9 Note-Taking Apple Pencil Compatible iPad Apps [2023]

Carrying physical books or diaries to our workplace or college has always been a bit inconvenient, especially if you aren’t a fan of carrying heavy loads on your back.

However, thanks to technological advancements, we can now jot down notes on our digital devices. It’s convenient, accessible, and more interactive, and the best part is that it keeps all of your notes in one place.

You can write down notes via a note-taking app on your iPad and pair it with Apple Pencil to get that feeling of writing with an actual pen.

There are many apps available that you can install, but in this post, we’ll only look at the best ones that will not disappoint even a tiny bit.

How Has Note-Taking Become Easier on iPads With Apple Pencil?

One of the best and most widely-used mediums to take down notes is undoubtedly our very own iPad. It’s considered to be the most preferred choice among students as well as working professionals.

On top of that, the integration of Apple Pencil just enhances your experience to the next level.

Also read: How to Charge Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil 2nd Gen

From sketching to jotting down notes, the stylus gives you pixel-level precision and glides smoothly on the iPad’s surface. It gives you a remarkably natural and flowy outcome which you hardly see in other products. It digitizes hand-written notes in the best possible manner.

While the default notes app may just be enough for many people, if you need more than what the built-in note-taking app offers, here are the apps you need to check out.

Let’s get on with the list.

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote has all it takes to be considered one of the best note-taking apps out there. This app can record your notes or sketch and organize them as per workflow.

It’s packed with many amazing features that allow you to create checklists, sync data with your MS Office account, utilize password-protected notes, and so much more. All of this helps you stay on track with your to-do and schedule. 

Microsoft puts a lot of emphasis on privacy, so you never have to worry about your data being manipulated. You can download it from App Store.

Notability

There’s so much to like about Notability, so it’s hard to justify in a few words. It’s rated highly among users, and once you use it, you’ll understand why.

It allows you to take notes and annotate seamlessly. Here are some of the many features of this app:

• Record and playback audio
• Create Multimedia notes
• Share ideas in presentation mode
• Find and share inspiration
• Handwrite and sketch naturally

It has extra formatting tools and is compatible with multiple formats and pen styles. You can download the app from App Store.

Flow

An app with powerful capabilities, Flow is meant to help you take notes, draw as well as sketch via the Apple Pencil.

One of their prominent features in recent times is the ability to make a time-lapse for any document you’ve created. You can also export existing images with preset options on Instagram and Facebook to flaunt your progress in style. The app can be downloaded from App Store.

Flow comes with multiple background skins and color options to ensure your sketch and notes are as beautiful as your visualization.

Notes Writer

Notes Writer is a tool that is here to revolutionize the way you take down notes.

Particularly popular among teachers, writers, students, and doctors, this app is mostly utilized to:

• Take notes
• Highlight PDFs
• Sign PDFs, documents, and other papers
• Store notes, annotations, and memos 

Notes Writer can be downloaded from App Store and can automatically save your progress and also gives you the option to scan and read notes from another medium if you feel like it.

Nebo

If you’re looking to use a hassle-free note-taking app for your iPad, give Nebo a chance. It’ll make your experience as smooth as butter, especially with Apple Pencil.

Apart from the many features it has, a few of them really caught my attention:

• Ability to import existing documents
• Create freely in a freeform canvas that lets you write and add shapes to your notes
• Add math and diagrams to your canvas

You can also use the lasso feature to select, copy, move, and delete text or convert it to handwritten text. The app can be downloaded from App Store.

Penultimate

As cool as the name, Penultimate is an app that gives you a flawless note-taking experience with Apple Pencil.  The pen strokes provided by this app come out really spectacular in black as well as blue ink.

There are also different paper styles that you can choose from, or you can import a custom paper as per your liking.

You can connect Penultimate with your Evernote account to store, organize and share notes across all your devices. It’s free to install and use and can be downloaded from App Store.

Bear

Compatibility and power are the two main highlights of Bear, an amazing note-taking app that has a cute interface.

You can use the Apple pencil to write, draw and create new things on the board elegantly. It also comes with various writing tools that allow you to write and play around freely.

The best part of this app is that you can use Apple Watch to dictate and append to recent notes. It also allows you to export documents in multiple formats, including PDF, HTML, MD, and EPUB. The app can be downloaded from App Store.

GoodNotes 5

If you want to break free from the usual note-taking tools and switch to something cooler, then GoodNotes 5 is a must-try. You can effortlessly create, edit, draw, and write notes on the board, change its color, and erase if required. The app can be downloaded from App Store.

Moreover, you can add stickers, GIFs, pictures, tables, diagrams, and other elements to enrich your notes. If you’re looking for something specific, you can use their pre-set templates, like checklists, to-do planners, music papers, rule papers, and much more.

Whink

Simple yet incredibly powerful, you can use Whink for any note-taking and PDF annotating needs.

It enables you to type quickly or write handwritten notes with the help of your Apple Pencil. It keeps the entire look and feel of the writing very natural.

Ability to take notes while recording, drawing geometric shapes, and easy organization are some of the many other features of Whink.

This app is available in various languages, including English, Japanese, and Chinese, and can be downloaded from App Store. 

Final Words

If you have an iPad along with an Apple Pencil, then the above apps are great to use when you want to shift from physical note-taking to digital.

All of them help you stay organized and let your creative juices flow on a digital medium without much effort, so you can focus entirely on penning down your thoughts.

Next, check out the best stylus pen (Apple Pencil alternatives) for iPad.