Can I try GoodNotes before paying?

Goodnotes offers a limited plan you can start without paying, and app stores may show a trial for paid plans. Terms change, so read the offer shown in the App Store or Google Play before you subscribe.

Do I need to pay for GoodNotes to use a PDF planner?

You can import a PDF planner on any plan, but a limit on the number of notebooks, or on imported file size, can matter. A planner PDF can be large, so check the current limits for your plan.

Is GoodNotes available on Android?

Goodnotes has expanded beyond Apple devices over time, but availability and features differ by platform and version. Check the listing in your app store.

Are there GoodNotes alternatives for PDF planners?

Yes. Notability, Noteshelf, Xodo and Samsung Notes can open a PDF planner, though link support varies by app and version.

Does GoodNotes Cost Money? What the Plans Include

By Planning editorial team · Updated October 25, 2026

Short answer: GoodNotes lets you start with a limited plan, and paid plans remove most of the limits. The details change over time, so this page explains the types of limits to look for rather than quoting prices. Always check the official Goodnotes pricing page and your app store listing for the current terms in your country.

What Goodnotes says about its plans

According to Goodnotes' support FAQ at the time of writing, the plan you can use without paying lets you edit up to three notebooks, limits audio recording per notebook, caps the size of imported files and may add a watermark to exports. Paid plans lift the notebook cap and relax the other limits. Because plans, prices and regional offers are updated regularly, treat any figure from a blog (including this one) as a starting point and confirm it on the official page.

Why the limits matter for planners

If you use GoodNotes mainly for a digital planner, three limits deserve a closer look:

Number of notebooks. A planner is usually one document. If you also keep notes for school, work and hobbies as separate notebooks, you can hit a three-notebook cap quickly.
Imported file size. A hyperlinked planner with a full year of daily pages can be a big PDF. A small import cap might block it. The dated planner PDFs in PlanBloom All-in-One Digital Planner run from about 12 MB to about 13 MB each, so check that your plan's cap is above that, or use the smaller undated version.
Exports. If you share or print pages, check whether exports carry a watermark on your plan.

Questions to ask before you pay

Question	Why it matters
How many notebooks do I really need?	A planner, a school notebook and a journal is already three
Do I import large PDFs?	Planner files can be much bigger than a single-page PDF
Do I use handwriting search or audio?	Some features may sit in paid plans
Do I want to use it on more than one device?	Cloud sync rules vary by plan
Do I prefer a one-time purchase or a subscription?	Offers have changed over time

A planner does not require a specific plan

A planner is a normal PDF. You can open it in GoodNotes, Notability, Noteshelf, Xodo and Samsung Notes (with some differences in link support). If you decide not to pay for GoodNotes, the planner still works in another app. The GoodNotes vs Notability comparison covers the main alternatives, and the guide on digital planners that work on Android and Samsung Notes covers non-Apple devices.

How to import a planner into GoodNotes

The steps in the Quick-Start Guide for PlanBloom All-in-One Digital Planner follow the usual pattern:

Save the PDF to Files, iCloud Drive or another cloud folder.
Open GoodNotes, tap the plus button and choose Import, or share the file from Files to GoodNotes.
Choose to import it as a new document and wait for it to finish.
Switch to reading mode (or put the pen away) and tap a month tab or date number to follow the link.

If taps draw dots instead of following links, you are still in a writing mode. See GoodNotes digital planner for a longer walkthrough, including how to pick landscape or portrait.

Extra content: templates, covers and stickers

You do not need extra marketplace purchases to start. A planner, a few paper templates and some stickers are enough. PlanBloom All-in-One Digital Planner includes 120 paper templates, 48 tabbed notebooks, 160 digital covers and more than 5,500 transparent PNG stickers. For tips on using them, see GoodNotes templates.

Beware of a few confusing claims

Old prices. Articles from before the subscription era may quote a one-time price that no longer applies.
"Lifetime" offers. These can differ by platform and over time. Read the terms in the store.
Third-party planner listings. A planner seller cannot grant you a GoodNotes plan. The two are separate purchases.

A simple way to decide

List the notebooks you want in GoodNotes.
Check the current limits on the official page.
If you hit the limits, decide whether the paid plan is worth it for the way you work.
If not, choose another app that opens PDFs and use the same planner there.

The planner you buy should not lock you to one app. A standard PDF with internal links is portable; you can move it between apps as your needs change.

What to do if you hit a limit

If you reach a notebook cap, you have a few options that don't involve changing your planner. You can merge related notebooks into one document, archive old documents by exporting them as PDFs, or move the planner into another app that opens PDFs. If an import is refused because of size, try the smaller undated version or split a large file into smaller ones with a PDF tool. And if you simply like GoodNotes and use it every day, paying for a plan may be reasonable; compare the current plan terms rather than relying on an old article.

Alternatives that open the same PDF

Notability, Noteshelf, Xodo and Samsung Notes can all open a planner PDF. Their own plans and limits differ, and so does link behavior, so it's worth testing one tab after import. The planner remains yours either way, since it's an ordinary file kept in your own storage.