GoodNotes AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Digital Painting Tools for Mac

There are many alternatives to GoodNotes for Mac if you are looking for a replacement. The best Mac Digital Painting Tool alternative is Microsoft OneNote, which is free. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to GoodNotes and six of them are Digital Painting Tools available for Mac so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Mac Digital Painting Tool alternatives to GoodNotes are Xournal++, Linwood Butterfly, Rnote and OpenBoard Whiteboard.

filter to find the best alternatives

GoodNotes alternatives are mainly Digital Painting Tools, but if you're looking for Note-taking Tools or Whiteboards you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Windows, Open Source, Android, Linux, Kindle Fire, Free and Kindle Fire + Free. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to GoodNotes.
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Alternatives list

  1. Microsoft OneNote icon

    Microsoft OneNote

     1139 likes
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    Comprehensive digital notebook offering organizers, shared notes, multi-device syncing, and optical character recognition, plus cloud-based data management for efficient information handling and accessibility.

    137 Microsoft OneNote alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Windows Phone
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch
    • Android Wear
    • Kindle Fire
    Microsoft OneNote screenshot 1
     
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    5
    12
    Comments about Microsoft OneNote as an Alternative to GoodNotes
    Top Positive Comment
    Evan Tanner
    0

    Perfect for everything- iPad and mobile apps are free

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    0

    OneNote for Android does not have as much functionality, especially for journaling. The Android app does not have any template function, which is one of my main needs. OneNote for iOS, Windows, and Mac has this, but the Android app is very behind.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Jonathan Jewell
    Positive
    0

    Basically winning because Microsoft Office overall is so ubiquitous. Has a long way to go with the emergence of alternatives like Zettlr, Roam and Obsidian, but still, an excellent tool in itself and where it is up to now. But seriously, why have to install OneNote for Desktop and for Office if you are running it on desktop Windows OS and you own Office too - and not having all the functionality of both in either?!?!

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    3 of 5 comments
    GoodNotes Icon
    Microsoft OneNote icon

    • Some users think Microsoft OneNote is a great GoodNotes alternative, some don't.

    • Microsoft OneNote is the most popular Web-based alternative to GoodNotes.

    • Microsoft OneNote is Freemium and ProprietaryGoodNotes is also Freemium and Proprietary
  2. Xournal++ icon

    Xournal++

     183 likes
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    Handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation using pen input and pressure sensitivity, shape drawing, customizable toolbar layouts, image insertion, audio recording, multi-language options, LaTeX integration, and complete export in PDF or PNG formats across all platforms.

    55 Xournal++ alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Xournal++ screenshot 1
     
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    4
    18
    Comments about Xournal++ as an Alternative to GoodNotes
    violoncello
    Positive
    3

    It allows you to store your notes wherever you want and doesn't force you to use whatever cloud synchronisation

    LinuxDoge
    Positive
    0

    cross platform, not invasive

    Guest
    Positive
    0

    OSS alternative with many great features.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 4 comments
    GoodNotes Icon
    Xournal++ icon

    • Most users think Xournal++ is a great GoodNotes alternative.

    • Xournal++ is the most popular Open Source alternative to GoodNotes.

    • Xournal++ is Free and Open SourceGoodNotes is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Xournal++ is Privacy focused and LightweightGoodNotes is not according to our users
  4. Linwood Butterfly icon

    Linwood Butterfly

     41 likes
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    Butterfly is a note-taking app where your ideas come first. You can paint, add texts, and export them easily on every device. This app works on android, windows, linux, and in the web.

    44 Linwood Butterfly alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • AltStore
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    Linwood Butterfly screenshot 1
     

    • Linwood Butterfly is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to GoodNotes.

    • Linwood Butterfly is Free and Open SourceGoodNotes is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Linwood Butterfly is Lightweight, Customizable and Privacy focusedGoodNotes is not according to our users
  5. Rnote icon

    Rnote

     37 likes
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    Rnote aims to be a simple but functional note taking application for freehand drawing or annotating pictures or documents. It eventually should be able to import / export various media file formats.

    22 Rnote alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Rnote screenshot 1
     
  6. OpenBoard Whiteboard icon

    OpenBoard Whiteboard

     67 likes
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    OpenBoard is a cross-platform (Linux / Windows / macOS) interactive whiteboard application. It is currently maintained by the Education Department (DIP) of the Canton of Geneva in Switzerland.

    89 OpenBoard Whiteboard alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    OpenBoard Whiteboard screenshot 1
     
  7. Notestudio icon

    Notestudio

     1 like
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    Notestudio brings the charm of traditional handwriting together with powerful digital tools, making note-taking feel natural and intuitive. With flexible paper styles, advanced drawing tools, and a smooth, customizable interface, it’s perfect for capturing and organizing your ideas.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once or Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Notestudio screenshot 1
     
6 of 6 GoodNotes alternatives