# The best note taking app for iPad

> iPad note-taking apps compared for students: GoodNotes, Notability and Apple Notes, with term folder setup and iPad settings that help you study.

![The best note taking app for iPad](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/note-taking-apps-ipad/note-taking-apps-ipad-cover-en.webp)

## Comparison

| App | Strongest at | Suits | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| [GoodNotes](https://www.goodnotes.com/) | Natural handwriting, PDF annotation and search across handwriting and sketches | Students who study from PDF slides and notes | Start free, with paid plans |
| [Notability](https://notability.com/) | Recording lecture audio with notes, live transcription, summaries and AI quizzes and flashcards | Long lectures and fast talkers | Free download, with paid features |
| [Apple Notes](https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/get-started-with-notes-ipadfeea407c/ipados) | Free and built in, pencil writing and document scanning | Getting started and quick notes | Free with the iPad |

![Comparison card of the guide table](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/note-taking-apps-ipad/note-taking-apps-ipad-inline-2-en.webp)


## GoodNotes: if you study from PDFs

GoodNotes is built for handwriting. Open any PDF and mark it up with the pencil, and work across several documents without leaving the app. One notebook can hold handwriting, sketches, images, audio and typed text, and search finds a word whether you typed it, wrote it or drew it inside a sketch.

It suits medicine, engineering and science students who study from lecture slides, because you solve problems and write the explanation on the same slide.

## Notability: if you want the lecture recorded

Notability's strength is audio. Record the lecture while you write, get live transcription and summaries, and have it build quizzes and flashcards from your notes with AI. It fits courses where the lecturer talks faster than you write.

> **Tip**: Ask the lecturer before you record, and check your university's rules on recording lectures. Most agree when they know it is for revision only.

## Apple Notes: start here before you buy

Notes comes on every iPad and is free. You write and draw with the pencil, scan documents, record audio and add photos, and your notes sync with your iPhone and Mac. If this is your first term on an iPad, try it for two weeks. If you find you need tidy notebooks and heavy PDF markup, move to GoodNotes or Notability.

## Organise a whole term

1. **A folder per term**: Make a folder named after the term, and inside it a notebook or folder for each course with the same name and code as your timetable.
2. **Download slides as you go**: From your university learning system, open the file and share it to the app before the lecture so you can write on it in class.
3. **Name files by week**: For example "Week 03 Circulation". Numbered names save search time before the exam.
4. **A colour per kind**: One colour for definitions, one for examples and one for questions to ask the lecturer.
5. **A question page after each lecture**: Write 3 questions about the lecture without looking. That is your quick revision before the exam.
6. **Back up**: Turn on backup in the app or iCloud. Losing a term's notebook before the final is a disaster.

![5-step flow: A folder per term / Download slides as you go / Name files by week / A colour per kind / A question page after each lecture](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/note-taking-apps-ipad/note-taking-apps-ipad-inline-1-en.webp)


## iPad settings that help you study

- A Focus mode: create a "Study" Focus in Settings that silences notifications except from apps and people you choose, and set it to turn on when you open your notes app.
- Windows side by side: put the slides on one side and your notebook on the other, or a PDF textbook next to your working page, so you stop switching apps.
- Handwriting in text fields: writing with the pencil in search and text fields lets you search and type without a keyboard.
- Pencil screenshots: swipe the pencil up from a bottom corner to take a screenshot and mark it up, handy for saving a question from the screen.
- A paper-feel screen protector: many students find writing more precise with one. Try it before deciding, as it affects screen clarity.

Keep the iPad for studying during study time. If other apps pull you in, move them off the home screen or set limits in Screen Time. Details are in [time management apps for students](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/time-management-apps/).

## Turn notes into revision

After the lecture, snap or export your notes and have an AI assistant quiz you on them:

Questions from iPad notes:

```
These are my handwritten notes from a [course name] lecture: [attach the image or paste the text]. Read them and write 10 multiple choice questions at university exam level, with the correct answer and one line explaining why. If you cannot read a word in my handwriting, ask me instead of guessing.
```

## The iPad itself at a student price

If you do not have an iPad yet, Apple has an education price for university students in Saudi Arabia. Current prices and the percentage saved are in [iPad and laptop student prices](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/ipad-laptop-student-prices/), and the laptop comparison is in [the best laptop for students](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/best-laptop-for-students/).

## How to take notes that help at exam time

The app matters, but how you write matters more. Pages of fast, unorganised notes do not help the night before an exam. This simple method works in all three apps:

1. **Open the slides before the lecture**: If your professor shares slides, import them and write on top instead of copying everything. Your lecture time goes to understanding, not copying.
2. **Leave a margin for questions**: Keep part of the page empty and, after class, write one or two questions about each idea there. Those questions become your revision.
3. **Use two colours only**: One for normal notes and one for what the professor called important or likely on the exam. Too many colours hide what matters.
4. **Sum up the page in three lines**: At the end of each lecture, write a short summary in your own words. If you cannot, there is a part you missed and need to revisit.

## Pen or keyboard?

| Situation | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Equations and diagrams | Pen | Arrows and symbols are far quicker to draw than to type |
| Fast theory lecture | Keyboard, if you type fast | You keep up and can search the text later |
| Solving problems | Pen | You write steps, cross out and fix them like on paper |
| Revision summaries | Both | Write by hand and let the app turn it into text if it supports that |

Try each method for a week and compare how much you remember. Shopping for a device? See [the iPad for studying](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/ipad-for-studying/) and [student prices on iPads and laptops](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/ipad-laptop-student-prices/).

## Mistakes that cost you a term of notes

- Keeping every course in one notebook: after a few weeks it is hard to search, and the lecture you need on exam night gets lost.
- Skipping backup: if the iPad is lost or breaks, the term's notes go with it. Turn on cloud sync in the app settings from day one.
- Writing tiny: small handwriting saves space but is hard to read at revision time. Zoom in with two fingers and write comfortably.
- Copying slides word for word: if you already have the slides, write only what the professor said that is not on them.

tiswa shows student prices on iPad, Mac and Samsung devices, plus free software like Notion and Office. Verify once and open every deal. [Join tiswa](https://tiswa.app/en/join/)

More study tools are in [study apps for students](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/study-apps/).

## Questions

### What is the best note taking app for iPad?

GoodNotes if you study from PDFs, Notability if you want lecture audio with your notes, and the free Notes app if you want to start at no cost.

### GoodNotes or Notability?

GoodNotes is stronger at handwriting, organising notebooks and marking up PDFs. Notability is stronger at audio recording, transcription and summaries.

### Is GoodNotes free?

You can start free, with paid plans for more features. Details are on its official site and app store listing.

### Is Apple Notes enough for studying?

For most students at the start, yes: pencil writing, document scanning and sync across Apple devices. If you need heavy PDF markup, move to a dedicated app.

### Can I buy an iPad at a student price in Saudi Arabia?

Yes. Apple has an education price for university students in Saudi Arabia, and current prices are in our iPad and laptop student prices guide.

### Do I need an Apple Pencil to study on an iPad?

If you write on slides and solve problems by hand, yes, the pencil is what turns the iPad into a notebook. If your studying is reading and typed summaries, a keyboard is enough to start. Before buying, check on Apple's official site that the pencil works with your iPad model.


## Sources

[^1]: goodnotes.com, https://www.goodnotes.com/
[^2]: notability.com, https://notability.com/
[^3]: support.apple.com, https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/get-started-with-notes-ipadfeea407c/ipados
[^4]: apple.com, https://www.apple.com/sa-en-edu/store