Pen Journal AlternativesNote-taking Tools & Journaling Apps like Pen Journal

Pen Journal is described as 'Is made, to create Notes and Scripts, easily. Just write things down with your graphictablets pen (Stylus)' and is a Note-taking tool in the office & productivity category. There are more than 10 alternatives to Pen Journal for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, Android Tablet and iPad apps. The best Pen Journal alternative is xournal, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Pen Journal are GoodNotes, Journaler, NoteLab and Jarnal.

Pen Journal iconPen Journal
  2
  • ...

Pen Journal is made, to create Notes and Scripts, easily. Just write things down with your graphictablets pen (Stylus).

More about Pen Journal
More about Pen Journal
Pen Journal alternatives page was last updated Nov 23, 2023
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
  1. xournal icon

    xournal

     74 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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.

    50 xournal alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    xournal screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    It hasn't been updated since 2017, but there is an active fork Xournal++ icon Xournal++

    xournal Features

    1.  PDF annotation
    2.  Handwritten Notes
    3.  Edit PDF
    4.  Support for styluses
    5.  Drawing Tablet Support
    6.  Sketching

    xournal VS Pen Journal

     

    • xournal is the most popular Windows & Linux alternative to Pen Journal.

    • xournal is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Pen Journal.

    • xournal is Free and Open SourcePen Journal is Paid and Proprietary
  2. GoodNotes icon

    GoodNotes

     77 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Experience "digital paper" with seamless note-taking on iOS devices. Annotate PDFs, PowerPoint, and Word, plus organize notes in unlimited folders. Enjoy searchable handwritten notes that sync across devices with iCloud, intuitive QuickNote feature, and customizable templates.

    61 GoodNotes alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • HK flagHong Kong SAR China

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    GoodNotes screenshot 1
    GoodNotes screenshot 2
    GoodNotes screenshot 3

    Top GoodNotes Features

    1.  PDF annotation
    2.  Handwriting
    3.  Pressure Sensitivity
    4.  Integrated Search
    5.  Handwritten Notes
    6.  OCR
    7.  Support for Gestures
    8.  Apple Pencil support
    9.  Handwriting recognition
    10.  Folders
    11.  Freehand Writing
    12.  Drag and Drop

    GoodNotes VS Pen Journal

     

    • GoodNotes is the most popular Web-based, Android, Mac, iPhone, iPad & Android Tablet alternative to Pen Journal.

    • GoodNotes is Freemium and ProprietaryPen Journal is Paid and Proprietary
  4. Journaler icon

    Journaler

     2 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Journaling application for elementary OS.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Journaler screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Distraction-free

    Features

    1.  File Tagging
    2.  Support for MarkDown
    3.  Calendar View
    4.  Protected by Password
    5.  Gtk

    Journaler VS Pen Journal

     
  5. NoteLab icon

    NoteLab

     12 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

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

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    NoteLab screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    The last update is from 2013.

    NoteLab Features

    1.  Handwritten Notes
    2.  Sketching
    3.  Handwriting

    NoteLab VS Pen Journal

     
  6. Jarnal icon

    Jarnal

     13 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Jarnal is an open-source application for notetaking, sketching, keeping a journal, making a presentation, annotating a document - including pdf - or collaborating using a stylus, mouse or keyboard. It is similar to Microsoft .

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Jarnal in use.

    Jarnal Features

    1.  Handwritten Notes
    2.  Sketching
    3.  Handwriting

    Jarnal VS Pen Journal

     
  7. MrWriter icon

    MrWriter

     7 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Notetaking and blackboard replacement application. Inspired by Xournal. Written in C++/Qt for Linux / Windows / Mac.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    MrWriter screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Handwritten Notes
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Portable

    MrWriter VS Pen Journal

     
  9. Windows Journal icon

    Windows Journal

     9 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Windows Journal is one of the applications designed for Tablet PCs. Users can handwrite notes and draw lines or shapes with it. Even though it is recommended to use a graphics tablet or a Tablet PC, you can compose handwritten notes using a normal mouse.

    37 Windows Journal alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • Proprietary

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Windows Journal screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    It was removed from Windows 10 as part of an update released on August 9, 2016. Last version, 10.0.173, can be still downloaded from the official website.

    Windows Journal Features

    1.  Handwritten Notes

    Windows Journal VS Pen Journal

     
  10. gournal icon

    gournal

     3 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Gournal is a note-taking application written for usage on Tablet-PCs (such as the Toshiba M200)

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    gournal screenshot 1

    gournal Features

    1.  Support for MarkDown
    2.  Handwritten Notes
    3.  Sketching

    gournal VS Pen Journal

     
  11. Microsoft Journal icon

    Microsoft Journal

     3 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    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.

    37 Microsoft Journal alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Microsoft Journal screenshot 1

    Microsoft Journal Features

    1.  Handwritten Notes
    2.  Works Offline
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Dark Mode
    5.  Support for styluses
    6.  Handwriting

    Microsoft Journal VS Pen Journal

     
  12. Bamboo Paper icon

    Bamboo Paper

     5 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Bamboo Paper, a seriously fun new app from Wacom, provides you with the ability to create virtual notebooks for your tablet, letting you share your ideas visually with handwritten notes, sketches or doodles.

    20 Bamboo Paper alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • JP flagJapan

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Bamboo Paper screenshot 1

    Bamboo Paper Features

    1.  Handwritten Notes
    2.  Drawing Tablet Support
    3.  Notebook
    4.  Tablet support
    5.  Sketching

    Bamboo Paper VS Pen Journal

     

  13. MrWriter_PDF

     1 like
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Notetaking and blackboard replacement application. Inspired by Xournal. Written in C++/Qt for Linux / Windows. It has the ability to annotate PDF files and has a few other options (e.g. markdown support).

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    Discontinued

    The project is no longer developed. Last version, 0.0.4, released in May 2018, can be still downloaded from GitHub

    MrWriter_PDF Features

    1.  PDF annotation
    2.  Handwritten Notes

    MrWriter_PDF VS Pen Journal

     
11 of 11 Pen Journal alternatives