As you may know, I use a combination of Android, iOS, and PC for my digital planners. I love that I can have my planners on all of these devices.
Each has it’s own pros and cons… which I won’t dive too deeply into in this article. But I will let you know which ones are my favorites.
For iOS:
Please note that I don’t use an iPhone…. I only use the iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil.
- GoodNotes 4 – This is a very easy to use note taking app that is very popular with the digital planning community. You can import your planner into the app and customize it so easily. I have a sticker book that is designed for GoodNotes only… This is where I store all of my digital stickers that I use in every planner. At this time, it is only available in my older shop due to file size limits. The GoodNotes Sticker Book
- ZoomNotes – This note taking app is filled with features that are not available in GoodNotes. I temporarily switched to this app so I could use all of those features…. but, I ended up switching back. I found that the app was still a little too glitchy when working with larger files.
- OneNote – Microsoft OneNote is a great alternative for your digital planners. You can take a PDF file and “print” it into a note. When using OneNote, your planner can sync across all devices where the app is installed. This is a huge advantage. I found that so many people were interested in using OneNote. This led me to design a planner specifically to be used in the app. It’s actually the one I personally use right now….. The planner is all set up in a notebook with sections and pages already designed. You can find my Awesome Planner for OneNote in the shop.
- Metamoji Note – Metamoji is very similar to GoodNotes. And… it has the advantage of syncing across multiple platforms. There is a version for iOS, Android, and PC.
For Android:
- OneNote – This is my favorite app to use with my digital planners on Android. At this time, I use the Awesome Planner for OneNote on my Samsung Galaxy Note 9. The smaller screen is a challenge to use at times but I make it work. Having the S-Pen is a huge plus for this setup. My phone is always with me and I can update my planner at any time. And remember, OneNote syncs across all of your devices.
- Metamoji Note – This is a great alternative for Android users who want an app similar to GoodNotes. I used this app exclusively before purchasing GoodNotes. When you set up a free account, you can sync your files across Android, iOS, and PC.
For PC:
- OneNote – I have used OneNote on my laptop for many years. I love to use the web clipper to add in notes while browsing the internet. I also save important email directly into the app for archiving purposes. Now, I also use my Awesome Planner for OneNote in the app. I use my laptop for work and I can simply click on my planner and add information without leaving my computer. It’s easier to add typed notes when I can use my laptop keyboard. When using OneNote, my planner gets synced across my laptop, phone, and iPad automatically.
- Metamoji Note – There is a version of this app that can be installed on your PC. I am currently not using it but I do have it installed. Metamoji is another great app that syncs across Android, iOS and PC.
Note:
There are many other note taking apps that can import PDF files for annotation. These are just the few that I have personally used and like. If you are looking for alternatives, just search for “note taking” or “pdf annotation” in the app store. Make sure that the app you choose will allow you to annotate a PDF files.