kitio.aiGoodnotes vs AFFiNE
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Goodnotes has the lower starting price: about $1 a month, against $7 for AFFiNE.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Handwritten notes
- PDF annotation
- Handwriting search
- AI math and summaries
- Audio recording
- Docs and whiteboards
- Databases
- AFFiNE AI
- Local-first storage
- Self-hosting
| Feature | Goodnotes | AFFiNE |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Handwritten note-taking app with AI search, math help and summaries | Open-source workspace mixing docs, whiteboards and databases with AI |
| Category | Productivity | Productivity |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $11.99/yr | $6.75/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Goodnotes | Toeverything |
| Based in | – | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Goodnotes has the lower starting price: about $1 a month, against $7 for AFFiNE.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
5 plans
Free
Free
- Up to 3 files, 5MB imports
- 20 mins of audio recording
Essential
$11.99/yr
- Unlimited files
- Unlimited audio recording
- Limited AI capabilities
Pro
$35.99/yr
- Real-time collaboration
- Sync across devices
- AI capabilities
Teams
$120/yr
- Per seat
- SAML SSO and domain control
- Consolidated billing
Enterprise
Custom
- Customizable solutions
- Microsoft Intune App SDK
4 plans
FOSS + Cloud Basic
Free
- Local editor, MIT license
- Basic cloud sync
Pro
$6.75/mo
- 100 GB cloud storage
- Up to 10 members per workspace
- 30-day version history
Team
$10/mo
- Per seat
- 100 GB + 20 GB per seat storage
- Multiple admin roles
- Priority support
Believer
$499.99 one-time
- Lifetime personal usage
- 1TB cloud storage
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Goodnotes
- Excellent handwriting experience
- Works across many devices
- Good for studying
- Free plan limits notebooks
- AI features are paid
AFFiNE
- Open source and self-hostable
- Docs and whiteboard in one
- Local-first data
- Less mature than Notion
- AI is a paid add-on
Which one should you choose?
Choose Goodnotes if you want:
- Excellent handwriting experience
- Works across many devices
- Good for studying
Watch out: free plan limits notebooks.
Choose AFFiNE if you want:
- Open source and self-hostable
- Docs and whiteboard in one
- Local-first data
Watch out: less mature than notion.
Goodnotes vs AFFiNE FAQ
What is the difference between Goodnotes and AFFiNE?
Goodnotes: Handwritten note-taking app with AI search, math help and summaries. AFFiNE: Open-source workspace mixing docs, whiteboards and databases with AI. Both are productivity tools.
Is Goodnotes or AFFiNE cheaper?
Goodnotes has the lower starting price: about $1 a month, against $7 for AFFiNE.
Do Goodnotes and AFFiNE have free plans?
Goodnotes: Yes. AFFiNE: Yes.
Who makes Goodnotes?
Goodnotes is made by Goodnotes.
Who makes AFFiNE?
AFFiNE is made by Toeverything.
Which should I choose, Goodnotes or AFFiNE?
Choose Goodnotes if you value excellent handwriting experience and works across many devices. Choose AFFiNE if you value open source and self-hostable and docs and whiteboard in one.