Open Source Notability AlternativesTop Note-taking Tools and other similar apps like Notability

The best open source alternative to Notability is Notesnook. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Notability and six of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Notability are Linwood Butterfly, Saber, Stylus Labs Write and Hyperdraft.

filter to find the best alternatives

Notability alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools, but if you're looking for Task Management Tools or Todo List Managers you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Android, Windows, Open Source, Mac, Linux, Apple Watch and Android + Note-taking. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Notability.
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Alternatives list

  1. Notesnook icon

    Notesnook

     171 likes
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    Notesnook is a simple and cross-platform private notes app that keeps your notes organized and synced on your phone, tablet and computer. Take notes, capture ideas, create to-do lists, keep a journal, write your assignments and manage projects, we have got you covered.

    293 Notesnook alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Flatpak
    Notesnook screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Comments about Notesnook as an Alternative to Notability
    themrsecret
    Negative
    0

    Does not allow handwritten notes

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

    • Notesnook is the most popular Web-based & SaaS alternative to Notability.

    • Notesnook is the most popular Open Source alternative to Notability.

    • Notesnook is Freemium and Open SourceNotability is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Notesnook is Privacy focused and LightweightNotability is not according to our users
  2. 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 Notability.

    • Linwood Butterfly is Free and Open SourceNotability is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Linwood Butterfly is Lightweight, Customizable and Privacy focusedNotability is not according to our users
  4. 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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    2
    Comments about Saber as an Alternative to Notability
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    I tried it and it was the most similar so far that I have tried with no in-app purchases. I also haven’t seen any ads so far. I’m not sure how many features it has yet, but it is very simple and effective.

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

    Saber feels very similar; the biggest downsides at the moment are not being able to save custom colors and not recognizing apple pencil gestures like double-tap to switch to eraser. A lot of the other normal Notability features are here though (just not any of the premium stuff like handwriting recognition)

    Notability Icon
    Saber icon
    • Saber is Free and Open SourceNotability is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Saber is Privacy focused and LightweightNotability is not according to our users
  5. Stylus Labs Write icon

    Stylus Labs Write

     35 likes
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    Write is a word processor for handwriting, designed primarily for tablets with an active stylus. Write has the functionality of a vector drawing application, plus a unique set of tools which ease the editing of handwritten text.

    35 Stylus Labs Write alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPad
    • iPhone
    Stylus Labs Write screenshot 1
    Stylus Labs Write screenshot 2
    Stylus Labs Write screenshot 3
     
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    1
    Comments about Stylus Labs Write as an Alternative to Notability
    bekemax
    Positive
    0

    Cross-platform (Linux support!), lightweight, FOSS. Although no PDF markup

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Notability Icon
    Stylus Labs Write icon
    • Stylus Labs Write is Free and Open SourceNotability is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Stylus Labs Write is Minimalistic and LightweightNotability is not according to our users
  7. Spiral icon

    Spiral

     5 likes
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    Spiral is a program that allows users to take notes in a format similar to a spiral notebook. Unlike traditional word processors and text editors that are configured in a way that makes it difficult to document things in a non-linear fashion, Spiral pages allow users to click...

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    Spiral screenshot 1
     
6 of 6 Notability alternatives