Goodnotes
Goodnotes is a note-taking and PDF markup app for iPad, Mac, and Windows. See 2026 pricing, the new AI Pass, and how it compares to Notability.
About Goodnotes
What is Goodnotes (2026 update)
Goodnotes is a digital note-taking and PDF annotation app for iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Windows that lets users handwrite, type, and mark up documents with an Apple Pencil, stylus, or finger, and increasingly bakes AI features directly into the notebook. It is aimed at students, teachers, and professionals who take handwritten notes and want them searchable, organized, and enhanced with AI.
What is new in 2026
Goodnotes added AI image generation inside notes, so users can create doodles, diagrams, and planner visuals in different styles without leaving the app. It also introduced Goodnotes AI for Math, which can solve equations and walk through the steps as a tutorial rather than just returning an answer. Pro and AI Pass subscribers can now regenerate audio transcriptions and summaries to refine earlier recordings, and real-time Thai transcription was added for audio recording across all tiers. The app also added the ability to lock objects on a page, giving finer control over layering, arranging, and duplicating elements.
Key features
- Handwritten note-taking with Apple Pencil and stylus support, plus typed text documents
- PDF import and annotation with no file size limit on paid plans
- AI-generated doodles, diagrams, and templates from a text prompt
- Goodnotes AI for Math, which solves and explains equations step by step
- Audio recording with transcription and regenerable AI summaries
- Real-time collaboration and cross-platform sync on Pro and above
- Meeting AI and Create Mode for turning spoken or written input into structured notes
Pricing in 2026
Goodnotes runs a freemium model with a separate AI Pass add-on for full AI access, based on the official pricing page:
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Up to 3 notebooks and 100MB storage, basic tools, 20 minutes of audio recording |
| Essential | $11.99/year | Unlimited notebooks and 5GB storage, unlimited audio recording, full sharing, basic AI features |
| Pro | $35.99/year | Everything in Essential plus Drive integration, real-time collaboration, cross-platform sync, and advanced AI like Meeting AI and Create Mode |
| Teams | $120 per seat/year | Everything in Pro plus SAML SSO, domain control, consolidated billing, and admin management |
| Enterprise | Custom | Everything in Teams plus custom security, Microsoft Intune SDK, and dedicated support |
On top of Essential or Pro, an AI Pass add-on costs an extra $9.99 per month for full access to every AI feature. Education accounts get access free through an Admin Console setup.
Who should use it
Goodnotes fits students and professionals who already prefer handwriting notes and want those notes searchable, organized into folders, and backed by AI help for math or visual diagrams. Teams that need shared billing and admin controls should look at the Teams tier rather than stacking individual subscriptions. It is a weaker fit for someone who only needs plain typed notes without handwriting, since simpler note apps cost less. Educators managing a classroom set of devices should look at the free Education plan, which unlocks the paid feature set through an Admin Console rather than per-student billing.
Limitations and alternatives
Full AI functionality is not included in the base subscription and requires the separate $9.99 per month AI Pass, which raises the effective cost for anyone who wants every feature. The free plan’s 100MB storage and 3-notebook cap are restrictive for heavy users. Alternatives include Notability, a similar handwriting and PDF markup app with its own subscription model, Notion for typed notes with database-style organization, or Apple Notes for a free, built-in option with lighter features. Before switching, export a sample notebook to PDF from each app to compare how well handwriting and annotations survive the process.
Frequently asked questions
Is Goodnotes free?
Yes, there is a free plan limited to 3 notebooks and 100MB of storage; unlimited notebooks and full sharing require the Essential plan at $11.99 per year or higher.
How much does the Goodnotes AI Pass cost?
The AI Pass add-on costs $9.99 per month on top of an Essential or Pro subscription and unlocks full access to every AI feature, including AI image generation and Goodnotes AI for Math.
What is new in Goodnotes AI for 2026?
2026 additions include AI-generated doodles and diagrams inside notes, Goodnotes AI for Math with step-by-step equation solving, regenerable audio transcriptions and summaries, and real-time Thai transcription support.
What is the difference between Goodnotes Essential and Pro?
Pro, at $35.99 per year, adds Drive integration, real-time collaboration, cross-platform sync, and advanced AI features like Meeting AI and Create Mode on top of everything included in the $11.99 per year Essential plan.
Information last verified: September 2026.
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