GoodNotes Alternatives for Mac

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

filter to find the best alternatives

GoodNotes alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools, but if you're looking for Digital Painting 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. Obsidian icon

    Obsidian

     1078 likes
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    Privacy-oriented note-taking app for non-linear thinking, blending knowledge graph creation with wiki-style linking. Supports Markdown, end-to-end encryption, and plugins for customization. Offers distraction-free mode, tags, themes, syntax highlighting, and operates offline without tracking.

    162 Obsidian alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • Safari
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Obsidian screenshot 1
     
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    Comments about Obsidian as an Alternative to GoodNotes
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    Is not that good for using it as a paper replacement.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    GoodNotes Icon
    Obsidian icon

    • Obsidian is the most popular Windows, Android, Mac & iPhone alternative to GoodNotes.

    • Obsidian is the most popular free alternative to GoodNotes.

    • Obsidian is Freemium and ProprietaryGoodNotes is also Freemium and Proprietary
    • Obsidian is Lightweight and Privacy focusedGoodNotes is not according to our users
  2. 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
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    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
  4. 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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    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
  5. 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
  6. 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
     
  7. 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
     
  9. Saber icon

    Saber

     30 likes
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    A (work-in-progress) cross-platform libre notes app. Please note that this app is still in early stages and not ready to trust with your notes yet.

    25 Saber alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    Saber screenshot 1
    Saber screenshot 2
    Saber screenshot 3
     
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    Comments about Saber as an Alternative to GoodNotes
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    It is the only somewhat good open-source alternative to Goodnotes & Notability. I know it is currently missing a lot of features found in Goodnotes, but in the future it could become a real competitor, so give it a try.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    GoodNotes Icon
    Saber icon
    • Saber is Free and Open SourceGoodNotes is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Saber is Privacy focused and LightweightGoodNotes is not according to our users
  10. Notability icon

    Notability

     52 likes
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    Truly integrated iOS app combining handwriting, PDF annotation, and text for seamless note-taking. Auto Sync backs up notes. Customize themes, library, and toolbars for a personalized experience with robust features.

    54 Notability alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Notability screenshot 1
    Notability screenshot 2
    Notability screenshot 3
     
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    20
    Comments about Notability as an Alternative to GoodNotes
    RemovedUser
    Negative
    0

    It is a post-it like app. No handwriting.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    GoodNotes Icon
    Notability icon

    • Most users think Notability is a great GoodNotes alternative.

    • Notability is Freemium and ProprietaryGoodNotes is also Freemium and Proprietary
  11. Noteshelf icon

    Noteshelf

     17 likes
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    Take beautiful handwritten notes or annotate PDFs on your iPad, and now even on your iPhone. With the new Noteshelf you can do all of the familiar, like type notes, record audio, draw shapes, sketch, sign contracts, fill forms, along with a lot of new, like add bookmarks, create...

    77 Noteshelf alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch
    • Chrome OS
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • Samsung Galaxy Store
    • Windows
    Noteshelf screenshot 1
    Noteshelf screenshot 2
    Noteshelf screenshot 3
     
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    12
    Comments about Noteshelf as an Alternative to GoodNotes
    Guest
    Positive
    2

    way better in organizing my notes and the handwriting tool is really good.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    GoodNotes Icon
    Noteshelf icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Noteshelf is a great GoodNotes alternative.

    • Noteshelf is the most popular commercial alternative to GoodNotes.

    • Noteshelf is Paid and ProprietaryGoodNotes is Freemium and Proprietary
  12. Notes icon

    Notes

     38 likes
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    Use Notes to capture a quick thought, create checklists, sketch ideas, and more. And with iCloud, you can keep your notes up to date across all your devices.

    136 Notes alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Online
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Notes screenshot 1
     
  13. NoteLab icon

    NoteLab

     12 likes
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    NoteLab brings the power of digital note taking to Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, and Solaris.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    NoteLab screenshot 1
     
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    14
  14. Soysauce Lab Noto icon

    Soysauce Lab Noto

     8 likes
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    Noto is a modern writing app. With delightful interactions, powerful editing tools, and a beautiful design, Noto helps you capture the best of your everyday life.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once or Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Soysauce Lab Noto screenshot 1
     
12 of 22 GoodNotes alternatives