Evernote vs GoodNotes: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Evernote and GoodNotes side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Evernote
The original note-taking app, still kicking after all these years
Best for you if:
- • You want excellent web clipper for saving articles
GoodNotes
Capture, organize, and elevate your ideas with AI-powered digital note-taking.
Best for you if:
- • You want highly flexible input methods cater to diverse note-taking styles
| At a Glance | Evernote | GoodNotes |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $14.99/mo, billed monthly Starter plan | Free plan, paid from $0.99/mo, billed yearly Essential plan |
Category | Note-Taking Productivity | Note-Taking Productivity |
Rating | 4.4/5 Capterra 4.4 · G2 4.4 10,296 reviews | 4.4/5 G2 4.7 · Capterra 4.5 · Trustpilot 4.0 263 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | AI Pass+ is a significant monthly add-on. |
Choose Evernote or GoodNotes?
Choose Evernote if
- You want excellent web clipper for saving articles
- You want strong search including handwritten notes
Choose GoodNotes if
- You want highly flexible input methods cater to diverse note-taking styles
- You want powerful AI features significantly enhance productivity and understanding
In-Depth Analysis
Evernote
The original note-taking app, still kicking after all these years
Evernote's pricing is expensive, especially the Starter tier at $14.99/month for very limited features.
Strengths
- Pro: Excellent web clipper for saving articles
- Pro: Strong search including handwritten notes
- Pro: Cross-platform sync
- Pro: Mature and stable platform
- Pro: Good document scanning
Weaknesses
- Con: Free plan severely limited (2 devices only)
- Con: Expensive premium plans
- Con: Development has stagnated
- Con: Performance issues with large notebooks
- Con: Lost market share to Notion and others
Key features
GoodNotes
Capture, organize, and elevate your ideas with AI-powered digital note-taking.
GoodNotes offers a generous Free tier, but the Essential ($11.99/year) and Pro ($35.99/year) tiers are quite affordable for the features provided.
Watch out
AI Pass+ is a significant monthly add-on.
Strengths
- Pro: Highly flexible input methods cater to diverse note-taking styles.
- Pro: Powerful AI features significantly enhance productivity and understanding.
- Pro: Seamless real-time collaboration makes it great for teams and education.
- Pro: Comprehensive search functionality, including handwritten content.
- Pro: Available across multiple operating systems.
Weaknesses
- Con: Some advanced AI features and cross-platform sync are limited or in beta.
- Con: Certain features like audio transcription and presentation mode are currently iOS-only.
- Con: Free plan has significant limitations on file count and AI usage.
Key features
Plans and prices: Evernote vs GoodNotes
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Evernote |
| evernote.com/pricing read Sep 27, 2026 |
| GoodNotes |
| goodnotes.com/pricing read Sep 27, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Evernote pricing and GoodNotes pricing.
Key Takeaways
Evernote
- Choose if you want the original note-taking app, still kicking after all these years
GoodNotes
- Choose if you want capture, organize, and elevate your ideas with AI-powered digital note-taking
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.4/5 from 10,296 reviews for Evernote, 4.4/5 from 263 reviews for GoodNotes).
- Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Evernote $14.99/mo, billed monthly; GoodNotes $0.99/mo, billed yearly.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Evernote and GoodNotes compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.4/5 from 10,296 reviews for Evernote, 4.4/5 from 263 reviews for GoodNotes). Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Evernote $14.99/mo, billed monthly; GoodNotes $0.99/mo, billed yearly. Both have a free plan.
What are Evernote and GoodNotes used for?
Evernote: The original note-taking app, still kicking after all these years. GoodNotes: Capture, organize, and elevate your ideas with AI-powered digital note-taking.
What does Evernote cost vs GoodNotes?
Evernote's cheapest paid plan is Starter at $14.99/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. GoodNotes's cheapest paid plan is Essential at $0.99/mo, billed yearly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Sep 27, 2026.
What's the main difference between Evernote and GoodNotes?
Evernote's main strength: excellent web clipper for saving articles. GoodNotes's main strength: highly flexible input methods cater to diverse note-taking styles.