If you love handwriting notes and miss those elegant days when people passed notes in class, we’ve got some news for you. Over the last few years, apps have emerged that allow you to scribble on your phone or tablet. Gone are the days of Post-it Notes — with these tools, you can write notes on photos, or leave messages on photos! Apps such as Penultimate use a stylus to write with ink; others like Kanji Pic Scrolls convert your pictures into Japanese calligraphy. Welcome to our blog where we share tips and tricks to get the most out of written notes!
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Handwritten Notes
- Evernote
The best note-taking app overall.
SPECIFICATIONS
Developer: Evernote CorporationAvailable for: iOS, Mac, Windows, AndroidFree version: YesFree trial for paid version: 14 days
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
VISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Cross-platform
+Range of features
+Granular search options
REASONS TO AVOID
-Paid plans expensive
A pioneer in the field, founded in 2000, Evernote remains the cream of the best note-taking apps today. Working across all major platforms, this is the app we’d recommend for anyone looking to get started. Why? Because it’s got a good, capable free version, you can access your notes practically anywhere (laptop, desktop computer, tablet, or phone), and the app’s packed with useful features.
We particularly like using the Web Clipper browser extension to save web pages; the ability to set reminders, and the integration with Siri for taking voice notes. You can search your notes not only by text, but also by tags, the date they were created, the type of media they contain, the location where you created them, and even more.
There are two paid-for versions: Evernote Premium for individuals, and Evernote Teams for, well, it speaks for itself. The former includes sync across unlimited devices (you only get two in the free plan), a 200MB maximum note size, 10GB monthly upload limit, access to notes offline and the ability to annotate PDFs. The Teams plan, aimed at businesses, offers even larger uploads and some great team collaboration tools. Admittedly, neither of these comes cheap, but if you want the Rolls Royce of note-taking apps, this is it.
Best note-taking apps: Screengrab of Bear
(Image credit: Evernote)
- Bear
The best note-taking app for Apple devices
SPECIFICATIONS
Developer: Shiny FrogAvailable for: iPad, iPhone, MacFree version: YesFree trial for paid version: One week (monthly subscription) or one month (annual subscription)
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
VISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Minimalist and elegant
+Syncs across iCloud
+Capable free version
REASONS TO AVOID
-Sync requires subscription
Apple products are about beautiful, intuitive simplicity, and Bear fits that philosophy perfectly. As the best note-taking app for Macs and the iPad, it lets you create notes and sync them across all your Apple devices via iCloud. There’s no fussing about with folders and notebooks; you just create notes and then store them. You can attach tags, images and other files, as well as drawings created on your iPad or iPhone. There are apps for macOS, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, plus a browser extension.
There’s a free version of Bear if you just want to take notes on your iPad, but you’ll need to pay for the Pro subscription to sync them across devices. That also gives you extra export options, plus the ability to encrypt your notes, password-protect them, and unlock them using Face or Touch ID.
Just be aware that even the Pro version is a purposely stripped down app. For example, there’s no formatting panel, just support for Markdown. If you want more features, look to Evernote or OneNote, but if you want a simple, minimalist app for iOS that gets the job done, there’s no better option.
Best note-taking apps: Screengrab of Good Notes
(Image credit: Time Base Technology)
- GoodNotes
The best note-taking app for iPad Pro.
SPECIFICATIONS
Developer: Time Base Technology LimitedAvailable for: iPad, iPhone, MacFree version: NoFree trial for paid version: No
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
VISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Optimised for Apple Pencil
+Good handwriting conversion
+Affordable price
REASONS TO AVOID
-No free version
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If you’ve invested in the iPad Pro, we expect you’re using it for more than checking Facebook and watching cat videos. If you’re looking to take advantage of its powerful functionality to be more productive, make sure you’re using it to jot down creative ideas in the moment. To do that, we’d like to point you in the direction of GoodNotes, our next pick from the best note-taking apps.
This iOS app turns your iPad into digital paper, allowing you to make searchable handwritten notes quickly and easily wherever you find yourself. You can use the Apple Pencil (or one of the best Apple Pencil alternatives), or just your finger. It’s the most similar experience to writing on paper that we’ve found. And we’re not talking about a few scrawled words here; this clever app can recognise everything from equations to mind maps, and it does a great job of converting handwriting into text.
Everything gets auto-synced to the iCloud, and you can access your notes from your iPad, iPhone and Mac (there’s also a macOS version). GoodNotes also allows you to mark up PDFs manually. Available at a relatively cheap, one-off price, GoodNotes is the perfect app for iPad Pro users who want to make notes when inspiration strikes.
Best note-taking apps: Material Notes on 6 phone screens
(Image credit: Prasad Shirvandkar)
- Material Notes
The best note-taking app for Android.
SPECIFICATIONS
Developer: Prasad ShirvandkarAvailable for: AndroidFree version: YesFree trial for paid version: No
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
VISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Easy interface
+Useful features
+Free version
REASONS TO AVOID
-Only for Android
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Note-taking apps shouldn’t be complicated, but it’s surprising how often you can open one and not know where to start. The Android app Material Notes doesn’t have that problem. Its opening screen proclaims simply, ‘Click the + button to add notes’, and it couldn’t be easier to use.
The user-friendly approach continues through the whole interface, allowing you to create notes, to-do lists and reminders without effort. You can colour-code them, organise them into categories, archive them, assign favourites, and more. There are also some handy unique features, such as the ability to create quick notes from notifications, back up your notes to Google Drive, print directly from the app, and tell your device to read notes out loud.
The app is free to download, while a Pro version – available for a cheap one-off payment – adds extra features including a calendar view, backend encryption, extra fonts, and reminder notifications. There’s no sync functionality, but for many, that’s a feature rather than a gripe, since not everyone wants sensitive information floating about on the web. If you just want to keep your notes on a single device, this is the best note-taking app available for Android. If you do want to sync notes across devices, however, we’d point you to Evernote at number one on our list.
Best note-taking apps: Screengrab of Microsoft OneNote
(Image credit: Microsoft)
- Microsoft OneNote
The best note-taking app for Windows.
SPECIFICATIONS
Developer: MicrosoftAvailable for: Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android, webFree version: NoFree trial for paid version: One month (for Office 365 subscription)
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
VISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Feature-rich
+Optimised for MS software
+Powerful free version
REASONS TO AVOID
-Extra storage requires subscription
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If you do most of your work in Microsoft’s ecosystem, a notetaking app optimised for Windows makes a lot of sense, even if it’s also cross-platform. The feature-rich Microsoft OneNote works across Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. You can attach images, symbols, Excel tables, audio files and more to notes, and you can extract text from images. You can also clip web pages through a browser extension, and you can add diagrams and sketches drawn on a Surface tablet.
More uniquely, this note-taking app offers an Accessibility Checker, which highlights problems like low contrast, which can make text difficult to read, or images that are missing alt text. There are some great sharing and collaboration features too, such as allowing others to add comments to your notes.
Best of all, the free version of Microsoft OneNote includes the vast majority of its features. The only slight catch is that you get just 5GB of storage. If you want more, you’ll need to take out a Microsoft 365 Business subscription.
Best handwriting app for android
- Google Lens
The first app on the list is Google lens. After the recent update, Google lens can now copy and paste handwritten notes to your computer. However, to get this working you will require both your smartphone as well a computer with Google Chrome installed. As of now, it doesn’t work as a standalone app.
To get started, install the Google lens app on your Android or Google app for iPhone. Also, logged in to the same Google account on your computer running Google Chrome. Once done, open the Google lens app on your smartphone and capture the handwritten text, highlight it on-screen, and select copy. Next, head over to your computer, open Chrome browser, and then go to any document in Google Docs, click Edit, and then Paste. You will see the handwritten text appear magically. And that’s it.
Copy and pasting with Google Lens. Source: Google
I tested it with a doctor’s prescription, and it wasn’t accurate, partly because you know Doctor’s handwriting. Next, I tested with my own handwriting, and I’ve to say, I was quite impressed.
Pros: Works on both Android and iOS, The accuracy is around 90% since the handwriting recognization seems to happen on Google server.
Cons: Requires active internet connection and a use of a computer.
Install Google lens (Android)
- Handwriting Memo “A Paper”
t, Handwriting Memo is a simple note-taking app that lets you input using your fingers or a stylus. The interesting feature of this app is the boundless drawing area, you can simply scroll through the app whenever you run out of writing space and the app creates more space right away.
The app is easy to use and offers a natural writing experience with three different pen types. You can also draw shapes like lines, rectangles, and circles to highlight during note-taking. The size of the tip can be adjusted by tapping the pen and adjusting the slider. You can save the notes in the app or share it with other social media as an image.
Pros: The app is fluid and offers an endless canvas which makes it easier to take notes. You can easily share the notes as an image.
Cons: The app only has a limited number of tools which limits the potential of the app. Also, the gestures to move around the page take a while to get used to.
The app is free on the Play Store and only has a few ads.
Install Handwriting Memo
- Squid
Squid is an attractive program formerly known as Papyrus that lets you create handwritten notes on many paper templates, but what makes it popular is that you can use Papyrus to fill out forms of all kinds. You can create markups on PDFs on your device as you fill in the blanks on any PDF form you have.
Read: Best PDF Editor Apps For Android
This also uses a press-sensitive setup for handling your handwriting. You can write with your stylus pen and then erase with your finger. The program identifies the pressure from either item and uses it to determine what will happen when you are trying to clear something off of your app. You can also adjust the colors of all the things you use, thus allowing you to distinguish between different items that you are posted on Squid.
best handwriting apps- Squid
Pros: Supports exporting notes into many file formats, lets you crop and edit images as you see fit, allows you to use an HDMI port, Chromecast or other items for presenting your notes on a larger screen (works best for tablets).
Cons: Pressure sensitivity might be too intense, tough to get fine print out in some cases.
The app is Free, although you would have to pay extra for some functions within the app.
Install Squid
- FiiWrite
FiiWrite is a free program that lets you not only write notes but also paint. You can use the palette tool with your stylus pen to adjust the color or thickness of what you are writing.
This is essentially a lighter version of the much larger FiiNote program. You can organize many items based on subject and date among other factors. Individual files can also be exported into PDFs and other picture formats. Each of these can be edited on your own as well. The thickness of your writing and the colors for what you are adding can be quickly adjusted to feature different styles that fit your requirements.
best hanswriting apps- fiiwrite
Pros: Works quickly, light in weight on your phone or tablet, offers many data saving and export options.
Cons: Does not work with a keyboard for tying added notes; you would have to install FiiNote separately to do that.
Install FiiWrite (free)
- INKredible
Look at INKredible next when looking for a handwriting app. This uses a basic design layout and adds a fine feature for adding both text-based notes but also pictures. You can upload pictures from your phone into INKredible or even take screenshots you just took and edit them with the program.
An automatic palm and wrist rejection feature is also included. This feature identifies the amount of pressure being laid onto a screen and then keeps you from adding unwanted pressure to whatever it is you are trying to write. This is a convenient setup for note-taking that offers a good layout for your use.
Conclusion
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