GoodNotes Logo
Craft logo

Notes that go
beyond handwriting.

Looking for a GoodNotes alternative? Your notes deserve more than handwriting. Craft combines typed notes, drawing, AI, and collaboration — synced everywhere.

Try Craft Free

Which one is right for you?

Craft

Structured typed documents with cards, nested pages, and Apple Pencil sketches on iPad
A document workspace across Mac, iPad, iPhone, Windows, Android, and Web
Shared Spaces, real-time document editing, and comments for working together
AI assistant for writing, summarizing, and brainstorming; included, limits vary by plan
Rich documents with tables, embeds, and web publishing

Goodnotes

Handwriting is your primary input and you want paper-like feel
You need PDF annotation as your main workflow
Flashcards and study tools are essential to you
You want notebook-first workflows across Apple, Android, Windows, and Web

Goodnotes is a powerful choice for handwriting, PDF annotation, and studying, with typed documents, AI, and collaboration options. Craft is built around structured documents, connected knowledge, and polished web publishing, with Apple Pencil sketches alongside typed content.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

See how Craft and GoodNotes compare across key features

Feature
Craft
Goodnotes
Performance
Native Apple apps; Windows, Android, and Web access
Apps on Apple devices, Windows, Android, and Web
Cross-Platform
Full apps on all platforms with instant sync
Apple, Android, Windows, Web; sync depends on plan and rollout
Note Types
Rich typed docs + Apple Pencil drawing + media
Notebooks, typed Text Documents, whiteboards, and PDF markup
AI Features
Included; limits vary by plan
AI tools; capabilities and usage depend on plan
Offline Access
Full offline on every platform
Offline notebooks; capabilities vary by platform
Apple Pencil
Drawing + annotation alongside typed documents
Excellent pen tools with paper simulation
Web Publishing
One-click beautiful web pages
Not available
Free Tier
Free plan with sync included
Free with limits; Essential $11.99/year, Pro $35.99/year (US)
Organization
Spaces, folders, collections, tags, search
Folders, bookmarks, handwriting search, and typed documents
Collaboration
Real-time editing, shared spaces, comments
Sharing, comments, and Pro real-time collaboration

Why users switch to Craft

A

Anonymous review

“ Genuinely thank you guys for putting in the work to make a product that does its job flawlessly. My suite of Arc, Craft, and Goodnotes is my secret to student success — although sometimes I wouldn't be mad if you guys branched into handwritten notes and made Goodnotes obsolete... they don't understand UI like you do.”
App Store Award
App Store Award
Mac App of the Year
Apple Design Awards
Apple Design Awards
Finalist
Webby
Webby
Awarded three times in various categories
German Design Award
German Design Award
Excellent Communications Design Interactive UX

What matters most

Craft gets it right

Quick idea capture

Capture ideas by typing, with sketches on iPhone and iPad — on any device, synced everywhere instantly

Fast, beautiful writing

Beautiful typed documents with covers, cards, and Apple Pencil sketches on iPad

Offline access

Full offline on every device including Windows and Web — your notes go everywhere

Easy Organization

Spaces, folders, collections, and powerful full-text search across all notes

Task management

Built-in tasks with due dates and daily notes — manage work alongside your notes

API, MCP & Automations

Connect with Claude, ChatGPT, Apple Shortcuts, and build custom workflows

Compare the cost

Craft
Goodnotes
Free plan or trial
Free — 1,500 blocks, 1 GB storage
Free plan with feature and notebook limits
Individual
$6.4/month, billed annually
Essential: $11.99/year; Pro: $35.99/year
Family
$12.0/month, billed annually; up to 6 people
Check current subscription and Family Sharing eligibility
Team
$5/month, billed annually per member; minimum 3 members
Teams: $120/seat/year; Enterprise pricing available
AI Assistant Feature
Included; limits vary by plan
AI features vary by plan; additional AI Pass available

Craft prices reflect your region and available offers. Competitor $ prices are USD unless stated otherwise; billing periods are shown with each price. Taxes, offers and plan limits may differ. Check Goodnotes pricing

See full pricing

Switch From GoodNotes To Craft

Export Your Notebooks

In GoodNotes, select notebooks and share as PDF or images to preserve your handwritten content.

Import to Craft

Add exported PDFs as attachments to Craft documents, then create typed notes alongside them. The PDFs do not become editable ink or Craft pages.

Start Creating

Draw with Apple Pencil on iPad AND type rich documents — all synced to every device you own.

Ready for notes that go beyond handwriting?

Start for free. No credit card required.

Continue on webDownload on the App Store

Common Questions

Craft is a strong choice when your notes need to become structured documents, shared knowledge, or published pages. Goodnotes is especially strong for notebook-based handwriting, PDF annotation, and study tools, and also offers typed documents, AI, and collaboration.

Choose Craft for structured documents, Collections, nested pages, and polished web publishing. Goodnotes also supports typed content, collaboration, AI, and cross-platform apps, so compare the document and notebook workflows you prefer.

Yes. Craft supports real-time collaboration, shared Spaces, and comments. Goodnotes also offers collaboration, including real-time collaborative documents on Pro and organizational plans.

Goodnotes offers Free, Essential at $11.99/year, and Pro at $35.99/year in the US, plus organizational plans. Craft has a free plan and paid subscriptions. AI is included; limits vary by plan. Prices and billing terms vary by region.

Craft focuses on structured rich documents, nested pages, Collections, public web publishing, and API/MCP workflows. Goodnotes also offers typed documents, AI, search, cross-platform apps, and collaboration, alongside its notebook and PDF tools.

Yes. Craft works fully offline on all platforms — Mac, iPad, iPhone, Windows, and Web. Goodnotes also supports offline notebooks; capabilities vary by platform. Craft syncs changes automatically when you reconnect.

Export your Goodnotes notebooks as PDF files via the share menu, then add them as attachments in Craft. You can add typed notes alongside them. Editable ink, layers, and notebook tools do not transfer as Craft content.

Goodnotes has specialist pen tools, notebook templates, and PDF annotation. Craft lets you draw with Apple Pencil on iPad AND type rich documents in the same note, then access them from your phone, laptop, or browser. Different strengths for different workflows.

Yes. Both are native apps with excellent iPad performance. Craft also works on Mac, iPhone, Windows, Android, and Web with sub-second sync. Goodnotes also has cross-platform apps; cloud sync depends on plan and rollout.

Craft offers Spaces, folders, Collections, linked documents, tags, and full-text search. Goodnotes offers folders, bookmarks, and search including handwriting search. Craft is a strong fit when you want structured information connected across documents.

Yes. Craft lets you publish any document as a beautiful web page with one click. Share professional pages with anyone — no account needed. Goodnotes offers public-link sharing; compare that with Craft’s styled document webpages.

Yes. Craft lets you mix typed text, Apple Pencil sketches on iPad, images, tables, and rich formatting in one document. Goodnotes combines its notebook and pen tools with typed Text Documents, whiteboards, and PDF annotation.

Craft includes an AI assistant for working with your content. Included; limits vary by plan. Goodnotes also offers AI tools for writing, meetings, math, and studying, with capabilities and quotas depending on the plan.

If structured documents, Collections, connected knowledge, or polished web publishing matter to your workflow, Craft is worth trying. Goodnotes also offers collaboration, AI, and cross-platform access; many users choose based on notebook versus document workflows.

Goodnotes is strong for handwritten lecture notes, PDFs, and study tools. Craft is useful for structured essays, research, shared projects, and published portfolios. Eligible students and educators can apply for Craft's Education plan; plan limits apply.

Craft is designed for structured writing with rich formatting, AI, and web publishing. Goodnotes also supports typed Text Documents. Try both if you want to compare a document-first workspace with a notebook and study environment.

Craft syncs instantly across Mac, iPad, iPhone, Windows, and Web. Goodnotes also has Apple, Windows, Android, and Web apps; cross-platform library sync depends on the plan and Goodnotes Cloud availability.

Export Goodnotes notebooks as PDFs and add them as attachments in Craft documents. Add typed notes around the reference files and organize them in folders. This preserves the PDF appearance, not editable ink or notebook structure.