A GoodNotes Alternative: Handwriting & Note Apps
A faster, simpler alternative for capturing and organizing your thoughts
Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro
Brain Dump vs GoodNotes
Feature comparison
| BrainDump | GoodNotes | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating |  4.8 App Store rating (214 ratings) · 10,000+ users | 4.7 App Store rating (438,000 ratings) |
| Pricing | Free, with Focus from $3.99/week or $99.99/year | Free tier capped at 3 notebooks. From $9.99/year, or $29.99 one-time lifetime purchase. |
BrainDump
Strengths
- No 3-notebook cap, unlimited notes on the free plan
- Typed capture is faster than handwriting for quick thoughts and meeting notes
- AI-powered summaries and transforms that GoodNotes doesn't offer
- Opens straight to a blank note instead of a notebook picker
Trade-offs
- No handwriting or Apple Pencil input
- No PDF annotation or markup
GoodNotes
Strengths
- Best-in-class Apple Pencil handwriting input
- PDF annotation and markup
- Organized notebooks
Drawbacks
- Built around handwriting, not fast typed capture
- Free plan caps you at 3 notebooks
- No AI features
Who should pick which
Pick BrainDump if...
You want to capture a thought the moment it happens, with no setup, no configuration, and no decisions to make before you start writing.
Pick GoodNotes if...
GoodNotes is the better choice if you take handwritten notes with an Apple Pencil or need to annotate PDFs, that's a different input mode BrainDump doesn't try to replace.
What makes Brain Dump different
No 3-notebook cap, unlimited notes on the free plan
Typed capture is faster than handwriting for quick thoughts and meeting notes
AI-powered summaries and transforms that GoodNotes doesn't offer
Opens straight to a blank note instead of a notebook picker
Frequently asked questions
No. BrainDump is built for fast typed notes and AI summaries, not handwriting or Apple Pencil input.
Yes, if you handwrite notes or need to mark up PDFs, GoodNotes' Apple Pencil support and annotation tools are purpose-built for that and BrainDump has neither.
Make the switch today
Join thousands who've simplified their workflow with BrainDump. Import your GoodNotes workspace in minutes.
Download AppAvailable on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro
