Best Pen and Paper alternatives: apps like Pen and Paper

🎨 Graphics & Design

Pen and Paper is great, but it's not the only option. Explore 10+ similar apps for iPhone and iPad, each reviewed and rated by real users. Find free alternatives, premium upgrades, and hidden gems.

KobCard by KOB MARKETING

Gift Card Information Platform

4.1(371 ratings)

Free

KobCard is a comprehensive gift card information platform that offers real-time exchange rates, price calculations, and the latest news on gift cards. It serves as a one-stop destination for individuals looking to buy, sell, or stay informed about the world of gift cards.

Top Alternatives to Pen and Paper

Noteflow: Simple Notes by Qrayon, LLC

Photo sketch doodle paint

Editor's Choice

4.2😐(183 ratings)

Free

This app offers a digital notebook experience designed to replace pen and paper. It allows for note-taking, PDF annotation, sketching, and freeform idea capture with vector ink that scales without quality loss. Seamlessly integrate real-world content and organize your thoughts digitally.

What We Love

👍 Integration is awesome
👍 Free version is simple yet useful
👍 Good job
👍 Intuitive and functional
👍 Easy to use
👍 Powerful features
👍 Side-by-side option
👍 Importing calendars
👍 Dragging and dropping information
👍 Simplicity, easy to figure out buttons
👍 Versatile and powerful
👍 Compatible with pen
👍 Day-to-day sketching
👍 Very versatile
👍 Better with every version
👍 쓰기편리하고 좋아요 (Convenient to write and good)
👍 Funktioniert toll für die Schule (Works great for school)
👍 Impressed with new features
👍 Incredible, exactly what I was looking for
👍 Shocked it is free
👍 Much more intuitive than other apps
👍 Easy 5 stars
👍 Easy to use and great price
👍 Free software with great ways to work
👍 Can try all features in trial
👍 Awesome app update
👍 Like the idea

Room to Improve

🐛 Lost all photos and notes
🐛 File remotely deleted
🐛 Holding files hostage
🐛 Criminals, don't trust them
🐛 Useless
🐛 Dumb
🐛 Portrait only
🐛 Zooming out loses screen real estate
🐛 Couldn't get palette to show
🐛 Free version has little functionality
🐛 Have to pay $14 for functionality
🐛 Zoom is choppy
🐛 No option to resize pen
🐛 Only one small ink pen, no pencil
🐛 No highlighter visible
🐛 No native browsing of notebooks, goes to Files app
🐛 Ugly UI
🐛 App crashes on launch (grey screen)
🐛 Wouldn't let me create a page
🐛 Doesn't open a document
🐛 Free version doesn't do anything
🐛 Not much in basic version
🐛 Very little features to determine upgrade
🐛 Misleading description, features not available
🐛 Lite version

ZoomNotes Lite by Deliverance Software Ltd

Notetake, Sketch, PDF, Present

Strong Contender

4.2😊(214 ratings)

FreeIn-App Purchases

This app allows for handwritten notes and sketches on various digital documents, including PDFs and Office files. It offers unlimited zooming, customizable paper styles, and extensive sharing options. Additional features and pen types are available through in-app purchases.

What We Love

🚀 Versatile and feature-rich
👍 Smooth handwriting experience
💡 Powerful customization options
🚀 Seamless PDF annotation
👍 Reliable syncing and backup

Room to Improve

🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
👎 Confusing and outdated user interface
🐛 Inconsistent pen and eraser behavior
👎 Limited free version functionality

Inkflow Visual Notebook by Qrayon, LLC

Note taking, sketch & drawing

Worth Considering

Notestudio: note taking, pdf

4.6😊(1.9K ratings)

FreeAdsIn-App Purchases

This app offers a fluid digital writing and sketching experience, allowing users to easily capture, resize, and reorganize ideas. It supports high-resolution zooming for detailed work and integrates text, photos, and custom paper backgrounds. Users can share their creations in various formats.

What We Love

👍 Easy to use
🚀 Intuitive interface
💡 Great for brainstorming and sketching
👍 Useful for note-taking and journaling
👍 Versatile for various purposes (work, school, art)
👍 Smooth writing experience with Apple Pencil

Room to Improve

🔒 Limited features in free version
💰 Paid upgrade is expensive for some users
🐛 Occasional crashes and data loss issues
🔒 Lack of cloud sync and cross-device access
🔒 Difficult to organize and manage notebooks/pages

More apps like Pen and Paper

For Study & Work. Pen & Pencil

Multi-page note creationPDF markup and annotationFlexible note sizes and paper styles

Capture, organize, and create notes with a blend of analog feel and digital power. Annotate PDFs, add media, and export in various formats. Offers advanced drawing tools and a customizable interface for focused work.

free with in-app purchases

(20)

AxNote: Note Taking

Sketches, text & images

AI-powered summaries from text, handwriting, and audioAudio transcription and topic explorationImage and PDF annotation

This app offers an intelligent canvas for note-taking, allowing users to generate summaries from text, handwriting, and audio recordings. It supports image annotation, data visualization with tables and charts, and handwriting conversion to typed text. Designed for Apple Pencil, it provides flexible layouts and on-device AI features.

(7)

free

Note X - Notepad

Take notes easily

Keyboard and handwriting inputBuilt-in notebooks for organizationInsert pictures into notes

A versatile note-taking app for digital and handwritten notes, memos, and drafts. Organize study materials with built-in notebooks, insert images, and customize writing styles. Secure your notes with password protection.

free with in-app purchases

(27)

BigPaper -Mind Map, PDF Markup

VisualThinking infinite canvas

Infinite canvas for freeform note-takingImport and annotate PDFs and other documentsMind mapping with element connections

This app offers an infinite canvas for note-taking, PDF annotation, and mind mapping. Import various document formats and add text, handwriting, tables, and more. Efficiently organize and edit content without page limitations.

free with in-app purchases

(20)

Pencil - PDF Notes with Pencil

Handwrite, Type, Draw, Mark Up

Advanced ink tools for writing and sketchingAI Assistant for summarization and translationHandwritten notes to editable text conversion

Create beautiful notes, sketch ideas, and annotate PDFs with advanced ink tools and AI assistance. Convert handwriting to text, scan documents, and organize files seamlessly across cloud services. Enjoy a realistic ink-on-paper feel with stylus support.

(4)

freemium

NoteEase-Recording Made Easy

Sticky notes, Hand-drawn notes

Convert photos to digital notesAnnotate existing photosType and format text notes

This app digitizes handwritten notes and photos, allowing for easy annotation and organization. Capture, edit, and share your visual and text-based ideas across devices for a streamlined workflow.

(67)

subscription

Notator | Annotate Documents

Taking notes, annotating PDFs

PDF and image annotationApple Pencil supportFlexible PDF import

This app allows for detailed annotation of PDFs and images with various tools, including support for Apple Pencil. It offers flexible import options, high-quality rendering for large files, and intuitive page management. Upgrade to Pro for advanced export and editing capabilities.

(1)

freemium