0:22 - I just watched this back and i meant to say best note taking app VIDEO, I'm not making an app 🤣 Although maybe it's not the worst idea 🤔 EDIT : You can now link notes / pages with the latest version of GoodNotes! FINALLY!
I really try to support developers for a good job, and I really only want them to be transparent and consistent in updating their app. I paid for Goodnotes 5 without doubt, but Goodnotes 6 update is a mess....
The moment I can no longer use version 5 I will move to another note taking app. I refuse to use any subscription services, I am really fed up with all the subscription BS.
I was excited about the idea of cross platform compatibility as it provides an easier way to share notes with other users, but not if it is subscription.
I am willing to bet that it is simply because it is just more profitable for them to have people pay for their subscription. They seem to be becoming, or have become, greedy.@@ByteReview
I got goodnotes6, and it doesn't work. You can access the notebook, but each side records different information. For example, if you make a folder in Windows, it is only accessed in Windows and not on iPad and the other way around. It seems that there are problems with the new feature
As a GN5 and GN6 user, honestly feels like I’ve paid twice and only received minor improvements. I like the new folders and lasso but finding scribble to erase happens when my writing is messy and the spellcheck is just clunky so I’ve turned both those off already.
Thats exactly the point! All current GN5 users are being persuaded by many reviewers that GN6 and its pricing policy is actually ok. No, it is NOT! It is day light robbery to ask double payment for one delivery. What GN is doing is BAD and this should named correctly. Yes GN is doing BAD policy.
@@josefmynona4228 Yeah I kinda feel cheated here. When I bought GN I was told by the app that I will always be able to use it. And now they are starving us from new features and giving them to their new users who buy GN 6. What a yucky thing to do.
Yeah definitely agree. At first i tried the GN 6 for free, i didn't like how it keep revising my writing to the point that I was annoyed. So i turned off the GN6, and go back to GN5. I already paid for life time purchase of GN5, i will use it till to the point the GN5 can't no longer be used.
I used Good Notes 6 for the seven day free trial period, but rolled back to 5 when the trial was up. The only things I liked were the new circle to select tool and the new interface design. I had to switch off scribble to erase, because it would frequently interpret my cursive style of writing as scribbles, and just erase the word I just had written. I mostly write in Swedish, which is not supported yet, so I had to turn off the spell checker as well. From me, Good Notes 6 gets a resounding meh.
Does updating the application require that I subscribe to GoodNote 6, or can I update the application and not subscribe and keep the features of GoodNote 5?
100% agree. I go back to GN5, i was annoyed the whole time using the GN6 with theur spell chekcker (i used Indonesian language, and it's not available yet in GN)
GN5 was flawless for most part. As GN6 came , the handwriting recognition worsened and became so laggy that I would write a word and it completes after 2 sec delay. I’m using iPad Air 5 with 2nd gen pencil. They deliberately downgraded GN5 to make GN6 sales. Even cheaper apps like Noteful and Collanote have better handwriting recognition than GN. I’m done with any note taking apps now! I’ll stick with Apple notes as the latency is minimal and it’s free. I don’t want to decorate my notes and spending half a day using coloring my notes. RU-vidrs push aesthetic notes and making such notes is waste of time if you’re studying.
Pretty upset with this. Many features should have been in a Goodnotes 5 update. Personally, I'm not too fond of the AI stuff and will not pay a subscription, so I will be sticking with 5. But features like the lasso, color dropper, and folder/cover design really should have been added to 5. Why would I pay $30 (sorry, $24, forgot about my **20% discount**) for essentially the same app with bugs?
Really great video highlighting the good and the bad/meh about GoodNotes 6, Tom! I was originally a Notability user (had it since it released yearsss ago) but when I bought GoodNotes 5, I haven’t gone back since. I’ve found myself back in Notability lately though because of GoodNotes pushing us to upgrade from 5 to 6 and some of the features GoodNotes have promised to rollout (protected notebooks and internal links). And it also helped that having bought the app for iPad and Mac that I was grand-fathered despite their rollout of subscriptions a couple years ago. I might even start using Apple Notes top since that’s made a ton of improvements over years. We will see 😅 Also, really looking forward to your app! I’m sure it will be top-notch 😊
Yeah I did the same, Notability has just done it right while GN hasn't, I'm sorry for them. If you help finance an app in its early stages, it's only fair to get access to new features for a long time and to be treated like your money meant something.
as a high school student, i love the new dashed-lines feature; it makes graphing my asymptotes so much easier and more satisfying :3. also I like how they (finally) added a proper typing function, compared to how I used to have to add textboxes all over the place. other than that tho there isn't much else worth paying double the price for. boo goodnotes >:C
I have such a hard time considering a new notes app that hasn’t achieved enterprise success. It just feels like I’ll pay a lot of money for something Notion or Microsoft will roll out in a year or two.
I just bought Goodnotes5 as a 2nd note taking app for work only. I just bought it like 2 months ago. I’m kind of confused how Apple lets these companies get away with this type of behavior 😅
I don't think they have any control sadly, although I think there is a discount if you've recently purchased 5 (again, this could have been communicated better by them!)
My biggest annoyance is that imported PDFs into Goodnotes don’t retain their functioning hyperlinks and outlines (sometimes called Bookmakes) making it impossible to simply naviagte around PDF files. Frustrating.
I wish there were more QoL updates for the journaling girlies 😢 I really want an option to handle stickers better like moving them forward or back once and locking them in place. The freehand cropping tool needs to be better too. I use a lot of stickers for my digital journals and I can barely write things without accidentally tapping or moving my stickers.
Well i loved notability but they just did a full update that took away all of the things that i liked about it and wont let you roll back. so i guess its goodnotes for me
Do you know if Goodnotes 6 is actually cross platform? I know 5 you could get it on Mac but it would try to make you pay again instead of just letting you log in?
The cross-platform does not work well, My window and Ipad have different information. For example if I make a file in windows it wont appear in my ipdad. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to solve the issue? thank you
Hello bro, please do help, I have upgraded to goodnotes 6 , i purchased from the marketplace a maths notes, Unfortunately all the notes are in chinese. How can i change the entire document to english ? , Is there any AI option to convert the entire document to english , rather than individual text converstion.
I love good notes 6. Been using 5 for about 2 years before the upgrade. I use it for school and work. I like customizing the folders and uploading templates that I can use over and over again. It doesn’t pick up statistical maths well but hopefully that will change soon.
I didn't even realize that the one-time payment didn't allow you to access the cross-platform. I just purchased it assuming that was rolled in, lack of communication from goodnotes, and poor decision on my part to just assume. I agree with a lot of the statements. This feels like an upgrade that should of been done to GN5. That being said, I'll try to roll back to 5 if I can.
When they advertise a one time price that should be it. Not a one time price until we decide to upgrade. That left a bad taste in my mouth for sure and probably will be the reason I stick with 5.
I like that they don’t force you to use the subscription model and additionally offer a one time purchase. As someone who bought Goodnotes 5 though I just can’t wrap my head around the hefty upgrade fee. They might have done a really good job with version 6 but even with the 20% off I’m definitely not willing to pay that price. I’ll just stick with version 5 and hope they don’t eventually get rid of it completely…
Yup. I bought Goodnotes 5 over other options specifically because it was a “pay once and have it for life” purchase. Guess that was a lie! No matter what they do I refuse to upgrade this app. I’ll use 5 until I can’t anymore and then find a different company to support.
I personally just find it strange that they would add AI when their whole business model was about taking the time to write your notes to truly absorb the information. I think AI needs to stay away from learning and note taking as it only adds a way for people to care less about retaining the information when they can just ask a bot for short term answers. That and it’s ridiculous to ask your audience to pay for the promise of future updates that have been requested since G4 and never been delivered. Why pay for loose promises when they have a track record of ignoring the polls and comments of their customers?
Started the free trial last week but I cancelled because syncing between Apple and non-Apple devices isn't there yet, which makes things so much harder. My iPad is shared with family, so I only write notes at school and read/edit all my notes from my Windows laptop at home, but since documents don't sync cross platform yet, I have to use annoying workarounds, like the Google Drive backup or sharing each document individually. Plus the full page typing experience isn't that great, which again is necessary at home. So I've just switched to OneNote for now, it does many things better than GoodNotes, and the things it does worse mostly aren't important (although I miss the scribble to erase and the circle to lasso, but I'd rather not have those than struggle with syncing)
I don’t use the app for notes taking not much anyway, but mostly for marking up documents and books as I read them. At some point I was also using GN5 for annotating technical drawings cause the PDF engine was so good. Right now I am on goodnotes 5 and I am not going to upgrade to 6 not anytime soon.
Also can’t help but feel like the new features they’re promising (if added) will be for subscription only vs updating the one-time purchase or making it GN7
I quit Goodnotes as a long term paid user. There is nothing interesting. A.I. is not for writing and notes taking. You do that with typing. The only reason why we write is that it’s not typing and it is what we write. The subscription model is what they promised users they would not do but is understandable for profitability. Big problem is that GN6 is not bringing anything good to the table. Featured upgrade are Colored folders? Seriously? The Android and IOS cross platform sync is still not there. Very disappointed. I am going to Onenotes. It’s not perfect but I already have the 365 subscription. Good job Goodnotes. Good bye
I made the one time purchase because I had to and not a fan of subscription based service. I was a huge fan of GN5 and was so disappointed with the GN6 update. I don’t use most of the features it implemented but there are some small stuff I appreciate but definitely not worth the price I paid. I wanted to shift to another app, but all my notes from the past few years are in the app, and switching to another app without transferring my data to the new notes app is a drag. I really wish they’d put more into the update.
In Mexico you can pay a lifetime payment, and the subscription one… 😱, gotta say it’s kind of not cool that at least here, the lifetime subscription is more than the double that what I payed for GoodNotes 5… I payed $199 Mexican pesos for GoodNotes 5 on September 2021, and now GoodNotes 6 cost is $479 Mexican pesos with 20% discount because I already have GoodNotes 5… Dunno, kinda feel I’m being robbed somehow…
Great overview! Echoes all of my concerns. I use Goodnotes daily so the OTP option was a no brainer, but I will keep looking around for something that might do a better job. Maybe it’s time to go back to see what Apple notes can offer.
Does anyone else find scribble to delete doesn't like their handwriting? One thing that is driving me nuts is that i'll be mid-word and goodnotes will delete part of it thinking I've scribbled. The only way around it I've found is using the zoom tool. Also, do the free trial and then wait for it to discount the yearly subscription - it will be half price.
I am starting to use GoodNotes for mindmaps and drawings for In notion but if I had my own iPad and took it to class I would consider the one of payment. but I am still waiting for handwritten notes in Notion.
Cannot find goodnotes on android? Does somebody know why? Edit: That one-time payment not giving access to goodnotes on android/windows is dealbreaker for me! I was going to buy it but now, I never will.
It's just down right cruel that they deny people who purchased Goodnotes i.e. a life time purchase the small quality of life updates like the circle to lasso or scribble to delete.
I'm still on goodnotes 5 and don't plan on upgrading to 6 because extra subscriptions suck so PSA if you want to access the web version you just have to share any of your notebooks and those urls that are shared will show up in the web client. has been working for me since the inception of the web client. (although web client can be buggy not great for taking notes on still very helpful to view my notes on windows that I created on my ipad)
Loved the features they introduced and purchased the lifetime version immediately as I loved using GN 5. BUT had to request a refund this thing kept crashing and I hated the way they advertised cross-platform (subs only, WHY!!)
I'm totally into gn5, 6 is just too expensive for me as a student. its gonna take me 100+ in my country for one time payment. I've tried the new features in gn6 nothing really interesting, it's not worth my RM100+, I can do a lots of stuff for 100 ringgit. Plus paying for RM100+ and i still don't get the windows and ios sync? I think i will be forever good in sticking with gn5.
I've been slowly moving away from GN's but I've decided to finally make the jump away from GoodNotes once it changed to a subscription base for a note-taking app. The subscription doesn't give me enough to make me pay for it per year. Subscriptions need to give me something other's don't or be so amazing that I simply "Can't live without." The subscription doesn't give me enough to make me pay for it per year. Subscriptions need to give me something other's don't or be so amazing that I simply "can't live without." Being across platform just isn't enough of a reason. That being said, I just need to also remind myself that $10 per year (as said in the video) may not be too bad considering how much people pay for the analog version of everything that Goodnotes comes with. PLUS the space those analog versions take up! Either way, I'm looking for a different options for my needs.
$10 is well priced I think, and as mentioned in the video I don't mind paying it and like you pointed out, you'd spend that on a real note book in a year easily. I hope the app gets better and better as time goes on
@@ByteReviewIt's not worth it if you factor in the cost of the device as well. Notebooks take materials and logistics to make - cross-platform sync... not so much! I know the developer still needs to keep a roof over his head but I'd rather just pay lifetime on iOS and lifetime on Windows. Easier for tax return that way too.
The question is how Long will the keep updating it and i See a path where they are implementing more besides only notetaking. The IE Part is interesting. I view this as an Investment for Long Term
@@NrangeGoDie I see your point but if it was more functional right now or would work better it would be an investment I wouldn’t mind to pay. As in the video said I agree on not wanting to pay right now for updates that might happen. But still the price increase is kind of a lot.
I am using Goodnotes 6 from a year but right now I purchased a windows laptop and I need a solution that is there any way to sync your notes or pdfs between the ipad and windows 11 laptop
They did backlining to other documents, which brought my interest in upgrading. As for subscription pricing, notability did the same in moving towards “freemium” with most of the features original customers paid for being behind a paywall. Not to mention prices for notability went up in the UK. Apple notes is just a good contender, if the UI wasn’t so incredibly boring.
Thank you for this review. I'm completely new to GN, but I was under the impression that we could link pages to other pages? I've seen folks creating a "Table of Contents" and "Tabs" to do this? Like with planners, etc.
I am having a few glitches while writing in Goodnotes like a line appearing suddenly while writing a letter or removing the tip end of the letter( only once or twice in a sentence) is it a problem of Goodnotes or my iPad/pencil ?
The 'transition' to GN6 is a complete deal breaker for anything they create in the future. The way many companies are handling these 'updates' is way out of hand and I can't believe people are putting up with their shit.
I've been using GoodNotes since I got an iPad Pro... I think it was version 4 at the time. I use it for class notes, budgeting calendar, things like that. My main use is on my iPad, but I have often used it during my virtual classes to sit and type out notes from time to time. I didn't realize until watching your video just now that the GN 5 on my MBP was GONE!!! I stopped the video to check. Wow! That's TERRIBLE!!
I recently decided to buy new ipad pro 13 inch to read and write on pdfs on goodnote with apple pencil. I don't know which ipad or samsung s9 or surface pro to choose to better writing and pen softness and fast scroll with no lag. I was going to buy ipad pro with 16 ram in order to have no lag issue on writing on heavy pdfs on several tabs opening that goodnote support. I dont know now what can i do. Is ipad and goodnote can handle my heavy pdfs? 8 or 16 ram will be need?
The only really I got goodnotes was because it wasn't subscription based. I was just getting used to a digital notebook when subscriptions were announced. I don't like the idea of them holding all my precious notes for ransom.
i didn’t see a one payment option at first & i can compromise with that but the subscription payment threw me completely off. idrc abt accessing my notes in goodnotes on different devices since i can export them as a pdf and upload them to my notion which can do that. i would upgrade if this update felt promising but rn it looks clunky so i hope they fix it. (also, if ure going to scare ur long term customers with a subscription option then u should at least make it seem worth it. especially since b4 g6 if u bought any previous version of goodnotes you’d b able to upgrade to the next version for free)
I hope these features are moved across to the other platforms soon. They may be cross-platform but they don't sync - at least between Samsung and iPad. With Samsung, I got a free 12 month pro subscription but you can't do the basic things that you would expect from an app at this time - can't move files, duplicate files or click on hyperlinks within the note books.
Well I looked over and even tried the app for 2 days - I decided I didn’t like it and if I ever give it another shot it will have to be after they actually get those promised updates like password protection. 😅
Hell no, right now it is promoted as a test trial in my GN5 but if they try to force me to buy GN6 call me out. You cant make me buy it and then let me buy it again for no good change. My Ipad is old as hell so at that point I´m gonna switch to paper or Samsung.
found this video from the already existing notetaking app comparison video which i only now just realised is 2 years old - looking forward to the 2023 version of that! also thank you for the GN6 review, i’ve seen so many people around me with ipad using GN(5) and thought of hopping onto that train too, but now im disappointed at the upcoming update yet glad that i havent gotten around to using that app yet lol.
I refuse to do subscription i will judge the app by its annual price., it’s now more the doubled in price almost tripled in price.will do a one time upgrade and judge from there.
It should not have been an "upgrade" of the GN 5 app. It should have been it's own thing and GN 5 should've just been delisted. That way they would have made it clear that it was a new thing with a new pricing structure. But the devs wanted to keep their precious star rating. F those current users, who cares what they want, we just want money!
Read the recent reviews. They offer a one time fee then lock you out of notebooks unless you pay subscription. So many pissed off people who were caught up in a bait and switch.
I just came here after I started my 7 days trial. My first impression was not good tbh. I don't like the menu being on the left instead of it being below
Do you know if Goodnotes 6 is actually cross platform? I know 5 you could get it on Mac but it would try to make you pay again instead of just letting you log in?
