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I have been using Notability for 4 years and I am still 100% convinced. Currently, I use my iPad Pro 2018 11″ with a keyboard and an Apple Pencil. In this blog post, I’ll go over my experiences and the best apps to use in combination with Notability.

For me, Notability is the best app for taking notes in school. Whether it’s math, German, or even history, I always use this app. I have the app installed on my iPad and my iPhone to always have all my homework with me. I sync my files via iCloud Drive. You can also sync your files via WebDAV, DropBox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or Box.

There is also Notability for the MacBook, which is super handy for doing more complex homework with a bigger screen. In addition to synchronization, I do backups of all my files via WebDAV to a self-hosted SeaFile server.

Another feature is that you can make voice recordings that can later be saved in the PDF. The microphones on my iPad Pro work super well even at a distance of several meters. In a classroom, this would work well if you want to record what the teacher is saying. I haven’t tested this yet, because in Germany this would only be possible with consent.

Since I am in school in Germany, it is difficult that you always give all worksheets digitally. Since Corona, we have a school portal where it would be possible to upload the worksheets for all students for free. Unfortunately, some teachers don’t want to do this, don’t know how to do it, or are concerned about copyright. In this case, we often get the sheets distributed.

I use SwiftScan to scan worksheets with the iPad. The scans look great and can be inserted into Notability with a few clicks. The scanned worksheets can be edited directly in Notability and look very high resolution, which is a great alternative to “real” scanners.

For mathematical equations, Notability is also suitable, because you can choose different “sheet types”. Furthermore, there are add-ons, such as math conversion, which allows you to convert handwritten formulas via OCR into high-resolution images.

The best plugin in my opinion is the handwriting recognition plugin. The plugin is designed to automatically convert handwriting into printed text when you write with the Apple Pencil or any other stylus. The feature is super handy, especially if you don’t have a keyboard on your iPad. I often share homework during school hours with my friends via AirDrop who also use Notability. A handy side effect when you forget to do your homework. 🙂

I think the price for Notability is definitely justified since the app is constantly updated and especially in combination with the Apple Pencil is a must for everyone who uses their iPad at school.

I’ve linked an example below of how to use Notability for math equations and formulas. In this PDF I have not converted my handwriting to images using an addon.