The best note taking apps for iPad fall into two camps: handwriting apps built around Apple Pencil, such as GoodNotes, Notability and Noteshelf, and typing-first apps such as Notion and Microsoft OneNote. If you want something free that syncs with your iPhone and Mac, start with Apple Notes, which is already on your iPad.
One detail changes the choice more than people expect. With an Apple Pencil on iPadOS 14 or later, Apple's Scribble feature turns your handwriting into typed text in almost any text box, according to Apple Support. That means a typing-first app can still take handwriting, so you don't have to pick a handwriting app just because you own a Pencil.
Handwriting, typing or both?
Start with how you'll take most of your notes, not with the app everyone recommends. This table matches the habit to the apps that suit it.
| How you take notes | Apps that fit | What to test first |
|---|---|---|
| Mostly handwriting | GoodNotes, Notability, Noteshelf, Flexcil, CollaNote, ZoomNotes | How the pen feels, page templates, importing a PDF |
| Mostly typing | Notion, Microsoft OneNote, Apple Notes | Keyboard shortcuts, search, sharing with other people |
| Both, with handwriting turned into text | Nebo, Apple Notes, Microsoft OneNote | How well it reads your writing and whether you can mix text and sketches on one page |
The catch people miss: handwritten notes are only useful later if you can search them. Before you commit to an app, write a messy page, wait a minute, then search for one word on it. If the app can't find it, you'll be flicking through notebooks by hand six months from now. Check export too: some handwriting apps keep notes in their own format, so make sure you can get a page out as a PDF.
10 note taking apps for iPad, in no particular order
This list isn't ranked and there's no overall winner. Each line says who the app suits, so skim for the one that sounds like you.
- Apple Notes: best for quick notes, checklists and sketches that sync to your iPhone and Mac with nothing to install.
- GoodNotes: best for students who want paper-style notebooks and neat PDF annotation.
- Notability: best for lectures and meetings where you want audio recorded alongside your handwriting.
- Noteshelf: best for planners and journallers who like lots of covers, paper styles and templates.
- Nebo: best for turning neat handwriting into typed text as you write.
- Microsoft OneNote: best for people already in Microsoft 365 or on Windows who want free-form notebooks on every device.
- Notion: best for typed notes that grow into documents, wikis and task lists. Here's how to use Notion if it's new to you.
- CollaNote: best for trying a handwriting app that's free to download before you pay for anything.
- Flexcil: best for reading and marking up PDFs with your notes open beside them.
- ZoomNotes: best for an endless canvas where you zoom right in to write small detail.
If you're torn between a typing app and something more structured, my comparison of Notion vs Obsidian goes into how each one organises notes over time.
Set up your note system in 10 minutes
The app matters less than the habit. These steps give you a system you'll still be using next term or next quarter.
- Pick one home for handwriting and one for typed notes. It can be the same app. What you want to avoid is notes scattered across four apps you half use.
- Make three notebooks or folders: Now, Reference and Archive. Now holds this week's work, Reference holds things you look up, and Archive is where finished notebooks go.
- Choose a default page. Lined for writing, grid for diagrams, blank for sketching. Set it once so every new note opens the way you like.
- Turn on sync and check it. Open the same note on your phone or computer and make sure your last change is there before you rely on it.
- Use a naming habit. Start note titles with the date, then the topic, such as a meeting name or lecture number. It makes search far easier later.
- Export one test page to PDF. If you ever switch apps, this is how your notes come with you.
- Put the app in your Dock. The quicker it opens, the more likely you are to use it when an idea arrives.
Apple Pencil features to check before you commit
Not every app handles the Pencil the same way. These are the things worth testing in the first ten minutes.
Scribble
Scribble lets you handwrite into a text field and have it appear as typed text. Apple says it's on by default once a Pencil is paired, and you can check or turn it off in Settings under Apple Pencil. Apple also notes it isn't available in every language, so test it in yours.
Palm rejection
You'll want to rest your hand on the screen while you write without leaving stray marks. Most handwriting apps handle this well, and some have their own setting for it, so look in the app's pen or input options if you see smudges.
PDF annotation
If you mark up lecture slides, contracts or worksheets, import a real PDF on day one. Check you can highlight, write in the margins, add blank pages and export the result with your notes included.
Shapes, lasso and tool switching
Good apps straighten a wobbly line or circle when you pause, let you lasso a section and move it, and switch between pen and eraser quickly. Some Apple Pencil models support a double-tap to swap tools, so check what yours does.
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Menus in these apps change between updates. If a setting name here doesn't match your screen, search the app's settings for the word you're after, such as "palm" or "export".
Getting more out of your notes
Notes only earn their keep when you go back to them. Once a week, open the Now notebook, move anything finished to Archive and pull out the actions. If you type your notes, an AI assistant can turn a messy page into a summary or a task list, and these ChatGPT prompts for note taking give you ready-made ways to ask. Just keep anything private out of it.
For handwriting, the weekly review is also when you'll notice whether search finds your writing. If it doesn't, it's better to switch apps in week two than in month six.
My verdict
If I were setting up a new iPad tomorrow, I'd give Apple Notes a week first. If handwriting turns out to be most of what I do, I'd move to one dedicated handwriting app and keep typed notes exactly where they are.
Make a note-taking app for iPad? See how to get it featured on this list.
Frequently asked questions
Is Apple Notes good enough for handwriting?
For quick notes, sketches and checklists, yes. It's free, built in and syncs through iCloud. People who fill whole notebooks, annotate a lot of PDFs or want page templates usually move to a dedicated handwriting app.
Can I search my handwritten notes on iPad?
In many handwriting apps you can, but how well it works depends on the app and on your writing. Write a test page and search for a word on it before you commit.
Do I need an Apple Pencil to take notes on iPad?
No. Typing-first apps like Notion, OneNote and Apple Notes work well with the on-screen keyboard or a physical one. You'll want a Pencil for handwriting apps and for Scribble.
Which iPad note apps also work on Windows?
Microsoft OneNote and Notion both run on Windows, Mac and in a web browser, which makes them handy if you switch between an iPad and a PC.
