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CLUSTER TAKING-NOTE-ANNOTATION · 25 ENTRIES · EARLIEST ENTRY 2023-02-01

Stylus note-taking and PDF annotation apps

This cluster comprises handwriting-first note-taking and PDF annotation apps for stylus and touch devices, offering pressure-sensitive ink, templates, layers, cloud sync, and export options. Dated entries span from May 2010 through July 2026, with a steady trickle of one or two per month and no month exceeding two entries, indicating a long tail of incremental additions rather than a concentrated period. Traction leaders by activity signal are xnotes, SpeedyNote, and Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup, each showing 0 stars.

Entry timeline

ENTRY TIMELINE

MAY 2010: 1JUN 2016: 1AUG 2016: 1DEC 2016: 1AUG 2018: 1SEP 2019: 1SEP 2020: 1DEC 2020: 1MAY 2021: 1OCT 2021: 1NOV 2022: 1JAN 2023: 1FEB 2023: 1APR 2023: 1JUN 2023: 2AUG 2024: 1MAY 2025: 1MAR 2026: 1AUG 2026: 4SEP 2026: 2
MAY 2010SEP 2026

Each bar is the month a member carries, which is a creation date where the source published one and a crawl date otherwise. Nothing in the index was found before 11 August 2026, and coverage broadened sharply on 14–15 August, so a bar from then on reports how much we found that month, not how much was built; an earlier bar reports how far back a member's own source dated it — not how long we have been watching.

Members by activity

Activity signals, not revenue.

Build origin · 3 hand-coded · 17 unlabelled

Operator · 2 hobby · 3 indie · 9 commercial · 2 open source · 4 unlabelled

Two labels per entry, never collapsed into one: how it was built, and who stands behind it. Counted over the 20 listed below. Unlabelled means nothing has decided yet — not that the answer is small.

  1. 01SpeedyNote0★1 molivehand-codedopen sourceStylus note-taking app with PDF annotation, multi-layer editing, and infinite canvas support.
  2. 02Noteful: Notes & PDF Markup0★1 molivecommercialTablet note-taking app for handwritten annotation of PDFs and documents, with tagging, layers, and multiple pen styles for organizing personal notes.
  3. 03Notes+ : Notes for Pencil0★1 molivecommercialStylus-based note-taking app offering templates, customizable pens, file import and conversion, and synced notes across tablet and phone.
  4. 04Xournal++0★2 moliveopen sourceNote-taking application for pen and touch devices that lets users handwrite notes, annotate PDFs, and export to multiple formats.
  5. 05Wellnote: AI Notes, PDF, Docs0★23 dayslivecommercialTablet app for handwritten note-taking with stylus support, document annotation, split-screen study tools, and customizable templates for students.
  6. 06Penbook: Paper Planner & Notes0★23 dayslivecommercialTablet app that lets users handwrite with a stylus on customizable digital stationery, import PDFs, and search handwritten notes.
  7. 07NoteTaker +0★1 moliveindieMobile app for drawing, handwriting, and annotating PDFs, with folder organization, tagging, and syncing of notes across devices.
  8. 08MyScript Notes: AI Handwriting0★24 dayslivecommercialHandwriting-based note-taking app that converts handwritten text, math, and diagrams into typed content on an expandable canvas, with PDF annotation.
  9. 09Note Taking App: Digital Notes0★26 dayslivePrivate note-taking app for handwriting, typing, and annotating PDFs, with searchable text recognition and local storage, requiring no account.
  10. 10inkwell0★28 days—hobbyMobile note-taking app that captures handwritten notes and supports notebooks, paper templates, and PDF annotation and export.
  11. 11OrigNotes0★1 molivecommercialMobile app for handwritten note-taking with drawing, image insertion, and PDF annotation, featuring customizable covers and palm rejection for stylus users.
  12. 12Notes Writer: PDF, Voice, AI0★3 molivecommercialMobile app for writing, editing, and annotating notes, PDFs, and documents with voice dictation, text-to-speech, and form filling.
  13. 13My Notebook0★2 moliveMobile app for annotating PDFs and taking notes with colored markers, geometric shape drawing, and cloud backup.
  14. 14note_palmrejection0★2 mo—hand-codedhobbySmart note-taking web app with digital canvas and palm rejection for stylus users.
  15. 15AxNote: Note Taking0★1 moliveindieMobile note-taking app that summarizes handwritten notes and audio recordings, generates flashcards, and lets users draw and annotate on a digital canvas.
  16. 16UltraNotes - Note Taking & PDF0★6 moliveindieMobile note-taking app supporting handwriting with a stylus, typing, and PDF annotation, with templates, pens, and document export options.
  17. 17SuperNotes Note Taking App0★2 yrabandonedlivecommercialMobile app for handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation with stylus support, templates, layers, and cloud sync across devices.
  18. 18QuickNotes X Pro0★4 yrabandonedlivehand-codedMobile app for creating notebooks, importing and annotating PDFs, and hand-drawing or typing notes with customizable pens and templates.
  19. 19Smart PDF Editor0★1 yrabandonedlivecommercialMobile PDF editor that supports handwritten annotations with a stylus, note taking, signing, and document organization for professionals and students.
  20. 20Keep Notes : note-taking0★2 yrabandonedliveMobile note-taking app supporting handwriting, typing, PDF annotation, audio recording, and to-do lists, syncing notes across devices.

Ranked by traction, highest first, and paged 20 at a time — this is a window on the cluster, never the whole of it. Ties are broken by a stable id so a product cannot appear on two pages or fall between them. Browse every cluster.