If you are still using GoodNotes 5 on your iPad, you’re in a unique position. You missed the mandatory transition to GoodNotes 6, skipped the push toward recurring subscriptions, and kept a setup that "just works."
However, GoodNotes 5 is no longer receiving major feature updates. Eventually, iOS updates or modern workflow needs will force a change. When that time comes, the automatic impulse for most people is to click "Upgrade" to GoodNotes 6.
Before you do that, there is a better option to consider: switching to Noteful.
Rather than upgrading to GoodNotes 6, jumping straight from GoodNotes 5 to Noteful gives you a faster, cheaper, and vastly superior digital planning experience.
1. No Subscriptions: Keep the GoodNotes 5 "One-and-Done" Mentality
One of the main reasons you likely stuck with GoodNotes 5 was avoiding the modern app subscription model.
GoodNotes 6: Pushes users toward a ~$9.99/year subscription (or a hefty ~$29.99 one-time purchase).
Noteful: Charges a simple ~$4.99 one-time payment for its Pro features.
If you bought GoodNotes 5 years ago because you liked paying once and owning your software, Noteful keeps that exact consumer-friendly philosophy alive.
2. Layers: The Major Feature GoodNotes 5 Always Lacked
The biggest complaint among long-time GoodNotes 5 users—especially digital planners—is the lack of layers.
In GoodNotes 5, if you place a digital sticker on a page and try to erase or lasso handwriting on top of it, you constantly shift or erase the sticker underneath. GoodNotes 6 didn't fix this either.
Noteful features a full Photoshop-style Layers system:
Place base planners and stickers on Layer 1.
Write your text or daily tasks on Layer 2.
Erase, select, or move your handwriting freely without ever moving the background graphics!
3. Better PDF Hyperlink Handling
If you use hyperlinked notebooks, meal planners, or digital agendas, navigating them in GoodNotes 5 can feel clunky. You constantly have to toggle off the editing toolbar into "Read-Only" mode just to tap a side tab, or execute a slow long-press.
In Noteful, hyperlinks work seamlessly. You can tap any link or index tab with your finger to jump pages instantly—even while your pen tool is active and ready to write.
4. Fast, Fast Performance (Zero AI Bloat)
GoodNotes 6 added heavier features like AI math solvers, handwriting spellcheck, and built-in marketplaces. For many users, these additions resulted in faster battery drain, iPad heating, and a cluttered interface.
Coming from the straightforward experience of GoodNotes 5, Noteful feels like a breath of fresh air:
Lightweight: It opens notebooks instantly and runs smoothly.
Battery-Friendly: Leaves your iPad running cool during long study sessions.
Custom Toolbar: Lets you place your tools on the top, bottom, left, or right side of the screen.
5. Tagging System Alongside Folders
GoodNotes 5 introduced nested folders, which was great, but organized files into strict single locations.
Noteful offers Folders + Universal Hashtags. You can type #project or #recipe anywhere in your notes, allowing you to cross-reference pages across different notebooks instantly without moving files out of their main folders.
Summary: Upgrade to Noteful, Not GoodNotes 6
If you are currently on GoodNotes 5:
Upgrading to GoodNotes 6 means paying more money for AI features you might not use, while missing out on key tools like layers.
Buying Noteful (~$5) gives you everything you loved about classic digital note-taking, plus layers, smooth hyperlinks, and tagging—all for half the price of a single year of GoodNotes 6.
It is the logical successor to GoodNotes 5.
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