GoodNotes 6 Review: A Comprehensive Look at the Features and Performance

GoodNotes has been a popular app for taking notes on digital devices, especially iPads. Now, there’s a new version: GoodNotes 6. It has some cool new features, but also a higher price, which has caused mixed reactions. So, is it worth the money? Let’s take a closer look.

Price: More Expensive Than Before

GoodNotes 6 costs $29.99 if you want it on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. There’s also a $10 yearly subscription if you want to use it on Android or Windows. You can try it for free at first, but only make up to three notebooks.

Here’s how it compares to other apps:

GoodNotes 6 has more features than many of these apps, but the higher price may not be worth it for everyone, especially if you’re on a budget or only need something simple.

Making Notebooks: Lots of Options

GoodNotes 6 gives you tons of ways to make and design your notebooks. You can:

• Pick different page styles and paper sizes (like A4, A5, etc.)
• Choose portrait or landscape view
• Change the colors of the paper and lines

It also has a Marketplace where you can buy more templates and digital stationery. Even if you paid for the app already, some items in the Marketplace still cost extra.

Some of the settings feel a bit hard to use. It would be better if everything were in one place for easier changes.

📝 How to Create a New Notebook in GoodNotes 6

1. Open the GoodNotes 6 app.
2. Tap the “+” button (usually at the top right).
3. Choose “Notebook” from the menu.
4. Pick a cover and a paper style (like lined, dotted, or blank).
5. Give your notebook a name (like “Math Notes”).
6. Tap “Create” and you’re ready to start writing!

Writing Tools: Better, But Not Perfect

Pens

There are three kinds of pens: fountain, ballpoint, and brush. You can pick your favorite colors and sizes and save up to 12% on the toolbar. However, there’s no favorites toolbar yet, which would make things quicker.

Good: Writing feels smoother and more natural.
Bad: Sometimes, your writing might disappear by mistake, which can be frustrating.

🔍 How to Search Your Handwritten Notes

1. Go to the main screen of your notebooks.
2. Tap the search icon (it looks like a magnifying glass).
3. Type a word you wrote by hand (like “volcano”).
4. GoodNotes will find the pages where you wrote that word, even if it was in your handwriting!

Highlighter & Eraser

• The highlighter still works well, with better color options and straight-line tools.
• The eraser has new settings, too. You can erase just highlighter marks or choose auto-deselect after use.

🎨 How to Highlight Text

1. Open a notebook or a PDF.
2. Tap the highlighter tool (usually next to the pen).
3. Pick a color.
4. Drag your finger or Apple Pencil over the text you want to highlight.
5. That’s it! You can highlight notes, titles, or anything important.

Zoom Tool

You can zoom in and write more neatly. But there’s no percentage display, so it’s hard to keep your zoom level the same every time.

✍️ How to Write with the Apple Pencil

1. Open any notebook.
2. Tap the pen icon in the top toolbar.
3. Use your Apple Pencil to write directly on the page.
4. Change pen color or thickness by tapping the pen settings.
5. If you make a mistake, tap the eraser tool to fix it.

Extra Features: Some Cool, Some Missing

Shapes & Ruler

• Draw regular shapes, arrows, and more.
• The new ruler helps you make straight lines.

Downside: You can’t turn off the fill color or change the transparency of shapes.

Text Boxes

• You can change fonts, colors, borders, and save a favorite style.
• But writing with the text tool doesn’t mix well with handwriting. More editing tools would help.

Stickers & Images

• Add fun stickers and import images (PNG only).
• No GIF support yet.

Audio Notes

You can record audio while writing, and it plays back together. That’s helpful!

But you can’t rename recordings or change playback speed, which would be useful.

🎙️ How to Record Audio Notes in GoodNotes 6

1. Open a notebook and tap the microphone icon (if available).
2. Start speaking, and GoodNotes will record your voice.
3. Tap the mic again to stop the recording.
4. The audio is saved on the same page as your notes.
5. Tap the audio icon anytime to play the recording back.

Tip: Perfect for recording lectures, meetings, or voice memos while taking notes.

Smart Tools: AI & OCR

OCR (Text Recognition)

GoodNotes can turn your handwriting into typed text in 17 languages. It also understands math!
But the process takes two steps, which feels slower than other apps.

🔤 How to Convert Handwriting to Text (OCR)

1. Write something using the pen tool in your notebook.
2. Tap the Lasso Tool from the toolbar.
3. Draw a circle around the handwriting you want to convert.
4. Tap Convert or Convert to Text from the pop-up menu.
5. Your handwriting will be turned into typed text.
6. You can copy, paste, or insert that text anywhere in your notes.

Tip: Works best with clear, neat handwriting.

AI Tools

Some smart tools can suggest words and fix spelling.

Good: Saves time while writing.

Bad: Doesn’t work well with cursive or match handwriting styles.

iPad Features

GoodNotes 6 works well with iPad features:

• Multitasking: Open multiple notes at once.
• Scribble: Convert Apple Pencil writing to text in real-time.

However, Dark Mode only changes the app’s interface, not your notes. That’s not great if you’re working at night.

📄 How to Import a PDF into GoodNotes

1. Tap the “+” button.
2. Choose “Import” from the list.
3. Pick the PDF file from your Files or Cloud storage.
4. It will open as a new notebook where you can write on top of the PDF!

Sharing & Presenting

Collaboration

You can work with others on the same notebook. But you can’t turn off change notifications or filter them, which can be annoying.

👥 How to Use Collaboration in GoodNotes 6

1. Open the notebook you want to share.
2. Tap the Share button (usually in the top right).
3. Choose “Collaborate” or “Invite to Edit”.
4. Set permissions for who can view or edit the notebook.
5. Copy the sharing link or send it directly through email or another app.
6. When others open the notebook, you can both edit it in real time.

Tip: Great for group work, shared study notes, or collaborative planning.

Presentation

Has tools like laser pointers and screen sharing, which are perfect for teachers or presentations.

Exporting & Organizing Notes

You can export your notes as PDFs or images, and easily move or copy pages.

But the way it handles hyperlinks (clickable links) feels a bit outdated.

🗂️ How to Organize Notes into Folders

1. From the home screen, tap the “+” and choose “Folder.”
2. Name your folder (like “Science Class”).
3. Open the folder, tap “Edit”, and move notebooks into it.
4. This helps you keep your notes neat and easy to find!

Final Thoughts: Should You Get GoodNotes 6?

GoodNotes 6 has a lot of great tools, especially if you’re serious about digital note-taking. But the higher price, a few bugs, and missing features might not make it the best choice for everyone.

Pros:

• Tons of notebooks and writing customizations
• Better handwriting feel
• Cool sticker and sharing tools
• Great exporting options

Cons:

• Expensive compared to other apps
• Bugs and random disappearing writing
• Some smart tools need work
• Old-style links and no full dark mode

Try These Instead

If GoodNotes 6 feels too expensive or complicated, check out these:

• OneNote: Free and works on lots of devices
• Nebo: Best for turning handwriting into text
• Noteshelf: Cheaper, with lots of features

Is It Right for You?

If you want a professional and powerful note-taking app, GoodNotes 6 is a solid choice.
But if you’re a casual user or on a budget, one of the cheaper or free apps might be a better fit.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is GoodNotes 6?

GoodNotes 6 is an app that lets you take notes on your tablet, phone, or computer. You can write by hand, type, draw, or even highlight like you would with a real notebook.

Is GoodNotes 6 better than GoodNotes 5?

Yes, it has more cool tools. GoodNotes 6 adds things like smart suggestions, nicer notebook designs, and better handwriting help. It’s smoother and faster, too.

Is GoodNotes 6 free?

You can use a small part of it for free. But to get all the features, you’ll need to pay either with a monthly subscription or a one-time purchase.

Can GoodNotes 6 read my handwriting?

Yes! It can turn your handwriting into typed words and even help you search your notes by what you wrote. It’s great if your handwriting gets messy.

Can I use GoodNotes 6 on Windows or Android?

You can use it on Windows through a web version (kind of like using a website). But it doesn’t work well on Android yet. It works best on iPads and iPhones.

What new features does GoodNotes 6 have?

Here are some of the new things:

• Smart tools that help with spelling and writing
• More notebook styles and paper types
• Easier ways to keep your notes organized
• Sharing and working on notes with other people (still being tested)
• Works on more devices like Macs and Windows

Can I see my notes on all my devices?

Yes! If you use the same account, your notes can appear on your iPad, iPhone, Mac, and even Windows through the web version.

Can I use it to mark up PDFs?

Yes. You can open a PDF file and write on it, draw, highlight, or add notes. It’s super helpful for homework, books, or worksheets.

Is GoodNotes 6 good for school?

Definitely. A lot of students use it to take notes, keep track of subjects, and study better. It’s like having all your school notebooks in one place without the heavy backpack.