/mo
Common questions
Does SMART Notebook have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. SMART Notebook is listed for Windows and macOS.
Does SMART Notebook have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. SMART Notebook is listed for Windows and macOS.
Is SMART Notebook open source?
SMART Notebook is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.