What GoodNotes subscription is and who uses it

GoodNotes is a note-taking app for iPad and Mac that lets you write, annotate, and organize handwritten or typed notes. The subscription model means you pay a recurring fee — usually monthly or yearly — to access the full set of features. Without a subscription, you get a limited free version with basic note-taking only.

People use GoodNotes for studying, work meetings, design sketches, document markup, and organizing digital notebooks. Teachers use it to grade papers. Professionals use it to annotate contracts and PDFs. Students use it to take lecture notes that sync across devices.

The subscription is optional. You can use GoodNotes without paying anything, but you will not have access to cloud sync, advanced organizational tools, or premium templates. The paid tier unlocks those features.

Key Takeaways

  • GoodNotes offers a free version with basic note-taking, and a paid subscription that adds cloud storage, syncing across devices, and advanced features.
  • The subscription costs either a monthly fee or a yearly fee, with the yearly option typically offering better value per month.
  • You can cancel your subscription at any time; cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period.
  • The free version works on one device at a time, while the paid subscription syncs your notes across all your Apple devices.
  • GoodNotes subscription is separate from iCloud storage — you may need to pay for additional iCloud space if you store many large notebooks.

Subscription pricing and billing cycles

GoodNotes offers two subscription options: monthly and yearly. The monthly subscription renews every 30 days. The yearly subscription renews every 12 months and usually costs less per month than paying monthly.

Exact pricing varies by region and changes over time. In the United States, the monthly option typically costs less than $15 per month, and the yearly option typically costs less than $100 per year. Check the GoodNotes app or website for your region's current price before you subscribe.

Your subscription renews automatically on the same date each month or year. You are charged through your Apple account (on iPad and Mac) or through your payment method on the GoodNotes website. If you cancel before the renewal date, you keep access until the end of your current billing period, then the subscription stops.

What the free version includes and what you lose

The free version of GoodNotes lets you create notebooks, write and type notes, and draw shapes and sketches. You can organize notes into folders and search your content. You can also export notes as PDF or image files.

The free version does not include cloud sync. Your notes stay only on the device where you created them. If you want to access the same notebook on your iPad and your Mac, you cannot do that without the subscription. You also cannot restore notes if you delete them by accident, because there is no backup.

The free version also does not include premium templates, advanced organizational features, or the ability to share notebooks with other people for real-time collaboration. If you only take occasional notes on one device and do not need backups, the free version may be enough.

What the paid subscription adds

The main feature the subscription unlocks is cloud sync. Your notes automatically save to GoodNotes' servers and sync across every Apple device where you sign in with the same account. You can start a note on your iPad, continue it on your Mac, and pick it up again on your iPhone.

The subscription also includes automatic backups. If you delete a notebook by accident, you can restore it from the backup within 30 days. This is the only way to recover deleted notes in GoodNotes.

Paid subscribers also get access to a larger library of templates, the ability to share notebooks with other people for collaborative note-taking, and priority support if you contact GoodNotes with a problem. You also unlock the ability to password-protect individual notebooks.

How to start a subscription and manage your account

To subscribe, open the GoodNotes app on your iPad or Mac. Tap or click the menu icon, then look for "Subscription" or "Settings." You will see the pricing options for monthly and yearly plans. Tap the plan you want, and you will be taken to your Apple account to confirm payment.

On the web, you can also manage your subscription through the GoodNotes website. Sign in with your account, go to settings, and select your subscription option. Payment goes through the same method you use for other Apple purchases.

To cancel, go back to the subscription settings in the app or on the website and select "Cancel Subscription." You will be asked to confirm. Your access continues until the end of your current billing cycle. After that date, you revert to the free version automatically.

If you want to switch from monthly to yearly (or vice versa), you can change your plan in the subscription settings. The change takes effect at your next renewal date.

Storage and iCloud requirements

GoodNotes subscription includes cloud sync, but it does not include unlimited storage. Your notes are stored in your iCloud account, which has a limited amount of free space (usually 5 GB across all your Apple services). If you create many large notebooks with images and PDFs, you may run out of free iCloud space.

When your iCloud storage is full, new notes will not sync. You have two options: delete old notes or files to free up space, or pay Apple for additional iCloud storage. Apple offers 50 GB, 200 GB, and 2 TB plans, starting at a few dollars per month.

The GoodNotes subscription fee and the iCloud storage fee are separate. You need both if you want full cloud sync and backup. Check your iCloud storage usage in your device settings before you subscribe, so you know whether you will need to buy extra space.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use GoodNotes on Windows or Android?

No. GoodNotes is only available for iPad, Mac, and iPhone. There is no Windows or Android version. If you need note-taking software for those devices, you will need to use a different app.

What happens to my notes if I cancel the subscription?

Your notes stay on your device, but you lose cloud sync and backups. Notes you created while subscribed remain accessible on the device where they were created, but they will not sync to your other devices anymore. You can still export them as PDF or image files.

Is there a free trial before I pay?

GoodNotes sometimes offers a free trial period for new subscribers, but this varies by region and changes over time. Check the subscription screen in the app to see if a trial is currently available in your area. If there is a trial, you will not be charged until it ends.

Can I share my subscription with family members?

If you use Family Sharing on your Apple account, family members can access your GoodNotes subscription on their own devices. Each person signs in with their own Apple ID, and the subscription extends to all of them. Set this up in your Apple account settings under Family Sharing.

Does GoodNotes work offline?

Yes. You can create and edit notes without an internet connection. When you reconnect, your changes sync to the cloud automatically. However, you cannot access notes from other devices until the sync completes.