Best Digital Planning Apps

Digital planning apps are required if you want to start with digital planning.

Most online digital planners come in PDF formats with various benefits – for printing they provide the best quality, while for digital use, they have hyperlink support.

Why hyperlinks are so important in digital planners?

They help you navigate through your digital planner, especially if you use a planner with hundreds of different pages and sections.

Now, lots of people use iPads for digital planning, however, not all people are able either to afford an iPad or they don’t want to spend lots of money on a new tablet device.

We gathered some of the best PDF annotation apps for digital planning, whether you’re an iOS, Android, or Windows user.

Price Comparison

You can use any of these apps for free, but remember that some are very limited to core functionality. To use advanced features you’ll have to buy/subscribe.

1. Goodnotes

Systems: iOS, Android, Windows

Goodnotes is one of the most popular apps for note-taking for iOS devices – iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Many people using digital planning rely on this app for note-taking thanks to its wide variety of features.

Features:

• Customization options
• User-friendly design
• Handwriting recognition
• Annotation tools
• Text tools
• Shape recognition
• Voice recording
• PDF Import
• Document scanning
• Folders and tas
• Powerful search function
• Pressure sensitivity

The app has a clean and minimalistic design, easy to navigate. Good choice even if you’re starting with digital planning.

It also has handwriting recognition, which converts written notes into text, making it easier to search for specific stuff in your planner or notebook later.

Annotation tools are also included like pen types, highlighters, and shapes. With the lasso tool, you can move resize, and edit your handwritten notes or drawings.

Most importantly, you can import PDF files (which you will use most of the time for digital planning) and annotate them within the app.

Goodnotes is available for iOS users and has expanded its support for Android and Windows users too.

GoodNotes is a paid app, with a one-time purchase price.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Intuitive and user-friendly interface
• Robust handwriting recognition and search
• Extensive annotation tools
• PDF import and annotation
• Strong organizational features
• Excellent Apple Pencil support

Cons:

• The one-time purchase price may be a barrier for some
• Can’t sync between different devices (iOS, Android, or Windows)
• You’ll need Apple Pen for the best experience

2. Notability

Systems: iOS

Notability is another popular note-taking app, this time made only for iOS devices. Goodnotes was also made for iOS only, however, they expanded their OS support.

Features:

• Multi-mode
• Import and annotate
• Organization
• Squeeze to erase
• Audio recording
• Collaboration
• Cloud syncing
• Shapes

Notability is great at handling the basics without any fuss. The app runs smoothly, with no lag issues.

The writing experience is good thanks to the super sensitive pressure pen, and it’s easy to draw shapes.

One of the best features is the continuous scrolling, so there’s no need to write at the bottom of the screen. The voice recording feature is super handy for lectures when you’re only half paying attention – just remember to ask the professor before recording.

The organization system in Notability is also user-friendly, making it a top choice. Plus, the line tool with shape recognition snaps to a grid, which is perfect for technical sketches that need to be precise and symmetrical.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Audio recording possibilities
• Great organizational tools
• Handwriting focus
• Cloud syncing
• Great note-taking features

Cons:

• Available on iOS only
• Subscription model
• Limited text formatting

3. Xodo PDF Reader & Editor

Systems: iOS, Android, Windows

Xodo is another popular alternative to the abovementioned apps. It has a variety of different tools and options that let you edit your PDF files easily.

Features:

• Performance
• PDF reading
• Annotation tools
• Editing tools
• Synchronization
• Collaboration
• Multiple file format support
• Document merging
• Cloud integration
• Search functionality
• Night mode
• Printing support

It’s easy to use and lets you do all sorts of things like highlight text, add comments, and fill out forms. The good part is that it works fast and you can access your documents on different devices.

You can also collaborate with others on the same document at the same time and you can also use it for other file types too. It’s great for keeping all your documents organized and in one place.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Quick loading and smooth operation
• Lots of annotation tools
• Dark mode
• Supports multiple file formats
• Offline access

Cons:

• Learning curve
• Pricing
• Some advanced editing is limited

4. Foxit Reader

System: Android, iOS, Windows

Foxit Reader is a PDF reader and editor that’s known for being easy to use and packed with lots of features.

Features:

• Fast and lightweight
• Annotation tools
• PDF Editing
• Form filling
• Security
• Multi-tab viewing
• Cross-platform compatibility
• Snapshot tool
• PDF Signing
• Printing
• Protection
• Accessibility

It’s fast and won’t slow down your devices, which makes it a good choice for handling all your PDF documents without issues.

You can do things like highlight, comment, and draw right on the PDF, which is great for working with others or just reviewing stuff. It’s also good for editing PDFs – you can add or delete text, merge and split documents, and put in images.

Security features are included too, like digital signatures and password protection to keep your documents and information safe.

The interface is simple to use, and you can customize things like reading modes and shortcut keys to fit your needs.

You can also work on multiple PDFs at once using tabs, and it works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and can connect to Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Quick startup and operate smoothly without slowing down your system
• Comprehensive annotation tools
• PDF editing capabilities
• Security features
• Multi-tab view

Cons:

• Learning curve
• Free version limitations
• Ads in the free version

5. Evernote

Systems: Android, Windows, iOS

Evernote is a popular note-taking and organization app that allows users to capture, organize, and share notes across devices. It’s designed to help you and your team stay organized, collaborate effectively, and access information from anywhere.

Features:

• Note creation and organization
• Sync across devices
• Note collaboration
• Web Clipper
• Search function
• Document scanning
• Offline access
• Security features
• Annotation and markup

You can group notes into notebooks and add tags for quick retrieval. Notes can be synced across your devices – desktop, web, and mobile.

Sharing notes and notebooks is another great feature that lets you edit it in real-time with others while the search function will help you find information easily.

You can integrate Evernote with apps like Google Drive, Slack, and Microsoft Teams for better productivity.

Capture web pages and images directly into Evernote for future reference or annotation.

Security features like passcodes and encryption keep your notes safe, and you can work offline and sync changes once you’re back online.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Supports multiple types of content
• Available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
• Facilitates real-time collaboration and sharing of notes
• Extensive integration options with other productivity tools

Cons:

• Pricing
• Learning curve
• Storage limits
• Interface updates

6. Noteshelf

Systems: iOS, Android, Windows

Noteshelf is another iOS app offering a variety of tools for annotating PDFs, as well as other documents and planners.

Features:

• Digital notebook customization
• Handwriting recognition
• Annotation and markup
• Synchronization
• Cloud backup and storage
• Note sharing
• Template library
• Drawing and sketching tools
• Audio recording integration

Noteshelf allows you to create notes using text, handwriting, images, and audio recordings. You can also customize digital notebooks with different styles and colors.

Handwriting recognition is available to convert handwritten notes to text.

You can also annotate PDFs and images within Noteshelf by adding comments, highlights, and drawings. Your notes sync seamlessly across iOS and Android devices, and you can back them up to cloud services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive

Additionally, you can share notes, access templates, use drawing and sketching tools, and integrate audio recordings.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Converts handwritten notes to text
• Synchronizes notes seamlessly across iOS and Android devices
• Offers extensive customization for notebooks, paper styles, and templates
• Allows annotation and markup of PDFs and images within the app

Cons:

• Learning curve
• Cost
• Integration with third-party apps and services may be limited
• Some features and functionalities may vary between iOS and Android

7. PDF Expert

Systems: iOS

PDF Expert is a PDF annotation tool that can be used for planning and document annotation. Currently available for iOS only.

Features:

• Annotation tools
• PDF Editing
• Form fillings
• Optical Character Recognition
• Synchronization
• File protection
• PDF conversion tools
• Digital signatures
• Markup and drawing tools

PDF Expert offers a wide range of features for managing PDF documents, including highlighting, underlining, and adding comments. It supports editing text, images, and links, as well as filling out forms and signing documents.

The app includes OCR for scanned documents (convert scanned documents into searchable and editable PDFs), allows for easy organization of files, and provides tight security features.

Additionally, it also has collaboration tools and supports various cloud services for easy access and sharing.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Advanced tools for editing text, images, and links
• Robust set of annotation tools for marking up and commenting on PDF files
• Synchronizes documents seamlessly between iOS and macOS devices
• Strong file protection features

Cons:

• Cost
• Learning curve
• Performance on older devices
• Free version limitations

8. Squid

Systems: Android

Squid, known earlier ar “SquidNotes” is a Android note-taking app made to replicate the natural feeling of writing with a pen and paper.

Features:

• Digital handwriting
• Annotation tools
• PDF import and markup
• Note organization
• Customizable templates
• Handwriting recognition

Squid has a bunch of cool features that make digital note-taking more interesting. You can highlight, underline, and add text and shapes to your handwritten notes to make them super clear. Plus, you can import PDFs and mark them up with comments and drawings, mixing handwritten and digital content seamlessly.

You can also use different paper types like ruled, graph, and dotted, and sync your notes across your Android devices using Google Drive.

It also has handwriting-to-text conversion.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Replicates the feel of writing with a pen and paper
• Annotation of PDF documents directly within the app
• Customizable templates and handwriting tools
• Converts handwritten notes to text

Cons:

• Android only
• Learning curve

9. LiquidText

System: Android, iOS, Windows

LiquidText is an innovative PDF reader and annotation tool designed to improve the way you interact with digital documents.

Features:

• Interactive document workspace
• Text and gesture-based annotation
• Linked notes and excerpts
• Outline and mind map view
• Search and import
• Gesture-based navigation
• Dark mode

LiquidText is packed with features for deep reading, annotating, and organizing. The app allows you to work with multiple documents simultaneously, write and draw on PDFs, compare content across files, and create outlines and mind maps.

You can search for keywords, import PDFs from various sources, sync annotated documents across iOS devices, and customize your workspace.

LiquidText offers gestures for easy navigation. It also has a dark mode and backup options.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Unique approach to document interaction with dynamic workspace
• Text and gesture-based annotation tools
• Visual document comparison and analysis
• Linked notes, excerpts, outlines, and mind maps

Cons:

• The interface can feel clunky
• Some users report frequent crashes, bugs, and lag, especially on older devices