Notability Alternatives for Mac

Alternatives list

1. 

   

   Obsidian

    1223 likes

   Privacy-oriented note-taking app for non-linear thinking, blending knowledge graph creation with wiki-style linking. Supports Markdown, end-to-end encryption, and plugins for customization. Offers distraction-free mode, tags, themes, syntax highlighting, and operates offline without tracking.

   348 Obsidian alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Freemium
   • Proprietary

   Application typeApplication types

   • Note-taking
   • Todo List Manager

   Origin

   • Canada

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Android
   • iPhone
   • Android Tablet
   • iPad
   • Snapcraft
   • Microsoft Edge
   • Google Chrome
   • Flathub
   • Safari
   • AppImage
   • Mozilla Firefox

   • Canada

   

   

   

   +6

   

   More about Obsidian  

   

   Good alternative?Is Obsidian a good alternative to Notability?

    
2. 

   

   Notesnook

    221 likes

   Offers open-source, end-to-end encrypted notes with device-based privacy, cross-platform support, private vault, secure sync, offline access, markdown editor, exports to multiple formats, automatic backups, organizational tools, and strong encryption.

   395 Notesnook alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Freemium
   • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

   Application typeApplication types

   • Note-taking
   • Task Management

   Origin

   • Pakistan

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Online
   • Android
   • iPhone
   • Android Tablet
   • iPad
   • Google Chrome
   • Flathub
   • F-Droid
   • Software as a Service (SaaS)
   • Flatpak
   • Self-Hosted

   • Pakistan

   

   

   

   +6

   

   More about Notesnook  

   

   Good alternative?Is Notesnook a good alternative to Notability?

    

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   1comment

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   Notesnook vs Notability Comments

   Negative comment by themrsecret · Dec 13, 2023

   Does not allow handwritten notes

   1 of 1 comments

   

   

   • Notesnook is Freemium and Open SourceNotability is Freemium and Proprietary
   • Notesnook is Privacy focused and LightweightNotability is not according to our users
4. 

   

   Microsoft OneNote

    1149 likes

   Comprehensive digital notebook offering organizers, shared notes, multi-device syncing, and optical character recognition, plus cloud-based data management for efficient information handling and accessibility.

   235 Microsoft OneNote alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Freemium
   • Proprietary

   Application typeApplication types

   • Note-taking
   • Todo List Manager

   Origin

   • United States

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Online
   • Android
   • iPhone
   • Chrome OS
   • Windows Phone
   • iPad
   • Apple Watch
   • Android Wear
   • Kindle Fire

   • United States

   

   

   

   +4

   

   More about Microsoft OneNote  

   

   Good alternative?Is Microsoft OneNote a good alternative to Notability?

    

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   8comments

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   Microsoft OneNote vs Notability Comments

   Top Positive Comment by Guest · Feb 7, 2018

   Same draw and text anywhere functionality. It also supports PDF annotation and sync backup.

   Top Negative Comment by Guest · Mar 9, 2020

   too simple and halfbaked on android

   Negative comment by Guest · Mar 24, 2022

   Onenote is not so intuitive. Its just awkward. And i dont know this yet but would bet you need good internet access to use it. Notability was easy first use if i remember right. Who are those clowns and why dont they have an android version yet???!!!!

   3 of 8 comments

   

   

   • Microsoft OneNote is Freemium and ProprietaryNotability is also Freemium and Proprietary
5. Ad

   

   

   UPDF

   Edit, annotate, and convert PDFs with OCR capabilities, AI-assisted tools for summaries and translations. It supports file protection and offers 2GB of cloud storage for secure management.

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6. 

   

   HelixNotes

    29 likes

   HelixNotes is a local markdown note-taking app built with Rust, Tauri 2.0, and SvelteKit. Your notes are standard .md files on your filesystem - sync with whatever you want or nothing at all.

   159 HelixNotes alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (AGPL-3.0)

   Application typeApplication types

   • Note-taking
   • Todo List Manager

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Android

   

   

   

   +1

   

   More about HelixNotes  

   

   Good alternative?Is HelixNotes a good alternative to Notability?

    
7. 

   

   Linwood Butterfly

    44 likes

   Butterfly is a note-taking app where your ideas come first. You can paint, add texts, and export them easily on every device. This app works on android, windows, linux, and in the web.

   59 Linwood Butterfly alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (AGPL-3.0)

   Application typeApplication types

   • Note-taking
   • Digital Painting

   Origin

   • Germany
   • EU

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Online
   • Android
   • iPhone
   • Android Tablet
   • Self-Hosted
   • Snapcraft
   • AltStore
   • Flathub
   • F-Droid
   • Linux Mobile

   • Germany
   • EU

   

   

   

   +6

   

   More about Linwood Butterfly  

   

   Good alternative?Is Linwood Butterfly a good alternative to Notability?

    
9. 

   

   Saber

    29 likes

   A (work-in-progress) cross-platform libre notes app. Please note that this app is still in early stages and not ready to trust with your notes yet.

   30 Saber alternatives

   Cost / License

   • Free
   • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

   Application type

   • Note-taking

   Origin

   • United Kingdom

   Platforms

   • Mac
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Android
   • iPhone
   • Android Tablet
   • iPad
   • Snapcraft
   • Linux Mobile
   • Flathub
   • F-Droid
   • OpenAPK

   • United Kingdom

   

   

   

   More about Saber  

   

   Good alternative?Is Saber a good alternative to Notability?

    

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   2comments

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   Saber vs Notability Comments

   Positive comment by Guest · Sep 11, 2023

   I tried it and it was the most similar so far that I have tried with no in-app purchases. I also haven’t seen any ads so far. I’m not sure how many features it has yet, but it is very simple and effective.

   Positive comment by AzureOfTheFlumes · Aug 20, 2025

   Saber feels very similar; the biggest downsides at the moment are not being able to save custom colors and not recognizing apple pencil gestures like double-tap to switch to eraser. A lot of the other normal Notability features are here though (just not any of the premium stuff like handwriting recognition)

   2 of 2 comments

   

   

   • Saber is Free and Open SourceNotability is Freemium and Proprietary
   • Saber is Privacy focused and LightweightNotability is not according to our users
10. 

    

    GoodNotes

     78 likes

    Experience "digital paper" with seamless note-taking on iOS devices. Annotate PDFs, PowerPoint, and Word, plus organize notes in unlimited folders. Enjoy searchable handwritten notes that sync across devices with iCloud, intuitive QuickNote feature, and customizable templates.

    81 GoodNotes alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application typeApplication types

    • Note-taking
    • Todo List Manager

    Origin

    • Hong Kong SAR China

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad

    • Hong Kong SAR China

    

    

    

    More about GoodNotes  

    

    Good alternative?Is GoodNotes a good alternative to Notability?

     

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    2comments

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    GoodNotes vs Notability Comments

    Negative comment by Guest · Mar 4, 2020

    There is no ability to record. Also, they have discontinued support for previous versions and forced users to upgrade without notice. I bought GoodNotes 4 and it stopped working within 3 months. Notability also has issues, and there is no dependable note taking app at the moment. OneNote seems good, but can't record while taking notes at the same time, unless using separate apps, and it has a clunky interface.

    Positive comment by Guest · May 4, 2020

    Because you can do almost anything that notibility allows you to do.

    2 of 2 comments

    

    

    • GoodNotes is Freemium and ProprietaryNotability is also Freemium and Proprietary
11. 

    

    Zoho Notebook

     91 likes

    Web-based tool for integrating text, images, audio, and video with syncing across devices, real-time collaboration, handwriting input, AI-powered summaries, checklists, scanning, reminders, search in handwritten notes, and advanced organization.

    341 Zoho Notebook alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application typeApplication types

    • Note-taking
    • Todo List Manager

    Origin

    • India

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch

    • India

    

    

    

    +5

    

    More about Zoho Notebook  

    

    Good alternative?Is Zoho Notebook a good alternative to Notability?

     

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    1comment

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    Zoho Notebook vs Notability Comments

    Negative comment by Guest · Jun 8, 2019

    Notability is very focused on handwritten notes and sketches. Zoho Notebook is way off in this comparison

    1 of 1 comments

    

    

    • Zoho Notebook is Freemium and ProprietaryNotability is also Freemium and Proprietary
    • Zoho Notebook is Privacy focusedNotability is not according to our users
12. 

    

    Noteshelf

     18 likes

    Take beautiful handwritten notes or annotate PDFs on your iPad, and now even on your iPhone. With the new Noteshelf you can do all of the familiar, like type notes, record audio, draw shapes, sketch, sign contracts, fill forms, along with a lot of new, like add bookmarks, create...

    81 Noteshelf alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    • Note-taking

    Origin

    • United Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Apple Watch
    • Chrome OS
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • Samsung Galaxy Store
    • Windows

    • United Kingdom

    

    

    

    More about Noteshelf  

    

    Good alternative?Is Noteshelf a good alternative to Notability?

     
13. 

    

    Notes

     40 likes

    Use Notes to capture a quick thought, create checklists, sketch ideas, and more. And with iCloud, you can keep your notes up to date across all your devices.

    172 Notes alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application typeApplication types

    • Note-taking
    • Todo List Manager

    Origin

    • United States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Online
    • iPhone
    • iPad

    • United States

    

    

    

    +2

    

    More about Notes  

    

    Good alternative?Is Notes a good alternative to Notability?

     
14. 

    

    WizNote

     82 likes

    WizNote is a Note software, which is especially designed for Internet users and mobile Internet users. WizNote focuses more on notes of rapid collection, management, reading and sharing. WizNote is smaller, more stable, and more suitable for computers, phones and mobile devices.

    252 WizNote alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application typeApplication types

    • Note-taking
    • Todo List Manager

    Origin

    • China

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • Windows Phone
    • iPad

    • China

    

    

    

    +6

    

    More about WizNote  

    

    Good alternative?Is WizNote a good alternative to Notability?

     

    |

    1comment

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    WizNote vs Notability Comments

    Negative comment by Guest · Dec 31, 2019

    Notability is all about taking handwritten noted and annotating pdfs by hand - not the closest thing in terms of notability

    1 of 1 comments

    

    

    • WizNote is Paid and ProprietaryNotability is Freemium and Proprietary
15. 

    

    Foxit PDF Editor

     6 likes

    Comprehensive suite offering eSign, OCR, multi-platform editing, cloud integration, and robust security. Ideal for professional or personal use, facilitating collaboration while protecting content.

    78 Foxit PDF Editor alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application typeApplication types

    • PDF Reader
    • PDF Editor

    Origin

    • United States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad

    • United States

    

    

    

    +7

    

    More about Foxit PDF Editor  

    

    Good alternative?Is Foxit PDF Editor a good alternative to Notability?