The Xournal++ Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Xournal++ 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.
Xournal++
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source handwriting notes and PDF annotation for desktop
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Xournal++’s own pages.
Made by Xournal++ Team · 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 Xournal++’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Xournal++’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
2.8
GPA, above 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
Xournal++ is an open-source desktop app for handwritten notes, built for use with a stylus or drawing tablet on Windows, macOS and Linux. Pages can use paper-style backgrounds or sit on top of a PDF, and notes can include shapes, images, typed text, LaTeX formulas and audio recordings. It is a rewrite of the older Xournal program and saves journals as local .xopp files.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Xournal++, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Mac users must run two terminal commands before it opens, and ink exported to PDF can't be edited afterward.
- 1
Best for handwritten notes and PDF markup on a computer
It stops at the desktop: work on the phone and tablet app has stalled, and there's no sync.
- 2
It is free
Xournal++ has no paid plan at all. Free, open-source software under the GNU GPL version 2. Every download on the project's site is free and there is no paid edition.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 4
Stylus and tablet input
Supports pressure-sensitive styluses and drawing tablets from makers such as Wacom, Huion and XP-Pen, with configurable pen, highlighter and eraser tools.
- 5
PDF annotation
A PDF can be set as the background of a journal and written over. Text in the PDF is searchable, and the result exports back to PDF.
- 6
Shapes, images and snapping
Draws lines, arrows, circles, rectangles and splines, inserts images, and snaps objects to a grid or to steps of rotation.
- 7
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.
- 8
Keep it
Xournal++ is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Xournal++ at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Xournal++ Team
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for handwritten notes and PDF markup on a computer
Xournal++ is a free, open-source app for writing by hand on a computer with a pen or tablet, including over PDFs that you export again as PDFs. It stops at the desktop: work on the phone and tablet app has stalled, and there's no sync. Mac users must run two terminal commands before it opens, and ink exported to PDF can't be edited afterward.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | It costs nothing, in a category whose middle plan asks $6 a month. Open source under the GNU GPL version 2, every download on the project's site free, and no paid edition anywhere. |
| Free plan and trial | A | All of it is free: the stable builds, the nightly builds, and the Windows version in the Microsoft Store. There's nothing to upgrade to. |
| Features | C | For handwriting it's complete, and handwriting is a smaller job than notes: pressure-sensitive pens, writing over PDFs, shapes, layers, LaTeX formulas, audio recorded as you write, Lua plugins. Its own pages name the catches: exported ink can't be edited again, and the export drops annotations the PDF already had. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record, and the Mac build is a chore: two terminal commands before it will even open. On Windows and Linux you install it and start writing, and LaTeX needs its own install either way. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Computers only: Windows, macOS and Linux. The project says work on the Android and iOS app has stalled and the web app is gone, there's no sync, and it connects to no other apps. |
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 Xournal++ is for
- Fits if you take handwritten notes with a Wacom, Huion or XP-Pen tablet on a computer
- Works for writing over lecture slides or forms as PDFs, with LaTeX formulas beside your ink
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you write on an iPad or an Android tablet, because it's desktop only and the mobile app has stalled
- Not for you if you're on a Mac and avoid the terminal, as the app needs two commands before it opens
- Tight if you want notes synced, since each journal is a local .xopp file and nothing syncs it for you
- Watch out: moving a journal or its PDF breaks the link between them unless you use attach mode
- Watch out: ink exported to PDF can't be edited again, and the export drops annotations the PDF already had
Good to know
Good for
- Handwritten notes with a stylus or drawing tablet on a computer
- Writing over PDFs and exporting the annotated result
- Math and science notes that mix handwriting with LaTeX formulas
Worth knowing
- Desktop only: the project says development of the separate Android and iOS app has stalled and the web app is no longer available.
- A journal is stored separately from its background PDF, so moving either file breaks the link unless attach mode is used.
- The macOS release will not open until two terminal commands are run to clear and re-sign the app.
- Annotations exported to PDF cannot be edited afterward, and the export drops annotations built into the source PDF.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Xournal++ is free to use.
All of it is free: the stable builds, the nightly builds, and the Windows version in the Microsoft Store.
Xournal++
$0
The full app for Windows, macOS and Linux, as stable or nightly builds. The Windows version is also in the Microsoft Store.
The free plan
Free, open-source software under the GNU GPL version 2. Every download on the project's site is free and there is no paid edition.
Read from xournalpp.github.io on Oct 6, 2026.
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 Linux
Open-source handwriting notes and PDF annotation for desktop. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, works offline, notes.
Its own pages name the catches: exported ink can't be edited again, and the export drops annotations the PDF already had.
- Stylus and tablet input
- Supports pressure-sensitive styluses and drawing tablets from makers such as Wacom, Huion and XP-Pen, with configurable pen, highlighter and eraser tools.
- PDF annotation
- A PDF can be set as the background of a journal and written over. Text in the PDF is searchable, and the result exports back to PDF.
- Shapes, images and snapping
- Draws lines, arrows, circles, rectangles and splines, inserts images, and snaps objects to a grid or to steps of rotation.
- LaTeX editor
- A built-in LaTeX tool places typeset formulas on the page. It depends on a working LaTeX installation on the computer.
- Audio recording
- Records audio while you write and attaches the recording to objects in the note, which the Play Object tool plays back.
- Layers, toolbars and Lua plugins
- Notes can be split into layers that are hidden or edited separately, toolbars can be rearranged, and plugins are written in Lua.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Xournal++ is made by Xournal++ Team.
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
Xournal++'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 free plan and trial (A, above 100 of 147) and worst on features (C, above 2).
Xournal++ 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 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Xournal++’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 147
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 147
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Xournal++ is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
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
Xournal++ is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could make
- Notes: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- Hooks into the device itself: handwriting.
What this rests on. Xournal++’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
Rnote, Saber, Stylus Labs Write, Linwood Butterfly and Microsoft OneNote
The 5 tools Xournal++ is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Rnote
Free
Open-source app for sketching and handwritten notes with a stylus.
- 3.0GPA
Saber
Free plan · from $5/mo
Open-source handwritten notes app for phones, tablets and PCs.
- Only Saber lists Android and iOS apps.
- Saber is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
Stylus Labs Write
Free plan · from $8.99 one-time
Open-source handwriting word processor for desktop and mobile.
- Only Stylus Labs Write lists iOS and Android apps.
- Stylus Labs Write also covers whiteboard.
- 3.2GPA
Linwood Butterfly
Free
Open-source handwriting and sketching app with an infinite canvas.
- Only Linwood Butterfly lists a web app.
- Only Linwood Butterfly lists an Android app.
- Linwood Butterfly is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.8GPA
Microsoft OneNote
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Microsoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes.
- Only Xournal++ lists a Linux app.
- Only Microsoft OneNote lists a web app.
- Only Microsoft OneNote lists iOS and Android apps.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
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 Xournal++ free?
Yes. Xournal++ is free to use.
How much does Xournal++ cost?
Xournal++ lists one plan. Xournal++: $0.
What platforms does Xournal++ work on?
Xournal++ is available on macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Xournal++ have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Xournal++ is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Xournal++ have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Xournal++ is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is Xournal++ open source?
Yes. Xournal++ is open source, according to its own site.
Does Xournal++ work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Who makes Xournal++?
Xournal++ is made by Xournal++ Team.
What are the alternatives to Xournal++?
The closest alternatives to Xournal++ in our directory are Rnote, Saber, Stylus Labs Write, Linwood Butterfly and Microsoft OneNote.
How does Xournal++ compare with other note-taking apps?
Xournal++'s GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.
Is Xournal++ good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Xournal++ A for value for money. Xournal++ has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Xournal++?
Xournal++ is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Xournal++’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 the Xournal++ project's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-27.
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 Xournal++ Team. Prices change, so check xournalpp.github.io 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
- Xournal++, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/xournalpp
- 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, "Xournal++: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/xournalpp
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/xournalpp/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Xournal++, 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 Xournal++’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. Xournal++ is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Xournal++ Team. Prices and plans change: check xournalpp.github.io before you buy.