GoodNote vs Vellum
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
GoodNote
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Forget the tab graveyard. GoodNote saves every article, link, and story you want to read later - then strips away the clutter so you can actually read it. A clean, distraction-free reader. Your whole library synced across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. And it all stays offline, forever. SAVE FROM ANYWHERE - Share any page from Safari or any app straight into GoodNote - On Mac, drag a link in from your browser or just press βN - Add links by hand, or let Shortcuts and App Intents do it for you - Everything is stored offline, so it's yours to read on a plane, a subway, or a dead-zone cabin READ THE WAY YOU LIKE - A beautiful reader view with no ads, popups, or cookie banners - Five reading themes and full typography control - text size, line spacing and typeface (Premium) - One tap flips back to the original web page whenever you want it - Highlight passages in six colors and add your own notes - Every highlight collects into a per-article Notebook FIND IT IN A SECOND - Full-text search reaches the title, the author, the tags, and the entire body of every article - not just titles - Organize with tags, custom lists, and stars - Smart lists gather what's unread, starred, untagged, or highlighted, with no setup at all - The Home Screen widget counts what's still waiting and shows the next few titles - A gentle daily reminder nudges you back to your reading PICK UP EXACTLY WHERE YOU LEFT OFF - Articles, highlights, tags, and your reading position all sync between devices - Start an article on iPhone, finish it on Mac at the very same paragraph - Syncs through your own iCloud - no account to create, no password, no email TAKE YOUR HIGHLIGHTS WITH YOU - Export any article and its highlights as clean Markdown (Premium) - Drops straight into Obsidian, Notion, or whichever editor you already live in MADE FOR THE MAC, NOT JUST RESIZED - A real three-column window: your lists, your articles, and the reader side by side - Full menu bar, keyboard shortcuts, and articles that open in their own windows - Bought GoodNote already? The Mac app is included. PRIVATE BY DESIGN - No account, no tracking, no analytics, no ads - Your reading list is yours alone. We never see it. START FREE. PAY ONCE IF YOU STAY. - Your first 30 articles are free - no trial countdown, no card up front - One payment unlocks unlimited articles, reading customization and Markdown export - No subscription, ever. Buy it once and GoodNote is yours to keep. Built natively for Apple - fast, light, and right at home on iOS, iPadOS, and Mac. Available in 12 languages.
Vellum
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Vellum Journal is a calm, focused space for capturing thoughts, notes, and everyday moments. Write without distraction and organize your entries into topics. Use tags, notes, and Markdown to give your ideas structure while keeping everything easy to find. CORE FEATURES β’ Create entries and organize them into topics β’ Add tags and notes β’ Write with Markdown β’ Search your library β’ Export your content β’ Keep your library on your device by default VELLUM PRO Vellum Pro is available as a one-time in-app purchase and adds: β’ Cross-device library sync through your private iCloud database β’ Notion workspace integration and export A separate Vellum account is not required. Sync starts only after you enable it on a device signed in to iCloud. Content is sent to Notion only when you choose to export it to your connected workspace.
Screenshots
Verdict
GoodNote and Vellum are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters β price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them β neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. GoodNote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Vellum sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
GoodNote ships an update every 2 weeks, Vellum weekly. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.
| Parameter | GoodNote | Vellum |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac β better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 β better | 18.6 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dang Nam Nguyen | εζ¬ εΆ |
In-app purchases
GoodNote
- GoodNote Premium$5.99
Vellum
- Vellum pro lifetime$2.99









