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Best Note-Taking App to use with a stylus

LadyX

LadyX

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 4, 2012
2,374
252
I recently purchased a stylus for taking notes on my iPad. I need some recommendations for a good note-taking app where I can use the stylus as well as the keyboard when I don't want to take handwritten notes. The app should have a palm rest feature, the ability to zoom-in, smooth pen strokes, ability to insert graphs.

Penultimate
NoteShelf
Notability
Note Taker HD

I like Penultimate and Noteshelf's UI but do they have the features I want? What do they lack?
 
I use Noteshelf. All around winner.

Penultimate has super-smooth ink action but is missing features the others have.
 
I've used them all I rEcommend good notes. Try the free version to make sure you like it.
 
xraydoc said:
I use Noteshelf. All around winner.

Penultimate has super-smooth ink action but is missing features the others have.
Click to expand...

What features are missing?

Does Noteshelf and Penultimate have a palm rest feature?
 
Penultimate does have a palm rest feature. I've used it for a couple years now, and I love it. Great with my stylus in my lecture halls.
 
xnickitynickx said:
Penultimate does have a palm rest feature. I've used it for a couple years now, and I love it. Great with my stylus in my lecture halls.
Click to expand...

What stylus do you use? I have an Adonit Jot Pro. Will it work fine with it?
 
xraydoc said:
I use Noteshelf. All around winner.
Click to expand...

Noteshelf looks great and I'm thinking of downloading it. I'm assuming it has a palm rest feature, right?

One of the in app purchases in Noteshelf is Writing Papers for $0.99. Does that mean that I have to spend 0.99 every time I want to take notes?
 
Last edited:
No one else liking noteability? Wish these apps all had free trials as noteability is the only I've downloaded and liked. Any particular reason others are choosing the other apps over this one?
 
I've been between one of three apps, GoodNotes, Ghostwriter Notes, and Noteshelf. I need to come up with a decision because I have meeting and school notes in all three as I have been testing them out. I have a feeling I will end up with GoodNotes at this time. All three have very similar offerings with Ghostwriter Notes being the only one of the three that offers fully automatic backups to dropbox which I love but much prefer the interface of GoodNotes.
 
LadyX said:
Noteshelf looks great and I'm thinking of downloading it. I'm assuming it has a palm rest feature, right?

One of the in app purchases in Noteshelf is Writing Papers for $0.99. Does that mean that I have to spend 0.99 every time I want to take notes?
Click to expand...

No. Noteshelf has a bunch of different "paper" sytles. You can buy additional styles, but it isn't necessary.

I've been using Noteshelf for months now. I have several "notebooks" with dozens of hand written pages in each. The app is really a great buy. (I use the Amazon basics stylus, btw)

It has everything you asked for as well.

The only things that I would like added are:

The ability to write protect individual pages.
The ability to export an entire notebook to dropbox.

Currently you can write protect the entire notebook and export individual pages.
 
LadyX said:
What stylus do you use? I have an Adonit Jot Pro. Will it work fine with it?
Click to expand...

I use a Targus stylus. It's pretty good; doesn't get stuck up on the screen like some others. I've never used the Adonit, but I assume it would work. If it works like your finger in any other app, I'm sure it'll be just fine.
 
mikee336 said:
No one else liking noteability? Wish these apps all had free trials as noteability is the only I've downloaded and liked. Any particular reason others are choosing the other apps over this one?
Click to expand...

Notability is okay. Their interfacen isn't as nice as good notes. They dont export to Evernote and they've taken forever to update for retina.
 
Apfpilot said:
Notability is okay. Their interfacen isn't as nice as good notes. They dont export to Evernote and they've taken forever to update for retina.
Click to expand...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, none of the other mentioned note taking apps are retina-ready. Have some of the apps already got updated for the new iPad?
 
upad - it's retina

There is lite version to try for free.

Best handwriting engine out of all note taking apps IMO
 
LadyX said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but, none of the other mentioned note taking apps are retina-ready. Have some of the apps already got updated for the new iPad?
Click to expand...

More than a few are. Good notes, remarks, iPad and note taker hd submitted to Apple on Friday.
 
A lot of people seem to like Notability, the interface is just way too ugly for my liking though.

I prefer something more simple. Try Bamboo Paper, Penultimate or Paper.

If you really need to have the zoom in feature though, then Notability probably is your best bet.
 
LadyX said:
What features are missing?

Does Noteshelf and Penultimate have a palm rest feature?
Click to expand...

They both have palm rest features.

Penultimate is much more limited in terms of "ink" colors and pen widths while Noteshelf has lots of different colors and pen width is completely customizable. Also has 3 different eraser sizes and several highlighter colors.
BubbaJones said:
The only things that I would like added are:

The ability to write protect individual pages.
The ability to export an entire notebook to dropbox.

Currently you can write protect the entire notebook and export individual pages.
Click to expand...

You can export a whole notebook from Noteshelf. Go to Page Finder (the binoculars icon), tap the top right hand Export button, tap Select All, then tap Export.
 
Noteshelf

I have to put in another vote for Noteshelf. I use it everyday in college. I have been using an iPad for the pass 2 years taking notes. I started with penultimate and then tried just doing text based notes in pages. It works for some classes. But if you need to mix text and drawings, noteshelf is the one.

I really do like penultimate, The interface is clean. They just have not solution for highlighting and more importantly it doesn't have a zoom feature. I tried penultimate, but would just end up with way to many pages at the end of the day. I do really like how penultimate does photos. It remains an object that you can move after pasting. Others should implement this feature.

I emailed note shelf yesterday about an issue and they responded that they are going to release a retina update towards the end of the month. Can't wait.
 
Notability for sure. 99 cents is a joke.

Covers everything you will ever need except Retina support (hopefully soon)
 
sk1wbw said:
Anyone look at Noteledge? Very very nice app, also with a moveable palm rest.
Click to expand...

Just tried it. Nice, but no magnify feature for handwriting. That's a deal-killer for any iPad note taking app. It's too hard to take notes on a 9 inch screen and have it look neat without magnification.

UPAD, Notability and Notetaker HD are the only options, IMO.
 
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