4.7
The iPad notebook default, with a three-notebook free ceiling.
Handwriting plus lecture audio on iPad, with Classic back as a one-time buy.
Best for ipad notes that need a recording of the same lecture
Reviewed 16 September 2026 · Prices checked the same day
4.8
412K reviews
Notability is the other iPad lecture notebook next to Goodnotes: ink, PDF markup, and audio that stays tied to the page you were writing when the lecturer said it. Starter is free for up to five notes. Lite is the cheap unlimited-notes plan, listed at $3.99 a month or $11.99 a year on notability.com (App Store prices sit higher). Classic is a one-time purchase again, $39.99 on the website and $49.99 in the App Store, checked 21 September 2026.
Five notes is not a semester. If you stay on Starter you will hit the wall in week two. Classic is the cleanest way to own the app, but it still costs more than Noteful or a Goodnotes Essential year.
Pricing
freemium
Lite $3.99/mo or $11.99/yr on notability.com; Classic $39.99 once (App Store $49.99)
Free version
Starter: up to 5 notes, 7-day version history
Platforms
iPad · iPhone · macOS · Windows
Feels like a lecture pad with a recorder built in. The product is the ink-plus-audio pair, not the AI extras. If you only want a cheap notebook, Noteful still spends less.
Checked 2026-09-21
| Model | Freemium |
|---|---|
| What free actually includes | Starter: up to 5 notes, 7-day version history |
| Cheapest paid tier | Lite $3.99/mo or $11.99/yr on notability.com; Classic $39.99 once (App Store $49.99) |
| Student pricing | None published |
Links from StudyApps include ref=studyapps.
Starter: up to 5 notes, 7-day version history Checked 16 September 2026.
Cheapest paid plan: Lite $3.99/mo or $11.99/yr on notability.com; Classic $39.99 once (App Store $49.99). Prices checked 16 September 2026.
iPad notes that need a recording of the same lecture
The free plan is five notes, not a course
The iPad notebook default, with a three-notebook free ceiling.
Goodnotes-style handwriting as a one-time purchase.
The notebook already on every iPhone and iPad, with no extra bill.