Spotxel® Reader vs Goodnotes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spotxel® Reader
This app allows you to capture images of microplates, detect and measure color signals, and analyze sample concentrations. It supports various assay formats and can save, load, and export data.
- Capture microplate images
- Detect and measure color signals
- Analyze sample concentrations
- Save and load assay setups
- Export assay data to PDF
- Supports row, column, and microarray formats
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Spotxel® Reader is a free, feature-complete app for image-based microplate-reader workflows and colorimetric assay analysis. Use Spotxel® Reader to capture or load a microplate image, align the well grid, select the measured color channel, quantify well signals, define standards and unknowns, calculate a standard curve, derive unknown concentrations, review well data, and export assay results. The guided, page-based workflow includes Camera, Image Analysis, Assay Setup, Standard Curve, Well Data, Assay Report, Purchases, and Settings. Key features: - Capture or load microplate images for analysis - Quantify colorimetric well signals from plate images - Select the measured color channel - Align the well grid manually or with the Align Grid beta feature - Save and load reusable grid profiles - Define standards, unknowns, well names, and notes - Import and export assay setup CSV files - Calculate standard curves and unknown concentrations - Review sortable per-well signal and concentration data - Export well data as CSV - Create PDF assay reports - Organize generated files in the Spotxel Reader workspace under On My iPhone or On My iPad - Select camera and default microplate grid settings - Rotate and flip images and grids - Customize the interface with color profiles and light or dark appearance modes - Access expanded in-app help and documentation All analysis features are available in the free version, which includes a small advertising placement. The optional Perpetual License and auto-renewable 3-Month Subscription remove advertising. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Goodnotes
Capture ideas, brainstorm, and create polished documents with powerful AI tools. Transcribe meetings, generate summaries, and organize notes effortlessly for work or study. Plan your life and journal your thoughts with customizable templates and creative freedom.
- AI-powered transcription and summarization
- Infinite whiteboard for brainstorming
- Handwritten and typed note organization
- Customizable planner and journal templates
- PDF annotation and document import
- Study sets with flashcards
- Presentation mode with laser pointer
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Goodnotes has always been the place to capture your ideas — from quick notes to big plans. Now, it goes further. With powerful AI and new ways to capture information, Goodnotes helps you connect the dots, unlock insights, and turn ideas into action. *Existing Goodnotes 5 users can continue to use Goodnotes 5 indefinitely or upgrade to the new Goodnotes. Either way, your notes are safe!* For professionals: Increase productivity at work ■ Whiteboard + Goodnotes AI: Brainstorm, mind-map, and diagram freely on an infinite canvas that grows with your ideas. Enhanced diagramming tools and real-time collaboration make it easy for teams to workshop & ideate together, while Goodnotes AI helps you capture and organize key takeaways instantly. ■ Goodnotes AI Audio & Meetings: Stay fully present in every conversation while Goodnotes does the work for you. AI-powered transcription and live summarization automatically capture discussions and turns them into clear meeting minutes. After the meeting, merge transcripts with your own handwritten or typed notes to create polished, shareable documents in seconds. ■ Text Documents + AI: Create documents that think with you. Enjoy a superior typing experience with rich inline blocks, build on ideas with external insights, and collaborate seamlessly with teammates. With AI-powered summarization, automated note generation, and transcript support, turn rough notes and meetings into finished content faster than ever. ■ Present your notes, slides, and content directly from Goodnotes when you connect your device via AirPlay or HDMI to an external screen. ■ Use Laser Pointer to guide your audience's attention during your presentation. ■ Export your handwritten and typed notes to email, print, or share them anywhere as PDFs. ■ Send a link to your notebooks to work on the same notes. ■ Import documents by emailing them to your custom Goodnotes email. For students: Ace your exams with ease ■ Record audio notes that are magically synced to your iPhone or iPad exact moment you write: perfect for lectures, seminars, and presentations. ■ Take handwritten notes that stay fully searchable: instantly find any word across every class notebook, even mid-lecture. ■ Study and practice straight from your notes with study Sets: flashcards built on active recall and spaced repetition. ■ Use AI to summarize, shorten, change the tone of your words, and turn messy handwritten or typed student notes into polished, structured study material. For planners and journalers: Let your creativity flow ■ Plan your week, month, or year on your iPhone/ iPad with built-in and importable planner templates, fully customizable to match how you plan. ■ Keep a daily journal alongside your planner. Combine handwriting, typed reflections, photos, and stickers on the same page. ■ Use Goodnotes AI to summarize a week's worth of journal entries on your iPhone or iPad into key themes and takeaways. ■ Customize the size and color of your paper templates to create the planner or journal you want. ■ Add, create, or import stickers, stamps, washi tapes, images, and more on your iPad. Digital notebooks: unlimited notebooks for the price of a single physical one ■ Combine handwriting and typed text on one page, alongside images, stickers, diagrams, and doodles. ■ Create digital notebooks, planners, and journals with customizable paper templates, including Blank Paper, Ruled Paper, Cornell Paper, Checklists, Planners, and more. ■ Navigate long documents with ease. PDF tables of contents are automatically imported, or create custom outlines yourself. ■ Back up all your handwritten and typed notes to Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive, and use iCloud to sync across iPad, iPhone, and Mac — so your notes are always safe. ■ Edit your handwriting by resizing it, changing the text color, or moving it to another spot on the page. Privacy Policy: https://www.goodnotes.com/privacy-policy Terms and Conditions: https://www.goodnotes.com/terms-and-conditions
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Spotxel® Reader at 100% against Goodnotes's 34%. Spotxel® Reader also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). Goodnotes's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 2.4) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Spotxel® Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Goodnotes sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Goodnotes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Goodnotes has 468K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Spotxel® Reader's written reviews are positive against 34% of Goodnotes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Spotxel® Reader ships an update every 2 months, Goodnotes weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spotxel® Reader | Goodnotes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.4 (7 ratings) | 4.7 (468K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 33.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 468K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #105 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 43 MB | 778 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sicasys Software GmbH | Goodnotes Limited |
Customer experience
Spotxel® Reader
Goodnotes
Bugs and requests
Spotxel® Reader
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Goodnotes
Reported bugs
4 issues- Text box issues - unable to edit, resize, or move properly
- Handwriting recognition problems, especially with cursive
- Unreliable scrolling and page navigation
- Inconsistent behavior when using the zoom feature
Requested features
5 requests- Add bullet point and formatting options for typed text
- Implement a full-screen writing mode
- Improve the straight line and shape tools
- Integrate audio recording and synchronization
- Allow more customization of the toolbar and interface
In-app purchases
Spotxel® Reader
- Time-Unlimited License$8.99
Goodnotes
- AI Pass (Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Essential (Yearly)7 Days trial$11.991 Year
- Essential (Yearly)1 Year trial2 variants$11.991 Year
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- Goodnotes Pro (Yearly)7 Days trial$35.991 Year
- Goodnotes 6 Free TrialFree
- Marketplace Content$1.99
- Marketplace Content$9.99
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- Goodnotes 6 One-Time Payment$28.99
- Special Edition$35.99









