The Best Note-Taking Apps for iPad in 2025

Forget about tedious transcriptions and lost handwritten notes. Modern iPad note-taking apps with powerful handwriting-to-text functionality allow you to effortlessly capture and organize your thoughts, import media, record meetings, annotate PDFs, collaborate with teams, and, of course, convert your handwriting into text with incredible accuracy. These apps are more than just digital replacements for paper; they're sophisticated tools designed to streamline your workflow and unleash your productivity. But with so many apps now offering handwriting-to-text, how do you choose the best one for your needs? That's where this guide comes in. I’ve rigorously tested the latest options to bring you the top picks for handwriting-to-text note-taking on the iPad in 2025.

The Top 8 iPad Note-Taking Apps in 2025

After in-depth evaluation, here are the eight leading iPad note-taking apps for handwriting-to-text functionality that you'll want to consider in 2025:

• Nebo: The clear leader in accurate and efficient handwriting-to-text conversion.
• GoodNotes: A strong contender with good handwriting recognition, excellent overall experience.
• Notes Writer Pro: Impressive AI-powered handwriting-to-text with advanced features.
• Noteful: Layered note-taking with decent handwriting recognition and flexible text handling.
• OneNote: A solid cross-platform option with improved handwriting-to-text capabilities.
• Apple Notes: A free option with basic but reliable handwriting-to-text integration within the Apple ecosystem.
• Agenda: Combines calendar and notes; handwriting-to-text is improving with each update.
• Milanote: Focus on visual planning with handwriting-to-text input for annotations and notes.

What to Look for in a Top-Tier Note-Taking App

When selecting an app for handwriting-to-text, it's crucial to consider these factors:

Accuracy: The most important factor: how accurately does the app convert your handwriting into editable text? Look for apps that can handle varied writing styles and even less-than-perfect penmanship.

Speed & Efficiency: How quickly does the app process your handwriting? A seamless conversion should happen with minimal delay and disruptions to your writing flow.

Formatting Options: The ability to retain formatting is crucial. Look for apps that can recognize paragraphs, lists, headings, and other structural elements from your handwriting.

Language Support: If you frequently write in multiple languages, make sure the app supports your needs for effective conversion across languages.

Editing Tools: Once your handwriting is converted, you'll want robust text editing tools to fine-tune and refine your notes as needed.

Integration with Other Features: The best apps combine powerful handwriting-to-text with other features, such as audio recording, media imports, and collaboration tools.

Multi-Device Sync: The ability to access your converted text across all your devices.

In 2025, these are the features you'll want to prioritize when choosing an iPad note-taking app that excels in handwriting-to-text functionality. Let's dive into the details.

Comparison

Here's a summarized comparison to help you quickly evaluate the best app for your specific needs in 2025:

The Top iPad Note-Taking Apps for Handwriting-to-Text, In Detail:

Nebo: The Leader in iPad Handwriting-to-Text

Nebo continues to set the standard for handwriting-to-text functionality in 2025. Its core strength lies in the exceptional accuracy and speed with which it converts handwritten notes into editable text. The app's engine is highly sophisticated, handling a wide range of writing styles, from careful cursive to quick scribbles. The resulting text is remarkably faithful to your original writing while still retaining essential formatting, such as paragraphs, lists, and headings. Nebo's unique approach to organization, with "Notes" as an infinite canvas and "Documents" for a structured approach, caters to different styles of note-taking. For those who need their handwritten notes transformed into precise, editable text, Nebo remains the top choice. The newly improved AI features including improved summarization and enhanced prompting are a bonus as well.

Nebo Pros:

• Superior accuracy and speed in handwriting-to-text conversion.
• Minimalist UI for a quick and focused writing experience.

Nebo Cons:

• Multi-device syncing is a premium feature.

Nebo Pricing: Free. Syncing and additional features for a one-time payment of $8.99.

GoodNotes: Reliable Handwriting-to-Text with Customization

GoodNotes is more than just a digital notebook with its highly praised writing experience and it also offers a robust handwriting to text conversion. While it may not match Nebo's absolute precision, GoodNotes delivers a very reliable conversion, with the added benefit of customization, which includes pen styles, colors, and page templates. This makes GoodNotes ideal for those who appreciate a beautiful digital notebook with the added benefit of efficient handwriting-to-text. It also excels in integrating handwritten and typed text seamlessly within the same note. The audio recording functionality and synced playback are also helpful for anyone wanting to transcribe their meeting notes. The ability to convert handwritten notes into editable text remains a crucial part of the GoodNotes experience in 2025.

GoodNotes 6 Pros:

• Reliable handwriting-to-text with good overall experience and robust customization options.
• Seamless blend of typed text, handwriting, and audio recording.

GoodNotes 6 Cons:

• Subscription model, a change from its previous one-time purchase option.

GoodNotes 6 Pricing: Free up to 3 notebooks. Full version at $9.99/year or a one-time purchase of $29.99 (Apple devices only) or $6.99/year for Android/Windows.

Notes Writer Pro: AI-Powered Handwriting-to-Text and More

Notes Writer Pro 2025 (formerly Notes Writer Pro 2024) takes the concept of handwriting-to-text to the next level with its advanced AI integration. The app not only converts your handwriting with good accuracy but also offers AI-driven features that enhance the text itself. The AI assistant can be used to summarize the text, improve grammar and style, and even translate the text into different languages. In addition, the app also excels in its versatility, allowing users to input handwriting, text, and other media types in a single document. For users seeking a powerful app that leverages AI to improve their handwriting-to-text workflow, Notes Writer Pro 2025 stands out as a leader in the category.

Notes Writer Pro 2025 Pros:

• Advanced AI-powered handwriting-to-text conversion.
• Excellent versatility with various media types.

Notes Writer Pro 2025 Cons:

• Lacks customization options for ink size, color.

Notes Writer Pro 2025 Pricing: $6.99 one-time payment for the app, plus $2.99/month for AI Assistant.

Noteful: Layered Notes with Flexible Text Handling

Noteful is well known for its layered note-taking system, which is a great way to create multi-layered notes, and it also provides a good handwriting-to-text functionality. It allows users to create various text layers, as well as the ability to show or hide each layer, enabling users to have full control over their notes. Its conversion may not be the most accurate out there, but it is reliable enough for most use cases, especially combined with the added benefits of a flexible layered system. The ability to edit and refine the text after it's converted makes it an excellent option for those who prioritize control over both content and the visual structure of their notes.

Noteful Pros:

• Layered notes system with good handwriting-to-text functionality.
• Flexible text editing capabilities within layers.

Noteful Cons:

• Multi-device syncing is a premium feature.

Noteful Pricing: Free. Pro plan with multi-device syncing and additional features costs a one-time payment of $4.99.

OneNote: Reliable Cross-Platform Handwriting-to-Text

OneNote is a solid cross-platform note-taking app, and in 2025, its handwriting-to-text functionality has been noticeably improved. While it may not be at the cutting edge of handwriting to text technology, it provides a good enough conversion that is reliable. It is a good choice for those who seek a unified and consistent note taking experience, and do most of their work within the Microsoft ecosystem. The ability to combine handwritten notes, typed text, and other media within the same note, combined with its organizational structure, makes it an ideal note-taking app for both personal and professional use.

OneNote Pros:

• Improved handwriting-to-text conversion with reliable performance.
• Strong cross-platform syncing and Microsoft integration.

OneNote Cons:

• Lacks the ink styles, colors, and customization options for handwriting that some other apps offer.

OneNote Pricing: Free. Premium plans for more storage and Microsoft 365 app access start at $6.99/month (personal) and $9.99/month (family).

Apple Notes: Basic and Integrated Handwriting-to-Text

Apple Notes, preinstalled on all Apple devices, offers a basic but reliable handwriting-to-text integration for those who prefer a simple, free, and well-integrated option within the Apple ecosystem. Its handwriting recognition is adequate for basic use cases, making it good for quick note-taking, but it may not be ideal for those with very complex handwriting. The seamless syncing, Smart Folder organization, and direct support of Apple Pencil, in addition to the handwriting-to-text conversion, makes it a great app for those that need a simple text-based, yet versatile, note taking app.

Apple Notes Pros:

• Basic but reliable handwriting-to-text integration.
• Seamless syncing across Apple devices and free to use.

Apple Notes Cons:

• Limited flexibility when mixing typed text and Apple Pencil handwriting and has basic functionality overall.

Apple Notes Pricing: Free

Agenda: Handwriting-to-Text with Calendar Context

Agenda combines your notes with your calendar events, and its handwriting-to-text capabilities have steadily improved, making it a good option for those looking for a structured and context-aware note-taking solution. Agenda's approach to handwriting-to-text emphasizes contextual awareness, meaning that it can leverage the association with calendar entries to better refine the converted text. Its strength lies in its unique calendar integration and provides a good handwriting-to-text option. If you are looking for a combination of calendar and handwritten text conversion, Agenda is a great choice for you.

Agenda Pros:

• Improving handwriting-to-text with calendar context awareness.
• Excellent integration of notes with schedule management.

Agenda Cons:

• Apple Pencil support for handwriting is available only in premium, and is currently limited to handwriting-to-text conversion.

Agenda Pricing: Free. Premium features like collaboration, custom colors, and Apple Pencil enhancements are available for $34.99/year (all Apple devices) or $119.99 one-time purchase.

Milanote: Visual Planning with Handwriting Annotations

Milanote is known for its visual planning features, but it also offers handwriting-to-text capabilities for users to annotate project boards with handwritten notes and ideas. It may not be the core of the experience, but it is great for adding visual annotations with the power of handwriting recognition. If you want a note taking app with a focus on visual planning but also want the ability to add handwritten annotations, Milanote should definitely be on your list.

Milanote Pros:

• Handwriting-to-text input for annotations within visual project boards.
• Excellent collaborative and visual planning tools.

Milanote Cons:

• Handwriting-to-text is not the app's primary focus.

Milanote Pricing: Free for up to 100 notes/10 files. Pro plan at $12.50/month for individuals, $49/month for 10 users, and $99/month for 50 users.

Other iPad Note-Taking Apps with Handwriting Support

While the apps above are my top picks for handwriting-to-text specifically, there are other capable note-taking apps with varying degrees of handwriting support:

• Notability: A good alternative to GoodNotes, with reliable handwriting recognition.
• Concepts: Primarily for designers, but also supports handwriting for annotations.
• Evernote: A comprehensive note-taking tool with decent handwriting recognition, though it isn't the app's primary focus.

Choosing the Best Handwriting-to-Text App for You in 2025

The ideal iPad note-taking app with handwriting-to-text for you will depend on your unique writing style and workflow, as well as the specific features that you prioritize. If accuracy and speed are paramount, Nebo is the clear leader. For those seeking a balance of style, customization, and handwriting-to-text, GoodNotes is a compelling option. If you need AI-powered features, Notes Writer Pro stands out.

The key is to test out several apps to determine which best suits your handwriting style and needs. What works well for one user might not be the best for another. Thankfully, most of these apps offer free trials or have a freemium model, allowing you to explore their features before committing to a purchase.