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Rnote vs GoodNotes: catalog facts
Rnote	GoodNotes
Free Free and open source, with optional sponsorship of the developer.	Freemium Free tier available; full features require a subscription or one-time purchase.
macOS, Linux	macOS, iOS
Pressure-sensitive stylus input with configurable strokes Imports and annotates PDFs and images	OCR makes handwritten notes searchable like typed text Strong PDF annotation alongside free-form handwriting
Native file format is unstable between versions macOS builds come from a separate project	Best experience depends on owning an iPad with Apple Pencil Full feature set requires a subscription or one-time purchase
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.