From classroom to boardroom: Goodnotes introduces smart whiteboards, document creation, and AI-powered productivity tools to broaden its appeal beyond students
From Student Favorite to Professional Powerhouse
Goodnotes, the popular digital notetaking app known for its deep roots in education and classroom use, is expanding its capabilities to serve a growing professional user base.
- The company is rolling out new tools including collaborative whiteboards, AI-powered assistance, and multi-format document creation.
- These additions signal a pivot toward becoming a comprehensive productivity suite rather than just a notetaking app.
“We still have a large user base of students, but we want to expand our product to become useful for everyone — especially professionals,” said founder Steven Chan.
AI Assistant: Built for Hybrid Workflows
At the core of the update is a versatile AI assistant that supports handwriting, typing, sketches, and even voice input — reflecting the increasingly multimodal nature of modern work.
Key AI capabilities include:
- Summarizing meetings and longform notes
- Generating visuals, charts, and diagrams
- Proofreading and rephrasing content
- Creating templates for meeting agendas, reports, or note structures
These features are powered in part by technology from a South Korean startup Goodnotes acquired last year, known for its expertise in meeting and video summarization.
Collaborative Whiteboard: Real-Time Brainstorming
The new collaborative whiteboard tool introduces a blank canvas where teams can:
- Co-create using text, handwriting, diagrams, and images
- Collaborate in real time, with support for multiple users
- Combine traditional notes with visual thinking workflows
This brings Goodnotes into closer alignment with platforms like Miro, Notion, and Canva, which offer real-time co-creation and flexible layouts.
All-New Document Creation Suite
Goodnotes now supports rich-text document creation, allowing users to include:
- Text, images, GIFs, tables, and more
- Content sourced or suggested by AI prompts
- Support for integrating assets from whiteboards or existing notes
This feature aligns with a larger industry trend where productivity apps (e.g., Grammarly, Canva, Notion) are nudging users toward staying within one platform for both creation and editing — giving AI assistants more context to operate intelligently.
New Pricing Tiers: Essentials and Pro
To support its new features, Goodnotes is rolling out two new subscription plans:
| Plan | Price (Annual) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Goodnotes Essentials | $11.99 | Access to new file formats, AI Q&A tools, math AI assistant |
| Goodnotes Pro | $35.99 | Google Calendar & OneDrive integration, private sharing, meeting AI bot, AI suggestions |
- Both plans come with AI usage limits.
- Users can purchase an AI Pass ($10/month) for unlimited AI credits.
- A one-time purchase option ($35.99) remains available for Apple users, without cloud sync or cross-platform access.
Growing User Base and Platform Reach
Goodnotes has evolved far beyond its iPad-only origins in 2011:
- Now available on iOS, Android, and Windows
- Over 25 million monthly active users, up from 21 million in 2023
- Increasing traction among solopreneurs, remote teams, and corporate professionals
With its new AI features and collaboration tools, Goodnotes is making a clear statement: it’s no longer just a digital notebook for students — it’s a multiplatform workspace for knowledge workers, teams, and hybrid professionals.
