Best Microsoft Journal Alternatives

Microsoft Journal is described as 'Journal, a Microsoft Garage project, is a Windows 10 app helping people who love to journal to evolve their ideas and express themselves quickly with the power of their digital pen' and is a Note-taking tool in the office & productivity category. There are more than 25 alternatives to Microsoft Journal for a variety of platforms, including Windows, iPad, Android Tablet, Android and iPhone. The best alternative is Xournal++, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Microsoft Journal are NoteLedge, GoodNotes, Notability and xournal.

Microsoft Journal alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools but may also be Todo List Managers or Journaling Apps. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Microsoft Journal.

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Microsoft Journal

Free • Proprietary
Note-taking Tool
Windows

Journal, a Microsoft Garage project, is a Windows 10 app helping people who love to journal to evolve their ideas and...

Learn more about Microsoft Journal

Xournal++
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Note-taking Tool
Digital Painting Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
Chrome OS
Android Tablet
Self-Hosted
36 alternatives to Xournal++
Xournal++ (a fork of Xournal) is a handwriting Notetaking software with PDF annotation support. Written in C++ with platform independent GTK, supporting Linux, e.g. Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, Suse, macOS and Windows 10. Supports Pen input like Wacom Tablets.
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Xournal++ Features
1. Handwritten NotesXournal++ supports writing by hand (or a stylus) and your text will be converted to text.
2. PDF annotationXournal++ support PDF Annotation for highlighting, notes etc
3. Works OfflineXournal++ can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
4. Pressure SensitivityXournal++ can change attributes like thickness or opacity, based on how much force you apply to your stylus/finger.
5. Support for LaTeXXournal++ supports LaTeX for text and math equation formatting.
6. Ad-freeXournal++ doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
7. PortableXournal++ can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Support for styluses
Export to PDF
Handwriting
LaTeX Math
Pen Support
Multi layer drawing
Audio with notes
Highlighter
Freehand Writing
LaTeX equations
NoteLedge
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Note-taking Tool
Todo List Manager
Task Management Tool
Mac
Windows
Android
iPhone
iPad
358 alternatives to NoteLedge
Capture inspiration from Pinterest, YouTube or web pages, organize ideas in one place and add your notes. Make mood boards or quick sketches to visualize and present ideas!.
Suggest and vote on features
NoteLedge Features
1. Web ClipperSave any page or content from the web with a single click with NoteLedge.
2. Handwritten NotesNoteLedge supports writing by hand (or a stylus) and your text will be converted to text.
3. PortableNoteLedge can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
4. Video ImportYou can import external video material into NoteLedge.
5. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
Drag and Drop
Sync on many devices
Multi-choice brushes
Tag based
Better formatting
Stickers
Apple Pencil support
Note organization
Live Screen Recording
Export to PDF
GoodNotes
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Note-taking Tool
Mac
iPhone
iPad
49 alternatives to GoodNotes
GoodNotes for iPhone and iPad is a notetaking app with the theme of "digital paper." It's usable for all your handwritten notes and formerly paper-based information. Take handwritten notes in digital, multi-media notebooks or annotate PDF, PowerPoint, and Word...
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GoodNotes Features
1. PDF annotationGoodNotes support PDF Annotation for highlighting, notes etc
2. Pressure SensitivityGoodNotes can change attributes like thickness or opacity, based on how much force you apply to your stylus/finger.
3. OCRExtract the text from a screen capture or file and paste it into another document for edits.
4. Handwritten NotesGoodNotes supports writing by hand (or a stylus) and your text will be converted to text.
5. Support for GesturesGoodNotes supports touch or mouse gestures and interactions.
Handwriting
Integrated Search
Apple Pencil support
Drag and Drop
Indexed search
Handwriting recognition
Sync with iCloud
Folders
Import PDF
Notability
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Note-taking Tool
Audio Recorder
PDF Editor
Mac
iPhone
iPad
54 alternatives to Notability
Notability is the first truly integrated note-taking app for iOS. Standing on a framework that automatically links notes with audio recordings, Notability supports all of your note-taking needs -- handwriting, PDF annotation, word processing, and more work together seamlessly...
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Notability Features
1. Handwritten NotesNotability supports writing by hand (or a stylus) and your text will be converted to text.
Apple Pencil support
Sketching
Sync with iCloud
Edit PDF
Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
Integrated Search
Notebook
Handwriting recognition
Multiple languages
Pen Support
xournal
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Note-taking Tool
Journaling App
Windows
Linux
48 alternatives to xournal
Xournal is an application for notetaking, sketching, keeping a journal using a stylus. It is free software (GNU GPL) and runs on Linux (recent distributions), Windows and other GTK+/Gnome platforms.
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xournal Features
1. PDF annotationxournal support PDF Annotation for highlighting, notes etc
2. Handwritten Notesxournal supports writing by hand (or a stylus) and your text will be converted to text.
3. Drawing Tablet Supportxournal supports the use of external drawing tablets as input devices.
Edit PDF
Support for styluses
Sketching
Discontinued
It hasn't been updated since 2017, but there is an active fork Xournal++
Butterfly
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Note-taking Tool
Digital Painting Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
Android Tablet
F-Droid
Self-Hosted
28 alternatives to Butterfly
Butterfly is a note 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.
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Butterfly Features
1. No registration requiredYou can use most of the features in Butterfly without registration.
2. Dark ModeButterfly supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
3. Ad-freeButterfly doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
4. No TrackingButterfly will not track you or use your personal data.
5. Handwritten NotesButterfly supports writing by hand (or a stylus) and your text will be converted to text.
6. LightweightButterfly consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
7. Works OfflineButterfly can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
8. Privacy focusedButterfly is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
9. PortableButterfly can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Built-in Note Taker
PDF annotation
Customizable
Decentralized
Cloud Sync
End-to-End Encryption
Squid
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Note-taking Tool
Vector Graphic App
PDF Editor
Android
Chrome OS
Android Tablet
Kindle Fire
17 alternatives to Squid
Take handwritten notes naturally on your Android tablet, phone, or Chromebook supporting Android apps! With Squid you can write just like you would on paper using an active pen, passive stylus, or your finger.
Suggest and vote on features
Squid Features
1. PDF annotationSquid support PDF Annotation for highlighting, notes etc
2. Handwritten NotesSquid supports writing by hand (or a stylus) and your text will be converted to text.
3. Combine PDFCombine, merge and arrange PDF files into one document.
Infinite canvas
Import pdf files
Export to PDF
Handwriting
Noto
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Note-taking Tool
File Organizer
Mac
iPhone
iPad
330 alternatives to Noto
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.
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Noto Features
Text editing
Sync with iCloud
Notebook
Noteshelf
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Note-taking Tool
Audio Recorder
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Apple Watch
Mac
103 alternatives to Noteshelf
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...
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Noteshelf Features
1. Handwritten NotesNoteshelf supports writing by hand (or a stylus) and your text will be converted to text.
2. PDF annotationNoteshelf support PDF Annotation for highlighting, notes etc
Sync with Dropbox
Markup examples
Support for styluses
Voice Notes
Protected by Password
Sync with iCloud
Apple Pencil support
Visual Organization
INKredible
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Note-taking Tool
Android
Android Tablet
iPad
36 alternatives to INKredible
INKredible is an app with a single mission: to make your handwriting experience on tablets as good as, if not better, than pen on paper.
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INKredible Features
1. Handwritten NotesINKredible supports writing by hand (or a stylus) and your text will be converted to text.
Text Wrapping
Highlighter
Add/remove pages
Export to PDF
Selectable text in pdf
Palm Rejection
Distraction-free Writing