Goodnotes vs PDFPeer
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 $15 for PDFPeer.
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
- Chat with PDFs
- Summaries
- Quick search in documents
- Free plan
- Lifetime deal
| Feature | Goodnotes | PDFPeer |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Handwritten note-taking app with AI search, math help and summaries | Chat with PDFs such as contracts, statements and study notes |
| Category | Productivity | Productivity |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $11.99/yr | $14.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Goodnotes | PDFPeer |
| Based in | – | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Pricing compared
Goodnotes has the lower starting price: about $1 a month, against $15 for PDFPeer.
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
3 plans
Free
Free
- 1 PDF
- Max 10 MB per PDF
Unlimited
$14.99/mo
- Unlimited PDFs
- Unlimited questions
- Priority support
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Customised for your organisation
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
PDFPeer
- Free plan to try
- Lifetime option available
- Works with many document types
- Free plan limited to one PDF
- Max 10 MB on the free plan
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 PDFPeer if you want:
- Free plan to try
- Lifetime option available
- Works with many document types
Watch out: free plan limited to one pdf.
Goodnotes vs PDFPeer FAQ
What is the difference between Goodnotes and PDFPeer?
Goodnotes: Handwritten note-taking app with AI search, math help and summaries. PDFPeer: Chat with PDFs such as contracts, statements and study notes. Both are productivity tools.
Is Goodnotes or PDFPeer cheaper?
Goodnotes has the lower starting price: about $1 a month, against $15 for PDFPeer.
Do Goodnotes and PDFPeer have free plans?
Goodnotes: Yes. PDFPeer: Yes.
Who makes Goodnotes?
Goodnotes is made by Goodnotes.
Who makes PDFPeer?
PDFPeer is made by PDFPeer.
Which should I choose, Goodnotes or PDFPeer?
Choose Goodnotes if you value excellent handwriting experience and works across many devices. Choose PDFPeer if you value free plan to try and lifetime option available.