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.

Xournal++ is described as 'Handwritten notes and PDF annotation app with pen input, shape drawing, customizable toolbar, image insertion, audio recording, and multi-platform support' and is a very popular Note-taking tool in the office & productivity category. There are more than 50 alternatives to Xournal++ for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Android, Mac and iPhone apps. The best Xournal++ alternative is Notesnook, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Xournal++ are Microsoft OneNote, Excalidraw, Evince and MuPDF.
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.

Read, annotate, and highlight PDFs, fill interactive forms with saved input, underline or strike through text, manage bookmarks, sync files from cloud services, and share documents. Compatible with Preview and Adobe Acrobat annotations, supporting extensive iOS features.




Concepts is the digital design sketchbook of the future. It’s powerful, flexible and smart, so you can go from quick sketches to beautiful and precise illustrations in a single app. Enhance your creative capabilities with our infinite canvas, flexible multi-touch shape guides...




The top AEC PDF app to markup and manage drawings and documents. Ideal for replacing pen and paper, avoid printing documents again by using our intuitive feature set that makes marking up a PDF easy. Open or create a new PDF, markup using our extensive array of tools, then save...




PDF viewer for macOS supports scientific papers, annotations, highlights, bookmarks, split view, exporting notes, AppleScript, multiple annotation types, bibliography integration, full-screen, search, and compatibility with various macOS versions.






Lorien is an infinite canvas drawing/note-taking app that is focused on performance, small savefiles and simplicity. It's not based on bitmap images like Krita, Gimp or Photoshop; it rather saves brush strokes as a collection of points and renders them at runtime (kind of...

Meet the freeform digital canvas where ideas, content, and people come together.




Experience note-taking reimagined. More than just an app, Notewise serves as your digital brainstorming companion, allowing seamless collaboration. Capture thoughts and sketches effortlessly on your device, organize notes with ease, and enjoy access from anywhere through our...




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.




All-in-one solution for note-taking, PDF annotation, digital planning, and journaling with 25 pens and brushes, AI shape detection, real-time collaboration, Smart Dark Mode, ASMR sound, audio recording, password protection, over 150 templates, and syncing options.




Journalify is a modern, intuitive platform that enables users to transform their life through journaling. It provides a space where you can focus on writing, free from worries about privacy and accessibility.

no handwriting with a wacom tablet