Hii, I am a medico,I had a problem as Even after completion of criteria in medicos program of starnote and messaging to authorities i didn't got my membership.. please do check and manage it .🙏🙏
I'm not using Google Drive backup in StarNote and I've never connected an account (except StarNote Pro). When I tried adding stickers while offline, the app showed 'failed'. After I later connected to the internet, the upload went through.
Thanks for your answers.
Hi I have two requests to starnote team.
Reason: I have arranged all my workflow in folders, so it feels like I have opened my bag and now i can navigate easily to my desired folder
Reasons: These are very generic right now.
Apart from this i am extremely grateful to whole starnote team for this wonderful app
Thank you.
I recently purchased the premium version of Star Notes and have been enjoying it overall, but I've run into one issue that's becoming quite frustrating.
While writing with my Apple Pencil, I sometimes naturally pause for a second without lifting the tip from the screen. Star Notes often interprets this as a shape gesture and automatically converts my stroke into a straight line or another shape.
At first, I thought I just needed to avoid pausing, but I've now noticed it occasionally happens even during normal handwriting. It almost feels like a bug or that the hold time is too short.
Is there any way to:
I'd appreciate any suggestions or workarounds. Thanks!
Hiii! I just discovered this app and I’m already obsessed lol.
So I’ve been looking for a good note-taking app to help me stay organized before college, and I stumbled upon Starnote. The features are seriously great, and it’s a ONE-TIME PAYMENT??? I felt like I won the lottery fr.
I’ve been using it for about a week now and I’m still discovering new features. I’m planning to buy premium, but I have a few questions first:
Thanks in advance for any help! 🙏
Can I ask for updates on when do they add this feature?
Hi
Is there some way to buy pro version for someone else?
The image attach is an example of a concept photo only.
I can't seem to find this option. I purchased the premium to both curious if that unlock any options on this (Which did not) and at the same time I wanted to show my support for the development.
The current main app theme system could get a simple customization option like custom background color or custom wallpaper. Potentially this improves two thing, battery life, visual contrast or clarity.
There are also concern for usage of those with vision impairment.
On theme visuals, I do think the UI font size should have a setting options too. On some devices, this app's font can appear smaller than the system's font size. There are currently no way to increase the font size for this app alone, so it could be straining for user with impaired vision experience. This is especially true since the app is also lacking a theme with high contrast to at least compromise with this. A simple dark amoled or Blackout theme is the least of it.
The visual overall, this might be an opportunity get a minor update on.
Lenovo Legion Y700 Gen 4 — Lenovo Tab Pen +
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 — S Pen
I hope the title is clear.
Use case-
Sometimes when the pdf you're reading has too small text. Then you'd prolly use it in landscape. But then it requires u to manually zoom into the exact % so the page doesn't pan-move. Even if u do zoom in, changing the orientation of the tablet will still not keep the changed settings. A simple double tap gesture can eliminate this hectic step .
Ps- locking the zoom % isn't an alternative to this. We need the feature requested in this post.
Does StarNotes have real-time handwriting beautification like FreeNotes?
Circle To Lasso, It's Been Really 4 Months When Is It Going To Be?
Thank You.
Hey guys!
Android v1.4.2.1 is now available on Google Play!
There are definitely a few little surprises in here, especially Layer Opacity, which we're pretty excited about.
Here's everything new in Android v1.4.2.1🤔
🌟 What's New
1. Layer Restore
Accidentally deleted a layer? No worries anymore! You can now restore deleted layers and get your work back without having to reorganize everything from scratch.
2. Layer Opacity
You can now freely adjust the opacity of individual layers! This feature opens up a lot of possibilities. For example, you can:
Honestly, we feel like there are so many creative ways to use this feature, so we'd love to see what you do with it. Please share your ideas with us!
3. Freehand Tape Drawing
Tape is no longer limited to straight horizontal or vertical lines! You can now draw tape freely at any angle you want, making it much easier to cover answers, create review materials, or design your notes exactly the way you like.
🛠️ Improvements & Fixes
💙 Come Chat With Us Every Thursday!
We've also started trying something new on our IG:
#ThursdayTalk is officially here!
Every Thursday, we'll post a new topic and simply… chat with you.
Questions, feature ideas, feedback, random thoughts, or even just a quick hello, everything is welcome. Every comment helps us understand our community better and inspires us to keep improving StarNote.
And of course... Every week, we'll pick 5 participants and surprise them with little gifts!
So come chat with us! Most importantly, these conversations genuinely influence how we improve the app. We really do listen, and many changes in StarNote start from comments just like yours.
Go update to Android v1.4.2.1 on Google Play and let us know what you think!
Happy note taking, everyone!
See you next time! 💙
The StarNote Team
When I opened the app this morning, a pop-up screen showed a paid template saying "We have a gift for you."
I closed it, thinking I'd look at it later, and went back to class. Guess what happened?
I CAN'T FIND THAT TEMPLATE NOW 😂😭
I got home and remembered I was going to post here to thank you. Anyway, thank you again TEAM 🌿
i am going to order a tab...i was looking for samsung as their samsung notes is dope but the features and budget limited me to a 2.5 years old model which was too expensive for the price they were charging
so I was trying out a few different apps to see if I can find a better note taking app and installed around 15 best rated apps but none were as good as samsung note... and even for those mediocre features they were charging around 2usd per month which with conversation rates was toooooooo much
then enters starnote... so many features and lifetime subscription for 6 dollars...got it the day installed it and love how even in free version not every feature is behind the paywall... haven't even bought my tab yet as there is a issue with my credit card but damn did i purchase the note taking app before
it also saved me 200 dollars as I can get the 300 dollars lenovo tab instead of the 500 dollars samsung tab
Hi everyone! 💙
Lately, we've been seeing the same question come up again and again:
"What's a good GoodNotes alternative on Android?"
To be honest, GoodNotes is one of the most recognized digital note-taking apps available today. In many ways, it's a fantastic app that has quietly influenced a lot of note-taking tools on the market, including StarNote. It's especially loved by people who take handwritten notes, annotate PDFs, organize documents, and study on tablets.
And yes, some of you may already know that GoodNotes is now available on Android, Windows, and the web, which means users who love GoodNotes have more choices than ever before.
But honestly, when we first started researching user needs, one thing quickly became clear: everyone has different writing and note-taking habits.
Some people want a smoother handwriting experience with a stylus or S Pen. Some need a more powerful PDF annotation workflow for reading and reviewing documents. Others want a digital notebook that can handle studying, planning, and everyday work in one place. And of course, there are users who simply dislike subscriptions and prefer paying once for long-term value.
That's also why we've always encouraged people to explore different note-taking apps, including apps other than StarNote.
As the team behind StarNote, and as developers who spend a lot of time studying this market—we wanted to put together a guide that's as objective as possible. (Okay… maybe we're a little biased toward StarNote, but hopefully you'll forgive us for that.)
We hope this guide helps you find the note-taking app that best fits your handwriting, PDF, study, and productivity workflow. BTW, after reading all the way to the end, we think you guys will still like us the most. 💗
A great GoodNotes alternative for Android tablets shouldn't simply try to imitate GoodNotes. It should solve the problems that Android tablet users genuinely care about.
Here are a few things worth considering before choosing a note-taking app:
1. A Smooth Handwriting Experience
For tablet users, handwriting quality matters. A good Android note-taking app should feel natural with a stylus or S Pen. It should support pens, highlighters, erasers, shapes, and lasso tools, while remaining smooth during long study sessions or busy workdays.
2. Powerful PDF Annotation
Many students and professionals rely on tablets to read and mark up PDFs. A strong GoodNotes alternative should make it easy to import PDFs, write directly on pages, highlight important sections, annotate lecture slides, review textbooks, and export notes whenever needed.
3. Stylus and S Pen Support
Android tablets are often used with stylus devices such as the S Pen. A good handwriting app should be designed with pen input in mind instead of treating handwriting as an afterthought.
4. Digital Notebook Organization
A note-taking app should help users create notebooks, organize pages, manage study materials, and keep handwritten notes and documents together in one workspace.
5. OCR and Handwriting Search
As handwritten notes grow over time, finding information becomes increasingly important. OCR and handwriting recognition make it much easier to search old notes, revisit study materials, and reuse information efficiently.
6. Audio Recording
For lectures, meetings, interviews, and training sessions, audio recording can be incredibly useful.
It allows users to revisit what was said while keeping handwritten notes connected to their original context.
7. Infinite Canvas and Flexible Pages
Some users need more than fixed pages. Infinite canvas, flexible layouts, and visual note-taking tools can be especially useful for mind maps, diagrams, brainstorming, project planning, and free-form thinking.
8. Fair Pricing
Pricing is also part of the overall experience. Some users are comfortable with subscriptions, while others prefer a note-taking app with a one-time purchase model and no recurring monthly or yearly fees.
Below are some of the most popular GoodNotes alternatives for Android tablets. We've focused primarily on handwriting, PDF annotation, stylus support, study workflows, planning, and long-term value.
1. StarNote — Best for Handwriting, PDF Annotation & No Subscription
StarNote is a handwriting-first note-taking app and PDF annotation app designed for Android tablets, iPad users, stylus users, students, and professionals.
It brings together handwritten notes, PDF annotation, digital notebooks, infinite canvas, layers, OCR, audio recording, templates, and study planning tools in one workspace.
StarNote is especially useful for people who want to:
As the team behind StarNote, we've always wanted to become one of the options people can genuinely rely on.
The fact that StarNote doesn't require a subscription is one of our biggest strengths, and we believe it makes StarNote a compelling GoodNotes alternative for Android, combining handwriting, PDF annotation, digital planning, and long-term value in one app.
Best for: Students, Android tablet users, S Pen users, PDF annotation, handwritten notes, digital planning, and users who prefer a no-subscription purchase model.
2. Samsung Notes — Best for Samsung Galaxy Tab Users
Samsung Notes is a natural choice for many Galaxy Tab users because of its deep integration with Samsung devices and S Pen workflows.
It's great for quick notes, handwriting, sketches, and PDF markup, and it feels familiar for users who spend most of their time inside the Samsung ecosystem.
However, users who need a more specialized digital notebook system, richer template workflows, stronger cross-platform positioning, or a more dedicated study experience may still want to explore other options.
Best for: Samsung Galaxy Tab users who want a built-in note-taking app with S Pen support.
3. Flexcil — Best for PDF-Centered Study Workflows
Flexcil is a well-known note-taking and PDF reader app that focuses heavily on reading, annotating, and studying with PDF documents.
It's particularly useful for students and researchers who spend most of their time reading textbooks, reviewing papers, highlighting materials, and connecting notes back to source documents.
Compared with more general note-taking apps, Flexcil's biggest strength is its PDF-centered workflow.
Best for: Students, researchers, and users who primarily work with PDFs, textbooks, papers, and study materials.
4. Microsoft OneNote — Best Free Cross-Platform Option
Microsoft OneNote is a widely used digital note-taking app available across multiple platforms, including Android.
It supports handwritten notes, pens, highlighters, erasers, lasso selection, and canvas navigation while integrating naturally with Microsoft 365.
OneNote is an excellent choice for users who want a free, cross-platform notebook for general productivity.
However, people looking for a more tablet-native handwriting experience, richer PDF annotation workflows, or a simpler student-focused notebook may prefer a dedicated handwriting-first app.
Best for: Users who want a free cross-platform note-taking app connected to the Microsoft ecosystem.
Technically speaking, StarNote isn't trying to become just another note-taking app.
It's built around the way people actually study, work, and organize information on tablets.
1. A Handwriting-First Experience
StarNote is designed for users who prefer writing by hand. It supports stylus note-taking, S Pen workflows, pens, highlighters, shapes, lasso tools, and a paper-like writing experience.
2. PDF Annotation in the Same Workspace
Users can import PDFs, write directly on pages, highlight important sections, review documents, and keep handwritten notes and PDF materials together.
3. Built for Students
StarNote works well for lecture notes, class notes, exam revision, PDF textbooks, study planners, formulas, diagrams, and research organization.
4. Useful for Professionals
Professionals can use StarNote for meeting notes, project planning, document review, report annotation, brainstorming, and work notes.
5. Infinite Canvas and Layers
For visual thinkers, StarNote offers an infinite canvas and layers for diagrams, mind maps, planning, sketch notes, and free-form thinking.
6. OCR and Audio Recording
OCR and handwriting recognition make handwritten notes easier to search and organize.
Audio recording helps users revisit lectures, meetings, interviews, and discussions whenever needed.
7. No Subscription
StarNote's no-subscription approach is particularly appealing to students and long-term tablet users who prefer a one-time purchase instead of recurring payments.
GoodNotes is a powerful and widely loved note-taking app, but for Android tablet users—and even for many iOS users—it's certainly not the only option.
If you're looking for a GoodNotes alternative for Android that combines handwriting, PDF annotation, stylus and S Pen support, OCR, audio recording, infinite canvas, templates, and a no-subscription purchase model, StarNote is one of the strongest alternatives worth considering.
Our goal has always been simple:
To build a note-taking app where handwriting, PDFs, planning, and ideas can naturally live together in one workspace.
Whether you're taking handwritten notes in class, annotating PDFs for work, planning your week, or simply organizing your thoughts, we hope StarNote can make your Android tablet feel a little more like a notebook that's truly yours.
And that's all for today's deep dive!
We know this article was a little longer—and perhaps a little nerdier—than our usual posts, but thank you so much for reading all the way to the end.
Have a wonderful weekend, and happy note-taking! 💙
The StarNote Team
I suggest a Paper & E-ink Simulation Mode because long hours reading textbooks, taking notes, and studying diagrams causes severe eye strain on standard tablet screens. Right now, no traditional note-taking app on the market offers this via software; users are forced to buy expensive secondary hardware like a reMarkable just to get that eye comfort.
If Starnote implements a software filter that replicates paper textures and drops the screen contrast to a warm, flicker-free E-ink aesthetic, you would be the only app in the entire market delivering this. It would eliminate eye fatigue during long study sessions and put the app ahead of the competition.
Is there anyway to space out the layout for the notes in page direction when you slide it left to right? it's bothering me since they're all combined and merged together ): Other apps have a space between each of them, so it looks like an actual notebook.
Heyyy guys!
This update may not be the biggest one we've ever released, but it includes something we've seen requested again and again...
Yeah, handwriting Search is finally here on iOS! Here's what's new in v1.3.9:
✨ What's New
You can now search your handwritten notes with Smart Search! No more endlessly scrolling through pages just to find that one word.
You can now draw perfectly straight highlights and tape lines horizontally or vertically.
When opening the same notebook in dual window mode, layer visibility can now be controlled independently in each window.
You can now upload videos directly through Help & Feedback, making it much easier to show us bugs or unexpected behavior.
We've added step less adjustment for laser pointer duration, giving you more flexibility when presenting or teaching.
As always, we've fixed several known issues and made a number of small improvements to keep everything running smoother.
☁️ A Small Update on Cloud Sync
We know there are still many things you're waiting for (yes… we're looking at you, Cloud Sync 👀).
We've seen quite a few of you asking about it again today, and honestly… we're really sorry that it's still not here yet. We know we've mentioned timelines before, and we're sorry we haven't been able to deliver it just yet.
To keep Cloud Sync sustainable in the long run, we're currently building it around third party cloud services like Google Drive or One Drive, rather than using our own cloud servers.
This also means we have to adapt to various third party rules and limitations. During testing, we've run into quite a few issues, such as slower transfer speeds and occasional data transfer abnormalities.
Because your notes are incredibly important to us, we don't want to release something that isn't stable enough.
But seriously… it won't be much longer. Really, really, really. 🥺
The moment we have meaningful progress or a release date, you'll be the first to know.
📝 A Quick Thank You
A surprising number of things in this update came directly from your comments and feature requests.
Every bug report, every "Could you add this?" message genuinely helps shape us, lovely thanks!
Update to v1.3.9 and let us know what you think!
See u next time 💙
The StarNote Team
I think this would be a fun feature to have!
