7 best note taking apps for iPad and iPad Pro

Having a reliable note-taking app installed on your iPad is an essential part of maintaining productivity on the go. The best note taking apps on iPad sync notes on all devices and come with a bunch of useful features.

So if you're looking for the best note taking app for iPad or iPad Pro, keep reading the following article to learn more.

1. GoodNote

If you prefer taking notes by handwriting rather than using the on-screen keyboard, GoodNotes is a great place to start. This can be considered the best note taking app for Apple Pencil.

Using a stylus to make notes on iPad has a number of notable benefits, especially for certain types of content. For example, if you need to record equations, formulas, and other complex scientific characters, using the keyboard is difficult, even impossible.

Key features in GoodNotes include the ability to annotate PDF files, how to convert handwritten content into text, and synchronize notes with major cloud storage providers.

Download GoodNotes (Free).

2. Apple Notes

Sometimes the most obvious solution is the best option. That is the case with Apple Notes.

This application is pre-installed on iOS devices and is completely free to use. A redesign coinciding with the release of iOS 11 in late 2017 brought some improvements to this app. Apple Notes is now one of the best note taking apps for iPad and iPad Pro.

Apple Notes has an impressive array of tools that work with Apple Pencil. It provides extended type options and uses iCloud to seamlessly sync with all other Apple devices.

Refer to the article: The useful features on the iPhone Notes application for details.

Download Apple Notes (Free).

3. Notability

Notability is the best note-taking app for iPad if the ability to annotate PDF files is an important feature for you. Thanks to the ability to facilitate taking notes with an Apple Pencil or a stylus, Notability has become a great app for creating bullet journal tables (a very efficient way of taking notes and plans by Ryder Carroll, a professor of Designed in Brooklyn creation).

Some of the app's most notable features include:

1. Convert handwritten notes into text
2. Support multiple notes so you can work on two notes side by side
3. Caption PDF
4. A search function can scan both text and handwritten notes
5. A powerful sketching tool that lets you use custom colors and shapes
6. Support drag and drop for files, text, photos, GIFs and web pages

Like the other apps here, Notability is compatible with iCloud so you can sync your notes across all other iOS and macOS devices.

Finally, Notability also supports audio files. The application will sync notes with the audio recording, allowing you to hear what was said at the time you made the note. This feature is perfect for presentations and lectures.

Download Notability ($ 10 / 230,000 VND, in-app purchase available).

4. Notepad + Pro

Notepad + Pro is the most expensive application on this list (the price is $ 20 - 460,000 VND). But it is the best option for anyone who wants to retain the traditional pen and paper feel on an iPad or iPad Pro. There are several types of pens, highlighter and color tools, all of which aim to recreate the method of using paper to make notes.

This app is primarily aimed at Apple Pencil owners (or another iOS-compatible stylus), although it also supports keyboard input.

If you need to annotate files in various formats, this app is definitely worth a look. It allows you to add notes to PDF files as well as files in Excel, Keynote and Numbers formats.

Another interesting feature of the application is the blur tool. You can hide sensitive data on your documents with just one touch before sharing that data with other users.

Download Notepad + Pro ($ 20).

5. Evernote

Another iPad note app worth considering is Evernote. No need to introduce much about this application. It is one of the best note taking apps on all major platforms for the last few years.

Evernote has a free version. You can use it to take notes, format them as you wish, record audio and create to-do lists. However, more powerful features, such as version history, PDF annotations, integration with cloud service providers and many collaborators require registration. The free version is also limited to 2 devices.

There are 2 paid subscription packages available. The Premium plan costs $ 8 (181,000 VND) / month, while Business costs up to $ 15 (345,000 VND) / month.

Download Evernote (Free, registration available).

6. Simplenote

The best note-taking apps on iPad or iPad Pro are not necessarily too complicated. Sometimes, simplicity is better. And that's where Simplenote really shines. As the name implies, this is an application that is not equipped with the 'terrible' features that you rarely use. Instead, it focuses on allowing you to take notes neatly and simply.

The application does not support stylus, PDF annotation or premium features included in other options. Very simply, your list of notes shows up in the left panel and content appears in the right panel.

Simplenote includes a note search feature so you can easily recall your previous notes. Simplenote also supports tags (tags).

Download Simplenote (Free).

7. Bear

If application design is important to you, consider Bear. This is one of the most beautiful note-taking apps you will find for iPad and iPad Pro.

But Bear is not just a glossy external code application. Some of Bear's best features include hashtags (so you can easily find connected content), support for Apple Watch (which lets you dictate audio notes on the go) and the ability to Take notes and create drawings using Apple Pencil.

Impressively, Bear is also compatible with Siri. You can create notes from any Siri-enabled device using voice. Finally, Bear offers a wide selection of export formats, including HTML, PDF, DOCX, MD, JPG and EPUB.

Bear is free to download and use, but if you want to sync your notes across devices, you'll need to buy a license. A subscription package costs $ 1.49 (VND 35,000) / month or $ 15 (VND 345,000) / year.

Download Bear (Free, registration available).

Using one of the best note-taking apps for iPad or iPad Pro is only half the battle. You will need lots of other applications if you want to stay productive on your iOS device.

To learn more, check out the 15 best iPad apps for newbies and 5 hidden features in Safari on iOS 8 that many don't know will help you work more efficiently.

Wish you find a suitable choice!