I agree with your concerns about the AI & experimental features (users should have a setting to enable or disable each one), and I also agree with your concerns about data privacy. I want my notes only on my devices - not GoodNotes servers. Cross device sync at least in the Apple ecosystem can be done via icloud. At the same time I don’t understand all the consternation about the $9.99/yr subscription price. This essentially represents $0.83 per month per user for support and any new features that are delivered. Honestly that price just for support seems very reasonable, to ensure the app works on new releases of iOS and bugs are fixed. Personally while I have upgraded to GN6 via the OTP option to support the developers, I am currently also exploring a migration to Agenda. The link to calendar and tasks has a lot of advantages for me. And I really like their subscription model, where their Premium Subscription (annual) enables new features as they are released, and as long as I pay for the Premium Subscription I get all the new features. When I stop paying for the Premium Subscription, I get to keep all the new features I have up to that point with no additional charge. There is also another option for a one time payment to enable Lifetime unlock of new Features. And their Subscription option offer two levels - one for iOS+iPadOS and another for iOs+IPadOS+MacOS.

Goodnotes is probably expecting there to be a lot of noise and then we forget and move on and just pay them. They have another thing coming. EVERY video I see mentioning them the comments are FULL of complaints, but also that those people have moved to something different.

Not only did Good Notes stab their most loyal customers in the back, but they are ripping them off for a garbage product that is still in Beta as well. Absolutely criminal.

I love your comment “if you find you’re typing a lot of body text in Goodnotes, you’re probably using the wrong app.😂😂😂😂

I would have forgiven a data breach of my personal information faster than this intentional dishonesty by the company.

The only trusted review that i was waiting for, you speak for us.. Thanks

I have dropped GN and am moving over to Noteful and Zoomnotes

*I have even stopped depending on Good Notes 5, I hate this company so much for this move. Somali Pirates would be embarrassed at the greed.*

These companies that opt for the subscription model hopefully face downfall due to their excessive greed. Personally, I don't have an issue with that outcome.

Great review as always, very thorough and complete!

I was so happy when I saw the title “good notes 6” .. can’t believe this what we’ve all been waiting for ! What a disappointment… and the price is legendary …. And I was thinking notability ppl are greedy ! This is a next level

I understand that development needs a continuous revenue stream. I’m not opposed to paying for new features and absolutely love the route Agenda has taken. On top of that I am not happy with how they are asking for a premium fee without a premium update.

😍😍🥰🥰😆 thanks for this one you didn’t disappoint

i was eagerly waiting for this video, thanks.

wonderful review thanks

I use the same GoodNotes5 and not upgrading. These new features are not big important for me. I am happy with the Goodnotes5.

Great review as always. Please make the review for Noteshelf 3 soon!

Yessss so glad you did this

How’s our notes stored on their server ? Are they encrypted ? What’s the level of encryption, can their employees look at them ? Are they searchable ? Does those ai train on them ? If so , then how come they’re encrypted !.. I think I’m opting out to alternatives , this used to be my #1 app , now I’ll just keep v5 and migrate to notability

Thank you very much for still keeping such a profound overview of these apps. Please keep it up.

Well I'm not even able to use any of these AI features because the app does not support my language. So for me and probably for everyone, excluding the 6 or so lucky nations whose languages are supported, the update says PAY US MORE FOR NOTHING THAT YOU CAN USE. That's kind of how it looks for me. And it's good to know that new AI features feed on users (who were not clearly informed about that). Edit: (I've edited typos and inconsistencies in my comment. Also, thanks for a ❤️)

Fantastic review ❤, love and subscribe to the questions you‘ve put to the developers!

Have been thinking when will you release a video on GN 6, because your reviews are honest and tells both the whats right and wrong unlike other youtubers who show unnecessary excitement and don't tells whats wrong in the app

I’ve played with it and unless you use a lot of math I see no real reason to upgrade.

I think the Ai features are really gimmick features that no one ever asked for. They don't help users but slow them down, like we can delete and complete our own words in a few seconds, then why would we ever want AI to do it for us that is not even correct all of the time? For me these features are useless and don't serve any purpose, and the app is not worth 30$ with these kind of features.

GREAT VIDEO!! I ABSOLUTELY agree 100%, with ALL YOU said!! Just a quick AI related thing: - If I TURN OFF the grammar check when writing and the AUTO-correction also, WILL IT STILL COLLECT my DATA? TO TEACH THEIR AI algorithm-thing? That would really be a BUMMER! ( Imagine having your planner with private info/ passwords on GOODNOTES server and they let their AI swim through it..??!?!) Gosh! If I may, I will post this video link on their Twitter page in the comment section, as a link-> it's THAT GOOD and accurate ?! I hope that is FINE with you?!

I bought GN 5 less than a month before the update, So I got GN 6 free for a year but I still keep using GN 5 for most of the time I just wanted to try GN 6, it's the worst the AI features doesn't work at all and are useless, there are some bugs as well specially in the audio recording feature, sometimes I try to play recording but it doesn't work and recording in GN 6 heats my iPad which doesn't used to happen in GN 5. I just love the scribble to erase and circle to lasso features and also more template customisation option including colour coding folders but anything else is just useless for me in GN 6. THIS IS A SMALL REVIEW FROM MY SIDE.... Hope this helps someone who is thinking to upgrade, which is not a good idea ....

Noteshelf 3 sold me please do a review it’s a combination or goodnotes, noteful and notability just what I was looking for it’s still a work in progress tho but I can deal with it

Nice

Thanks for your take on this upgrade. I agree with you. I did ger the subscription but i am going to downgrade back to GN5. I am really interested in a video explaining a workflow for exporting from GN to Noteful. I have hundreds to do. Is there anything I can do to ease them into Noteful since there is no search on handwriting there? I plan to contact Noteful and beg them to avoid AI.

No pencil tool?

Also, why skip user feedback for requested features? Also, if I want Goodnotes 6 on my Mac, I also have to pay for a new Mac. Def not upgrading. Thank you for your vid, super helpful.

Noted apps come with a lifecycle. I‘ve been taking digital handwritten notes since the iPad 2 with a clunky wacom stylus. I switched from the first app I don’t even remember to UPAD, then to GoodNotes and eventually to Notability. Now, however, I feel like it’s time to switch again soon. There are new, cheaper competitors and the Apple built-in Apps Notes and Freeform are increasingly becoming an interesting option.

I appreciate your video. I’ve been trying to decide whether to upgrade and didn’t even think of the AI model accessing my personal information. Not gonna happen! Thanks again!

The price of GoodNotes 6 is high I have moved to Noteshelf 3 which seems better for budget

Thank you very much for this.

New iPad user here. For a more organized experience and note taking for meetings, business, personal purposes, and creative writing - do you recommend the Notability or the GN6?

Perfect review. I hope they watch it. I was tempted to update mine Good notes, for some of these features. But the AI thing was a big NO for me. I don't worry about privacy or anything, I just don't want to babysit an annoying pointless feature.

I found where to revert to GN5 so I did. The remaining problem is that the about screen says I have version 6 which I don't. The only response from the developers thus far has been to ask if my question was answered. Well, no, no it wasn't.

Agreed❤

Oh i meant to ask about the "inbox" looking icons on your documents. Is that a cover page? I love it.

Love your reviews. Can you please review Goodnotes 6 vs Noteshelf 3. Ive always used Goodnotes but think Noteshelf 3 has won my ❤. Would love to hear your thoughts

Please talk about elements note i want to see your review on that app too.

Thank you for this. I have been a loyal GN user and I was going to upgrade tonight but I have decided not to. I hope that the developers at GN tank on this one.

Is there a way to update at the last version of GN5? I didn't update for a couple of months and now I don't want the GN6 update. If I reset my iPad can I still download GN5?

I also opted not to upgrade to Goodnotes 6. And listening to the reasons you presented here, felt the same way as well. Just now worth the heafty upgrade at all.

lowering the costs re AI for some uses who don't want it is a null point. Goodnotes still bare the cost of developing these tools regardless how many want it so they need to charge at a level to remain viable and keep investing in R&D. It's like saying you should have an option to only pay for one one headlight on a car because it's all you need to see down the road. Everything costs money to develop and maintain. It's not like they're 'exploiting' people with 'fat wallets'. It is a handful of dollars for something you can use over and over. $30 is not a lot of money, you need to keep perspective. If you don't want to pay it, that's your call and more power to you, no need to project onto people who do 🙂 ...that said though, I love your channel and appreciate your style and the way to explain things so well. Just ease up on the vitriol when a company tries to make money from a product you have a choice about 🙂

Generative AI is a working progress!

The GoodNotes account help devs deactivate family sharing, which the old app had. Not upgrading since the Pay once forever was a lie.

I am able to access the popup menu by holding the circle lasso for a bit

Nebo is great 🎉

Can we still buy GN5 for the first time if we never did before ? What is the best alternative to it ? (one time purchase)

Thanks for this video. I had not considered the issue of AI... it's possible to install the version 5.?

✌🏼

Great review of an app that is getting worse and worse... What a pity! Thanks!

Petition them to redirect their development. I’ll sign.

I was wondering - what is your favorite note taking app right now for the iPad with the Apple Pencil?

Hello PaperlessX, please do help, I have upgraded to goodnotes 6 today , i purchased from the marketplace a maths notes, Unfortunately all the page notes are in chinese ☹. How can i change the entire document all pages to english ? , Is there any AI option to convert the entire document to english , rather than individual text converstion ? Please do help me 🙏

29.99 USD for beta software? No thank you. 👎🏻

Queen, are u currently residing in Malaysia!?

My goodnote 6 almost stopped at 1:10 and stuck after successfully log in apple id. Then i can't do anything. Hellp me pls

I will be sticking with GoodNotes 5 until I see real enhancements.

Funny how I was studying Oligopoly the other day

Can you make a video about Noteshelf 3?

Thanks for showing the table of requested features with the amounts of votes on them. It shows the massive misalignment of the company and how they jumped on completely the wrong bandwagon. They’re gonna struggle a lot now paying the AI bills with the few remaining customers. Plus, to get old customers back there’s gonna have to be a massive apology and a completely reworked reasonable offer (like 10$ lifetime + 5$ yearly optional for experimental features). But they’re probably already in debt.

Which app do you suggest in this situation?

Have you seen or used Kilonotes yet? It looks promising.

You can get all the options when you just circle with your pen tool. Once you’ve activated the lasso, lift the pen and it give you all the normal options to choose.

Don’t like the subscription model so I don’t use. It may cost less but I still like Notability despite some of the updates etc.

Should be called bad noted 6

waste of money …… should have added -layer/levels for stickers note when you write on them -optimize the index feature with sub labels -being able to open a new note without going to home page (an add tab button) -more free models if i pay 30 dollars

this sh*t is still without dashed/dotted lines. incredible..

3:1 Mnm

Seeing as most note-taking apps are used by students, who are paying astronomical amounts of money for their education and very stressed out already, it’s depressing to me how not only are they not listening to what their users want to make their experience more enjoyable, they’re taking advantage of them with needing to pay for shit updates. If I was still in school right now, I cannot tell you how stressed it would make me to have notability and good notes do this and how much time I would waste frantically try to find another app. Students are already poor and stressed they can’t fork over excessive time or money. 🙄

I have always preferred to pay full price once for a good app than recurring costs. However it isn't a sustainable business for small companies in the long run. Since I worked in software development it is easier for me to understand it from the business standpoint. One time purchases do not give you a sustainable business model. They could try to do what some other softwares do and offer paid upgrades which would mean the choice is on the customer to update but at least in iOS you need to close bugs and keep compatibility with older iOS versions so it's likely the companies have to still support older versions of their app which makes the whole business model moot. It's important to think of the other side and the choices they have to make as well. My new position is to support with my wallet the apps I'd like to keep supporting and need but be wise with it. Sometimes toggling a subscription on and off is not a bad idea as well. Turn it on when you need to use it and off when you don't.

I agree..seems like Goodnotes and Notability have a “peeing contest” going..not trying to be crude but you know what I mean…

This sucks so bad. I'm going back to school and was a notability user before. But now both notability and good notes have gone so downhill. I was never a fan of goodnotes especially due to the clunky organization, and they've just made everything else worse. So disappointing.

Useless GN 6

RED FLAG! GoodNotes!

hahahaha paying for folder colors. the AI and everything else is disappointing but predictable, but the colors and icons on folders being a new paid upgrade made me laugh.

Hello, I have purchased the program for one year. If I download it, it will have other improvements from things. Do I subscribe and if I subscribe again?