Xournal++ Alternatives

Apps similar to Xournal++ include Notesnook, which is open source with a free version. Other options are Microsoft OneNote, Excalidraw, Evince and MuPDF. There's no shortage of Note-taking Tools like Xournal++, with more than 50 alternatives for Windows, Mac, Android, Linux and the web.

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Most Xournal++ alternatives are Note-taking Tools, but you can also narrow the list to PDF Readers or PDF Editors.
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Alternatives
Xournal++ alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. 	Lokaltools icon
     1 like

    Lokaltools is a privacy-first, browser-based toolkit with 100+ tools across 8 categories. Everything runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly — no files are ever uploaded to a server, no account is required, and nothing ever leaves your device.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Mac
    • Windows
    Good alternative?
     
  2. FlowState turns handwritten notes and voice memos into formatted, searchable text — automatically transcribed with AI and delivered to Obsidian, Notion, Google Drive, or OneNote.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Online
    Good alternative?
     
  3. AbelNotes icon
     Like

    AbelNotes is an open-source handwritten note-taking app built for technical work. It renders LaTeX math natively with searchable source, lets you import and annotate PDFs, and offers eight paper types including Cornell, isometric and music staff, with pressure-sensitive pens.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    Good alternative?
     
  4. PDF Guard icon
     Like

    PDF Guard is a PDF editor that runs inside the browser tab and processes documents on your own device instead of uploading them. Files are read from disk into the tab's memory, handled by engines that run locally - pdf.

    51 PDF Guard alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Google Chrome
    Good alternative?
     
  5. LinNote icon
     Like

    A fast, keyboard-driven scratchpad for Linux with smart calculator, currency conversion, OCR, timers, and 14+ themes. Built for KDE Plasma & GNOME with Qt6.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  6. FeatherPDF is a fast, lightweight native Windows app to view, merge, split, reorder, rotate PDF files 100% offline and private.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Good alternative?
     
  7. Halzy icon
     Like

    Halzy is a web-based OneNote alternative designed for versatile note-taking. It combines a free-form canvas (for typing and sketching) with built-in Markdown support.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • US flagUnited States
    Halzy screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
  8. ExcalidrawZ is a native Excalidraw client for Mac, iPad, and iPhone, designed for hand-drawn whiteboards, diagrams, sketches, visual notes, and technical explanations.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Good alternative?
     
  9. PDFSimplified is an online PDF editor. Edit text in PDF files, create PDFs from scratch or from a prompt, and edit or translate pages with AI.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    Good alternative?
     
  10. ZapPDF icon
     Like

    ZapPDF is the ultimate privacy-first PDF utility. Whether you are dealing with sensitive financial documents, legal forms, or heavy study materials, ZapPDF gives you the power to manage them instantly—without ever uploading your private files to a random cloud server.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Good alternative?
     
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