Goodnotes offers five payment options: Goodnotes Free, Goodnotes Special Edition, Goodnotes Essential, Goodnotes Pro, and AI Pass. Use this article to compare plans, see what changed if you subscribed before September 2025, and find AI features by plan. Goodnotes Free has document, storage, and AI usage limits — see Goodnotes Free below.
Important: Apple Family Sharing is not available for Goodnotes Pro or AI Pass. Purchase options vary by region and platform (Apple App Store, Galaxy Store, Google Play, Microsoft Store, or web). For Teams or Enterprise plans, see goodnotes.com/pricing or contact sales.
What happens to my older Goodnotes plan?
If you subscribed or purchased before the September 2025 plan update, your plan maps to a current plan automatically in most cases. You do not need to repurchase.
| Previous plan | What happens now |
|---|---|
| Goodnotes 6 One-Time Payment | Becomes Goodnotes Special Edition. You keep paid features. You can buy AI Pass separately. |
| Goodnotes All Platforms Yearly | Becomes Goodnotes Essential. You keep existing features and gain new ones. You can buy AI Pass separately. |
| Android & Windows Yearly | Goodnotes is retiring this plan. See Changes to Android & Windows Yearly Plan. |
Goodnotes Special Edition
One-time purchase on Apple devices. Includes:
- Apple device experience; operates independently from Goodnotes Cloud services
- Basic cloud AI features (Create mode OFF and Math Assist)
- Option to purchase AI Pass or upgrade to Goodnotes Pro
Goodnotes Essential
Yearly subscription ($11.99/year in the US; price varies by region) across Apple devices, Android, Windows, and Web. Formerly Goodnotes All Platforms Yearly. Includes:
- Everything in Goodnotes Free, plus unlimited notebooks, text documents, whiteboards, and folders; 5 GB storage; unlimited audio recording; no import file size limit; watermark-free export; templates and digital stationery; cross-platform sync; Email to Goodnotes; Marketplace Subscriber Special
- AI: Spellcheck for handwriting; Math AI; unlimited Q&A support and Quiz generator; on-device meeting transcription with basic transcription summary. Does not include Create Mode, Meeting AI (cloud transcription, live summaries, calendar integration), or Edit AI
- Collaboration: everything in Free, plus public link sharing and Google Calendar integration. Does not include private link sharing, real-time collaboration, or Google Drive integration
- Option to purchase AI Pass
Goodnotes Pro
Yearly subscription ($35.99/year in the US; price varies by region) with advanced AI and collaboration. Includes everything in Goodnotes Essential, plus:
- Full cross-platform access through Goodnotes Cloud, with cross-platform library sync rolling out gradually
- Advanced AI: Create Mode (AI content generation) for Text Documents, Notebooks, and Whiteboards; Image Generation; Edit AI; Goodnotes AI for Meetings with cloud transcription, live meeting summaries, meeting notes generation, and calendar integration
- Collaboration: private link sharing; host and join real-time collaborative documents; Google Drive integration; turbo sync
- AI credits included as a preview of advanced AI capabilities
- Option to purchase AI Pass
Apple Family Sharing is not available for Goodnotes Pro.
AI Pass
Monthly add-on subscription (+$10/month in the US; price varies by region) available on eligible paid plans. AI Pass is not available on Goodnotes Free.
- Unlocks the full AI feature set and approximately 12× more AI credits per month compared to your base plan allowance
- Full access to advanced AI: Create Mode, Image Generation, cloud transcription, live meeting summaries, and other advanced creation tools
- Useful on Essential if you want Pro-level AI without upgrading your base plan, or on Pro if you need higher AI usage
- Works with Special Edition, Essential, or Pro where available in your region
Apple Family Sharing is not available for AI Pass.
Goodnotes Free
Goodnotes Free is $0 and includes core note-taking tools with the limits below.
Limits on Goodnotes Free
- Up to 3 notebooks, 3 text documents, and 3 whiteboards
- Up to 3 folders and 100 MB storage
- 5 MB import file size limit
- Watermarked exports
- 20-minute audio recording limit per notebook
- No cross-platform sync, templates and digital stationery, or public or private link sharing
- No real-time collaboration
- AI Pass is not available on Free
What's included on Goodnotes Free
- Notebooks, Whiteboard, and Text Document
- Spellcheck for handwriting and Math AI
- Q&A support and Quiz generator (5 uses per month each)
- On-device meeting transcription (iOS only)
- Collaboration: comments and presentation mode on shared documents
See Goodnotes AI features by plan for AI details.
Goodnotes AI features by plan
Each plan includes different AI capabilities. Compare plans below.
Goodnotes AI for Text Documents
| Plan | Text Document | Create mode OFF | Create mode ON | Image Generation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Yes | No | No | No |
| Special Edition | Yes | No | No | No |
| Goodnotes Essential | Yes | No | No | No |
| Goodnotes Pro | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI Pass | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Learn more: Goodnotes AI on Text Documents
Goodnotes AI for Notebooks and Whiteboards
| Plan | Create mode OFF | Create mode ON |
|---|---|---|
| Free | No | No |
| Special Edition | No | No |
| Goodnotes Essential | No | No |
| Goodnotes Pro | Yes | Yes |
| AI Pass | Yes | Yes |
Learn more: A guide to Goodnotes AI
Goodnotes AI for Math
| Plan | Teach Me | Solve | Math Assist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | No | No | Yes |
| Special Edition | No | No | Yes |
| Goodnotes Essential | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Goodnotes Pro | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI Pass | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Learn more: Goodnotes AI for Math
Goodnotes AI for Meetings
| Plan | Transcription | Live Summary | Generate Notes | Basic summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | On-device | No | No | No |
| Special Edition | On-device | No | No | Yes |
| Goodnotes Essential | On-device | No | No | Yes |
| Goodnotes Pro | Cloud + on-device | Yes | Yes | No |
| AI Pass | Cloud | Yes | Yes | — |
On-device transcription is currently available on iOS only.
Learn more: Goodnotes AI for Meetings
Goodnotes AI credits by plan
| Plan | AI credits per month |
|---|---|
| Free | 10 |
| Android & Windows Yearly (legacy) | 10 |
| Special Edition | 525 |
| Goodnotes Essential | 525 |
| Goodnotes Pro | 525 |
| AI Pass | Additional 6,300 |
Learn more: Understanding Goodnotes AI Credit
What happens if I already subscribe?
I use Goodnotes 6 All Platforms Yearly. What happens to my subscription?
Your subscription becomes Goodnotes Essential. You keep your existing features and gain new benefits. No action is required.
I use Goodnotes 6 One-Time Payment. What happens to my purchase?
Your purchase becomes Goodnotes Special Edition. You keep everything you already have, plus new features such as Whiteboard and Text Documents.
I use the Android & Windows Yearly plan. What happens to my subscription?
Goodnotes is retiring the Android & Windows Yearly plan. See Changes to Android & Windows Yearly Plan.
I am a Goodnotes 5 paid user. Do I need to upgrade?
No. You can keep using Goodnotes 5 with no forced upgrade. If you move to a newer version, you may qualify for special discounts when upgrading to Essential. See upgrade options for Goodnotes 5 users.
How do I choose or change plans?
How do I choose between Goodnotes Essential and Goodnotes Pro? Do I need AI Pass?
Consider Goodnotes Pro if you:
- Attend many meetings and want cloud transcription, live meeting summaries, and automatic meeting notes with calendar integration
- Collaborate often and need private link sharing, real-time collaboration, Google Drive integration, and turbo sync
- Want advanced AI features such as Create Mode, Image Generation, and Edit AI
Goodnotes Essential may be enough if you:
- Work mostly solo and need cross-platform sync, public link sharing, and unlimited Q&A or Quiz generator usage
- Need unlimited audio transcription with basic summary features but not Meeting AI or Create Mode
AI Pass unlocks Create Mode, Image Generation, and approximately 12× more monthly AI credits without changing your base plan. It is not available on Free.
Is there a free trial?
Goodnotes Essential and Goodnotes Pro include 7-day free trials (auto-renewing; exception in Korea). Goodnotes Essential users can try AI Pass with a 7-day free trial when shown on the paywall.
What happens to my notes if I downgrade or cancel?
Your notes are not deleted. If you move to Goodnotes Free and have more than 3 notebooks, notebooks above the limit become read-only until you upgrade. You can choose which 3 to keep editable. All other content remains viewable.
How do I upgrade my subscription plan?
- Open the Goodnotes menu and choose your upgrade option.
- Confirm the plan change. New features unlock immediately.
App Store subscriptions: You are charged for the new plan right away. Apple processes the upgrade and refunds your old subscription. Your renewal date is set one year from when the new yearly plan starts.
Non-Apple platforms (Android, Windows, and Web): Upgrade cost is prorated. Your renewal date stays the same.
Please note: Use the same store where you first subscribed (App Store, Galaxy Store, Google Play, Microsoft Store, or web). If you subscribed through Paddle via Galaxy Store, Microsoft Store, or web, the upgrade option may appear only after your free trial ends.
How do I switch from Essential or Pro to Special Edition?
Special Edition is a one-time purchase on the Apple App Store only. To avoid double payment, Special Edition is hidden while you have an active subscription.
- Manage your subscription in Apple Subscriptions (Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions > Goodnotes).
- After your subscription ends, Special Edition appears on the Goodnotes paywall (availability varies by region).
Special Edition includes fewer features than Essential or Pro. Review plan details before switching.
AI Pass FAQs
How does AI Pass work with my subscription?
You need an eligible paid plan (Special Edition, Essential, or Pro) to buy AI Pass. AI Pass is not available on Free. If you cancel your base plan with more than 30 days left, AI Pass benefits continue until AI Pass ends. With less than 30 days left, cancel AI Pass separately if you no longer want it.
Do Essential users need to upgrade to Pro before buying AI Pass?
No. Goodnotes Essential users can buy AI Pass directly, including a 7-day free trial when available on your paywall.
How does the AI Pass 7-day free trial work?
Available to Goodnotes Essential users when shown on your paywall. During the trial you get full AI Pass access for 7 days. Your base plan stays the same. Cancel from Apple Subscriptions before the 7-day period ends to avoid charges.
Can I refund AI Pass?
Apple App Store purchases: Contact Apple Support for refund requests. If approved, your AI credit allowance returns to your base plan amount.
Other platforms: Use the refund form.
Why don't I see Special Edition, Pro, or AI Pass to purchase?
Purchase options vary by region and platform. Check your in-app paywall for what is available in your location.