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Below is my review of Notability based on a year of using it and comparison to Goodnotes based on six years of using it. Goodnotes has many more features that Notability lacks. In addition, when I updated my iPad 13” and 12.9” 6th generation to Notability version 6.2.2 and iOS 26.5. Two major bugs appeared (detailed below) that Ginger Labs appears to have no interest in diagnosing and fixing. These bugs hamper my ability to use Notability effectively, which is frightening that major bugs can appear out of nowhere and Ginger Labs has seems to have no interest in addressing them right away. Based on my experience I would seriously consider choosing Goodnotes before Notability Notability Bugs 1. Content manager only shows in split screen mode. Disappears in full screen mode or even in 1/4-3/4 screen mode. 2. When I try to cut and paste a single page it also screws up the formatting for handwritten and text boxes. Sometimes separating them into two pages 3. Crashed three times on 2/5 while editing a math equation. 4. If I change font size for one text box, it stays at that font size and doesn’t return to the default for the next text box. 5. Sometimes scrolling horizontally or vertically it gets stuck, especially after zooming in and trying to zoom back out. Problems that started with Notability 6.2.2 and iOS 26.5 *The above was written before the upgrade to 16.2.2 and iOS 26.5. This upgrade wrecked many of the features i use extensively, such as: 1. Converting fractions from handwriting to math stopped working. it doesn’t even convert the dividing lines, it leaves them as handwriting. The latex command is \matrix whereas it used to be \frac when it worked correctly. 2. After editing an equation, the bounding box is not tight like it used to be. There can be space above and below of left and right. This limits how much i can enlarge the equation and where i can put handwriting around the equation. 3. I cannot copy a page from one note to another. I used to be able to go to content manager in both notes and drag and drop pages from one note to the other. I have not been able to figure any way to copy pages from one note to another. This is a severe restriction. ‘Note that this problem only occurs on later model iPad. My friend has an 11 in iPad pro from 2020 and these problems don’t occur. I tried completely resetting my iPad and deleting and reinstalling Notability. It didn’t fix the problems. Limitations 1. There is no ability to name and list bookmarks like I can create outlines and name each page outlined in Goodnotes. I gave an example in Goodnotes from a notebook called “Problems”. This is a big drawback when I have many things I need to put into an outline. 2. Difficult to make curved lines. Always wants to snap to straight line. For example, when I want to make parenthesis for an equation, I have to make very exaggerated curve and edit. And if i try to draw an L shape it snaps to straight line. When I turn off straighten line it won’t make any shape except closed loop. 3. Would be nice to be able to set single page view as default instead of having to set it note by note. 4. Please add auto save to the equation editor or a pop up asking if you want to save the equation. If any part of your hand grazes the screen while you’re editing it kills the editor and you lose everything. 5. You REALLY need to add the ability to filter selected objects with the lasso. It’s very difficult to select different type of objects overlaid on one another. I’m always having to grab multiple objects, separate them, edit the one I want to edit, then hope I put them back I’m the right order. It’s very frustrating and takes multiple tries to get it right. And it crashes often when I’m doing that. 6. Would like to be able to set transparency on shapes. 7. On 3/9 it stopped giving me new pages and i can’t swipe to create a new page like i can in Goodnotes - I figured out how to get around that, but still, why can’t I just swipe to get a new page like in Goodnotes. 8. Can’t set a single page to landscape in a note. 9. Can’t use different template for single page. For example, landscape. 10. Need the ability to recover single deleted page from a note. If you accidentally delete a wrong page, you’re out of luck. Things I like * the below was written before the upgrade that wrecked Notability. The upgrade changed that. 1. Equation editor is great. I like that i can type in equations directly without having to draw, convert, and edit. Vastly superior to Goodnotes, which doesn’t even work now, and wasn’t very good when it did. The real time preview when editing is very useful. (Except 4 above) Bottom Line Goodnotes has many more features than Notability, and doesn’t crash as often, especially when trying to edit overlaying drawing, text, and figures. Goodnotes is at a more mature stage of development. *again written before the upgrade that wrecked the conversion to math, and the equation editor The only thing Notability has that is better than Goodnotes is the equation editor, which is why I’m putting up with the rest of its limitations to get my lecture notes made. Hopefully, once it’s done it won’t require much editing from semester to semester. The items that would help me the most is the ability to add outlines, and the ability to filter objects, the ability to copy pages from one note to another. And add to this, fix the problems caused by the latest upgrade. With the equation editor the way it is now, it took away the only thing i thought was better than Goodnotes. Notability Tech Support My experience with Notability Tech Support is that unless it is a very easy fix, you’re basically on your own. The bugs that were added in 16.2.2 and i0s 26.5 are major bugs and really hamper my ability to use Notability the way I used to. From everything I’ve tried, I think it’s a hardware or firmware issue. The problems dont occur on older iPads.

Add line spacing in text. It is currently to tight which makes it difficult to read

I recently got Noteful and Notewise, cause my Goodnotes 5 is already outdated. I refuse a subscription and the one-purchase went times pricier than what Goodnotes 5 costed me. While Noteful has been a great replacement for Goodnotes, Notewise is incredible, although I've used it very very little. The one and only thing that has kept me from switching to Notewise and never looking back to the other apps, is the fact that it lacks Layers. Idk if it exists for the premium version, but since I haven't seen it, is the only thing that keeps me from moving into the app, but I've checked the other stuff and it's mind-blowing. I love all the features it has! Noteful feels primitive in comparison. Please, just add Layers and I won't doubt a second into moving to this app once and for all. It will literally be like the most perfect app ever.