Notability is a note-taking app for iPhone, iPad, and Android that mixes handwriting, typing, and audio recording in one notebook. It's the top pick for students in our roundup of the best note-taking apps for iPad, and I tested it on my iPad during a week of statistics coursework.
I have a love and hate relationship with Notability. The quick paper settings won me over immediately, but the feature I was most excited to test never worked once.
- Free, with a yearly subscription or one-time purchase available
- On-screen paper switching, audio recording, and AI transcription
- Available for iPhone, iPad, and Android
What is Notability?
You can record a lecture while you write in Notability, and AI is supposed to transcribe and summarize the recording and turn it into flashcards. Paid plans come as a yearly subscription or a one-time purchase, which is a rare choice among note-taking apps.
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Your paper style is always one tap away
Notability puts quick settings on the screen the moment you open a note, so you can swap between grid, lined, and blank paper in the middle of a lecture. In Goodnotes, I preprogram my settings for each notebook, and changing them takes a few extra steps. My behavioral statistics class needs a grid for one problem, lines for definitions, and blank space for clear hypotheses, sometimes all in the same hour.
Image: Jessica Santero | WhistleOut
A toolbar with washi tape and a laser pointer
The top toolbar covers the pen and pencil basics, then adds a laser pointer for showing a classmate something on your screen and washi tape for decorating your pages. As an artistic notetaker, I found the washi tape a lot more fun than I expected. Notability even includes a Brain Break slider puzzle for study breaks, though you only get one new puzzle each day.
Image: Jessica Santero | WhistleOut
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Is Notability reliable enough to pay for?
Notability is great for students who change note formats constantly and like decorating their pages, but I can't call it fully reliable while the AI transcription stays broken for me. Start with the free version, test the recording feature on a real lecture, and upgrade only if it works for you.
The AI transcription was a bust in my testing
I spent an hour troubleshooting the record, transcribe, and summarize feature and never got it to work. I uninstalled and reinstalled the app, confirmed my Wi-Fi connection, and checked my cloud settings, and everything looked fine. The recording still wouldn't turn into a transcript or flashcards, so I deemed it bugged.
A broken headline feature is a bigger problem than a missing one, because it's the reason many students pay for the upgrade. Your experience may differ after an update, which is exactly why the free version comes first.
Who should still download it
Students who already record lectures with a separate app lose less if the AI feature fails, since the handwriting and paper tools work well on their own. Notability is also on Android, so it fits students who split their time between an iPad and an Android phone.
How I tested Notability
- Switched paper styles during statistics coursework to test the on-screen quick settings against Goodnotes.
- Tried every tool in the top toolbar, including the laser pointer, washi tape, and Brain Break puzzle.
- Spent an hour troubleshooting AI transcription by reinstalling the app and checking Wi-Fi and cloud settings.
Notability: FAQ
Is Notability good for students?
Yes, Notability is good for students because you can switch between grid, lined, and blank paper right on the screen. Its AI transcription didn't work in my testing, though.
Is Notability free?
Notability has a free version, and paid plans are available as a yearly subscription or a one-time purchase. Current pricing is listed on the App Store and Google Play pages.
Can Notability record lectures?
Yes, Notability can record audio while you take notes and use AI to transcribe and summarize the recording.
Is Notability better than Goodnotes?
Notability is better for switching paper styles on the fly, but Goodnotes is the more reliable all-around note-taking app.
Does Notability work on Android?
Yes, Notability is available on Android as well as iPhone and iPad.
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