GoodNotes vs OneNote – Which Is Better?

Digital note-taking has gained popularity as technology develops and physical notebooks become obsolete.

The two most widely used digital note-taking programs are OneNote and GoodNotes. Even though each has advantages and disadvantages of its own, which application is superior?

Let me answer it. OneNote is the better tool.

But to justify that answer, we must evaluate each application’s features in-depth and dig deep into its complexities.

When comparing and contrasting these two industry leaders in digital note-taking, there are several things to consider, from the intricacy of their user interfaces to the breadth of their note-taking features.

So, fasten your seatbelts and explore the worlds of GoodNotes and OneNote to find out why the latter takes the crown.

What is GoodNotes?

GoodNotes is a popular note-taking app. Thanks to its slick design and simple UI, it is the go-to software for anyone trying to optimize their note-taking process. But what is GoodNotes exactly, and why has it gained such a following?

At its core, it is a digital notebook that lets you take notes, annotate documents, and sketch out ideas. However, its extensive feature set and remarkable versatility set it apart from other note-taking apps.

GoodNotes is ideal for students, professionals, and creatives since you can write, draw, and highlight with a stylus or your finger.

What is OneNote?

OneNote is a digital notebook created by Microsoft that enables users to store and arrange their notes in a digital format. The application’s seamless user interface makes generating, organizing, and managing messages simple.

This versatile and flexible app has many features that can improve note-taking. The ability to create notebooks, which function as virtual folders for organizing notes, is one of the most remarkable features.

OneNote’s compatibility with other Microsoft programs, such as Word and Excel, is one of its main benefits.

Using OneNote as a central hub for all your note-taking requirements is simple thanks to this connection, enabling users to transfer information across programs quickly.

GoodNotes vs OneNote: Display & User Interface

GoodNotes

Users can effortlessly navigate and access their notes with the help of GoodNotes’ user-friendly interface. They can concentrate on their material without being distracted.

GoodNotes has a more understated aesthetic that highlights the notes’ content. All notebooks, pages, and templates can be seen in the sidebar of GoodNotes.

Furthermore, GoodNotes offers a search feature that makes it simple to locate particular notes.

OneNote

On the other hand, OneNote’s layout, which has numerous tabs and sections, can be more complicated.

Users can arrange notes into notebooks, sections, and pages using the app’s hierarchical structure. Although some users may find this level of helpful organization, it can also result in a cluttered interface that could be more challenging to use.

It offers a less flexible user interface that allows for less customization.

Even while OneNote’s handwriting recognition is good, it often needs help with lengthier or more complicated words, making the notes less dense.

OneNote makes use of a ribbon toolbar to show different tabs and tools. Users can flip between tabs to access other functions, such as formatting, sketching, or inserting media.

Verdict

GoodNotes ekes out the win here because it offers OneNote a superior display and user interface due to its intuitive, visually appealing, and customizable design.

GoodNotes vs OneNote: Document Management & Creation

GoodNotes

You can easily organize and manage your notes with GoodNotes’ excellent document management solution.

To organize and categorize your notes and make them simple to find, you may quickly create folders, subfolders, and tags. To add a bit of personalization, you can alter how your folders look.

You can quickly locate notes using the fantastic search feature in GoodNotes by typing in a particular keyword or phrase.

When you have a lot of notes and need to find a specific piece of information fast, this tool is handy.

The note-making skills of GoodNotes are equally excellent. It provides many tools and capabilities to make extensive and well-organized notes. You can make notes using its editable templates tailored to your note-taking tastes.

The ability of GoodNotes to import and annotate PDFs is one of its most notable capabilities. As a result, you can quickly annotate textbooks, class slides, and other crucial materials you might require for your notes.

You can even do keyword or phrase searches within your annotated PDFs using GoodNotes’ superb handwriting recognition technology.

GoodNotes’ handwriting recognition is also quite good, so typing your handwritten notes into text is a breeze. When you wish to share your notes with others, this tool comes in handy.

OneNote

OneNote’s adaptability is one of its greatest benefits. There are many different ways to make notes, including typing, handwriting, voice memos, and even digital ink.

This means that regardless of where you are or the device you’re using, you can quickly and effortlessly record your thoughts and ideas.

Additionally, OneNote’s sophisticated recognition and search features make it simple to locate and access your notes whenever you need them.

However, making notes is only the first step. OneNote also provides strong management and organization capabilities for your notes.

You can make notebooks, sections, and pages using its hierarchical structure and tagging system to keep your notes arranged and simple to find. You can even change the tags to create your own personal system for categorizing and prioritizing your notes.

That’s not all, though. Additionally, OneNote provides strong teamwork options that make it simple to collaborate with others and share your notes.

You can collaborate in real-time on notes, ideas, and projects with coworkers, friends, or family members by sharing entire notebooks or specific pages.

In addition, you can optimize workflows and maintain organization across all of your business and personal projects thanks to OneNote’s connection with other Microsoft Office programs like Outlook and Teams.

Verdict

OneNote is the winner, especially if you like a straightforward, no-nonsense method for recording short notes and ideas. You may start taking notes right away, thanks to its streamlined interface.

GoodNotes, on the other hand, is better suited for people who like a more involved note-taking process. It has many practical features that are fun to use and has a nice look. Both applications offer user-friendly interfaces and superior functionality.

GoodNotes vs OneNote: Key Features

GoodNotes

1. Search your handwriting

Have you ever been scrambling to find the one piece of information you need while leafing through pages of handwritten notes? It may be a frustrating experience. Fortunately, there is a fix: the handwriting search function in GoodNotes.

You did read that correctly. You can search your handwritten notes with GoodNotes just as quickly as a typed document. It is a game-changer for anyone who prefers to take notes by hand but still wants the ease of digital searchability.

Simply open your notebook in GoodNotes, tap the magnifying glass icon at the top of the screen, and follow the simple instructions. You can then enter a word or phrase in the search field that will appear after doing this.

GoodNotes will then search your entire typed and handwritten text notebook for matches.

The significant part, though, is that GoodNotes can read your handwriting and turn it into searchable text.

The feature could be better, of course. It occasionally misinterprets words or phrases and may need help with highly styled or cursive writing. However, as a whole, it’s a beneficial tool that can make taking notes and studying faster and less frustrating.

2. Annotate PDFs and PPTs

The ability to annotate PDFs and PPTs makes GoodNotes a necessary tool for anyone who frequently deals with these documents.

The annotation capabilities in GoodNotes allow you to add notes, highlights, and drawings immediately into a PDF or PPT when you open one of these files in the program.

You can use the program’s toolbar to choose the proper annotation tool before adding notes to a PDF or PPT in GoodNotes.

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3. Organize your notes your way

You have complete control over how your notes are organized using GoodNotes. You can create folders, subfolders, and categories to keep your notes organized.

For instance, you can make subfolders for lecture notes, readings, and assignments within each folder you make for each class you’re enrolled in.

Additionally, GoodNotes lets you design unique tags for your notes. Your notes can be efficiently categorized this way, making it simple to locate them later. You can quickly and easily search for notes using keywords or tags when looking for a particular piece of information.

The “Outline” view, another feature of GoodNotes, gives you an overview of your notes and enables you to navigate directly to the part you need.

This is extremely helpful if you have lengthy notes with several sections or are revising your notes in preparation for an exam.

Exporting and exchanging notes in different formats is another tool that aids with note organization. If you wish to share your notes with people using GoodNotes, you can export your notes as PDFs, photos, or even as a GoodNotes file.

4. Personalize your notebooks

You can make your GoodNotes notebooks uniquely yours by adding your individual style and flair to your notes by customizing them. By selecting several paper kinds, colors, and textures, you can personalize the appearance and feel of your notebooks.

This implies that you have the option of using ruled paper for taking notes, graph paper for outlining concepts, or plain paper for brainstorming or drawing.

To match your mood, the time of day, or the subject you are studying, you can alter the background color of your notebook.

Your notebooks can also have covers added with the help of GoodNotes, which will improve their appearance and make them simpler to find.

Several pre-designed covers are available, or you can contribute an image or text to create your own.

5. Save and reuse elements

Any element in GoodNotes, including text boxes, shapes, handwriting, and photos, can be quickly saved as a template.

Simply pick the element you want to save as a template, press the “…” menu, and then select “Add to Templates.” The template can then be given a name and a category, such as “Headers,” “Icons,” or “Math Symbols.”

You can quickly repurpose an element in other notes or documents after saving it as a template.

Choose the category where you saved the template, choose the template you wish to use, and then tap on the “Templates” option in the toolbar to accomplish this.

After that, you can resize and personalize the template by dragging and dropping it onto your note or document.

If you frequently use the same kinds of items in your notes or documents, the ability to store and reuse elements in GoodNotes can be a significant time saver.

You can design a template for a certain kind of heading, a checklist, or a diagram, for instance, and use it whenever you need it.

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6. Record audio notes

Users can add audio notes to their written notes using the audio recording tool to preserve crucial details, concepts, or insights they would have missed while taking traditional handwritten notes.

Students who want to record lectures and professionals who need to record meetings or presentations can benefit greatly from this capability.

Once your audio notes are finished being recorded, GoodNotes will immediately sync the audio file with your written notes so you can simply access and examine both forms of notes simultaneously.

You can change the pace of the audio playback when using GoodNotes’ audio recording capability, another useful tool.

OneNote

1. Organize data in a notebook

Image Source: GuidingTech

The ability of OneNote to assist you in organizing your data in a notebook is one of its most helpful features.

You can create an endless number of notebooks in OneNote, each with unlimited sections and pages. Each notebook part can be considered a tabbed divider inside a virtual binder.

A section’s pages function similarly to blank sheets of paper on which you can write or attach different materials.

You may add several kinds of information to your pages with OneNote, such as text, photographs, etc.

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2. Web clipper

Image Source: Microsoft

OneNote’s Web Clipper allows users to capture website content and save it directly into OneNote quickly.

For Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and other well-known browsers, the Web Clipper is offered as a browser extension.

Once installed, users can quickly and easily record web information, including articles, photos, and PDFs. Users of the Web Clipper can also choose which portions of a webpage they want to preserve, which helps store only the crucial data.

One of the main advantages of the Web Clipper is that it automatically keeps both the content and the source URL, making it simple for users to refer back to the original webpage.

This is extremely helpful for academic research or when working on tasks that call for thorough documentation.

The Web Clipper’s ability to select the OneNote notebook and section to save the text is another fantastic feature. Users can maintain their notes’ accessibility and organization because of this.

The Web Clipper lets users copy web content and annotate it with notes and other comments. This helps highlight important information or provide context.

3. Templates

OneNote’s template feature allows users to create and use pre-designed page layouts to make note-taking and organization more efficient.

Users can choose from various templates, such as calendars, to-do lists, meeting notes, and more.

These templates can also be customized to fit specific needs or preferences. The template feature saves time and ensures consistency across notes. It’s a great way to streamline note-taking and stay organized.

4. Recording

Users can record audio right inside a note using OneNote’s recording capability. Students and professionals who attend lectures or meetings and want to record the conversation for later use will find this option to be especially helpful.

It is simple to start and stop the recording, and comments can be added to the audio to provide context or other significant information.

Additionally, users can conduct keyword searches within the recorded audio, making it simpler to locate particular information.

The recording tool in OneNote gives users a central spot to save both notes and recordings, which saves time and promotes organization.

5. Protect Sections with Password

The capability to password-protect parts in OneNote is another interesting feature. Users can use this feature to protect their notes from illegal access and keep them private.

Users only need to right-click on the part they want to secure and choose “Password Protect This Section” from the menu to take advantage of this functionality. They will then be asked to enter and verify a password.

For those who save private information in their notes, such as financial or personal information, this function is especially helpful. These parts can be password-protected so that consumers can rest easy knowing their information is safe.

Verdict

If I had to pick one in terms of features, I would choose OneNote. While I appreciate the precision and fluidity of handwriting in GoodNotes, I value the versatility of OneNote more.

I find the ability to easily create and organize different notebooks, sections, and pages, and to use formatting tools to make my notes more visually appealing, to be incredibly useful.

GoodNotes vs OneNote: Pricing

GoodNotes

GoodNotes has a free version for as long as you want, but if you truly want to enjoy its benefits, then you must opt for a premium plan that costs a one-time fee of $8.99. All upcoming updates and improvements are included in this pricing.

OneNote

On the other hand, OneNote is a no-cost program that comes pre-installed on the majority of Windows devices. However, you must sign up for Microsoft 365, which begins at $6.99 a month, in order to use OneNote on a Mac or mobile device.

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GoodNotes vs OneNote: Pros and Cons

Pros of GoodNotes

• Better handwriting recognition and more natural handwriting feel
• The way notebooks are organized is straightforward and user-friendly
• It makes it simple to exchange and back up files because it supports a wide variety of file formats and cloud services
• Variety of options to annotate, highlight, and draw on PDFs and other documents
• The app’s interface is clear and simple to use

Cons of GoodNotes

• Available on Apple devices (although Android and Windows versions are now in the Beta stages), so it is not accessible to those who use other platforms
• Relatively expensive compared to other note-taking apps
• Not as many features as other note-taking apps, such as OneNote

Pros of OneNote

• Free and available on all major platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
• OneNote has an array of features such as note-taking, organizing, and collaboration
• It allows users to create notebooks, sections, and pages for a more organized note-taking experience
• It also supports a wide range of file formats, including audio and video
• It has a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate

Cons of OneNote

• The handwriting recognition in OneNote is not as good as GoodNotes
• The app can be slow and laggy, especially when using larger notebooks
• It can be difficult to navigate and organize larger notebooks with many sections and pages

Similarities and Differences

Both apps have a variety of functions, including the ability to highlight, annotate, and write with a stylus on text.

Additionally, they enable users to divide their notes into pages and parts, making it simpler to navigate and discover particular information.

There are, however, a number of notable ones when it comes to the differences. The manner in which GoodNotes and OneNote handle handwriting is one of their main distinctions.

GoodNotes is a great option for people who prefer to take handwritten notes because of its exceptional handwriting recognition skills. OneNote, on the other hand, is better suited for people who want to type their notes because it is more focused on typing and text recognition.

The manner in which GoodNotes and OneNote manage synchronization is another distinction between them. While OneNote uses Microsoft OneDrive, GoodNotes users can sync their notes across several devices using iCloud or Dropbox.

For consumers who have already committed to a specific cloud storage service, this variation in synchronizing possibilities may make a big difference.

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Conclusion

It is evident from comparing and contrasting the features of GoodNotes and OneNote that each program has advantages and disadvantages.

OneNote’s strength is its versatility and ability to interface with other Microsoft Office programs, and for that, I think it is the superior product of the two.