Notion vs GoodNotes in 2025: Which Digital Planning Tool is Right for You?

As a productivity enthusiast who’s tested every planning system under the sun, I’ve spent years refining my approach between Notion and GoodNotes. In 2025, both tools have evolved significantly, but they still cater to fundamentally different planning styles. Let me share my hands-on experience to help you decide which solution fits your workflow—or whether using both strategically might be your golden ticket.

The Core Difference: Digital vs Analog Thinking

Before we dive into features, it’s crucial to understand the philosophical difference:

GoodNotes replicates the tactile experience of paper planning in digital form. It’s for those who think better with a stylus, who thrive on the sensory experience of writing, and who prefer the flexibility of freeform note-taking.

Notion represents the future of structured digital organization. It’s for system-builders who want interconnected databases, automated workflows, and the ability to see relationships between different areas of their life.

GoodNotes in 2025: The Digital Planner That Feels Like Paper

Why It Shines:

1. The Writing Experience Just Keeps Getting Better

• Apple Pencil integration now includes variable pressure sensitivity that mimics your favorite pens (fountain pen lovers rejoice!)
• New paper textures include options like cotton, linen, and even the slight tooth of Moleskine paper
• Palm rejection is flawless even when resting your entire hand on iPad screens

2. Creative Planning Tools Have Leveled Up

• The 2025 sticker collection includes animated stickers that play mini animations when tapped
• Shape recognition now creates perfect hand-drawn tables with adjustable columns
• The highlighter has a new “watercolor” mode that bleeds slightly for artistic effects

3. Hybrid Paper-Digital Workflows

• Scan physical documents directly into your planner pages with automatic edge detection
• New “Smart Ink” feature converts your handwritten meeting notes into formatted text while preserving your original script
• Export any page as a printable PDF that maintains your handwritten aesthetic

Where It Falls Short:

• No real database functionality – Your beautiful planner pages remain isolated islands of information
• Limited collaboration – Sharing editable pages still feels clunky compared to cloud-based tools
• No web version – You’re locked into the Apple ecosystem for full functionality

Best for: Visual thinkers, creative professionals, journalers, and anyone who misses the tactile satisfaction of paper planning but wants digital convenience.

Notion in 2025: The All-in-One Productivity Powerhouse

Why It Dominates:

1. Next-Level Automation

• The new “Time AI” feature analyzes your schedule patterns and automatically blocks focus time
• Templates now self-adjust based on your usage patterns (your weekly review format evolves as your needs change)
• Cross-database relations have become so intuitive they feel magical

2. Unified Life Management

• Your fitness tracker, meal planner, and work projects all exist in one interconnected system
• The 2025 calendar view finally matches Google Calendar for usability while adding Notion’s signature flexibility
• New “Focus Mode” hides all non-essential UI elements when you need to concentrate

3. Revolutionary Organization

• AI-powered tagging system suggests relevant connections between notes you didn’t notice
• The updated mobile app makes complex databases actually usable on small screens
• New “Perspectives” feature lets you toggle between different views of the same data

Where It Struggles:

• Still no native handwriting support – You’ll need third-party apps for sketchnoting
• Overwhelm potential – The infinite customization options can paralyze new users
• No true offline mode – You’re dependent on internet access for full functionality

Best for: System-oriented thinkers, project managers, knowledge workers, and anyone managing complex, interconnected responsibilities.

The Hybrid Approach: How I Use Both in 2025

After five years of experimentation, here’s my current workflow that leverages both tools’ strengths:

1. Strategic Planning in Notion

• Annual goals and OKRs
• Project databases with dependencies
• Automated habit trackers
• Knowledge management system

2. Tactical Execution in GoodNotes

• Daily time blocking with handwritten notes
• Creative brainstorming sessions
• Meeting notes that later sync to Notion
• Journaling and reflection

3. The Magic Integration

• Weekly: Export my Notion priorities as PDF to annotate in GoodNotes
• Daily: Snap photos of GoodNotes pages to attach to relevant Notion projects
• Monthly: Archive GoodNotes pages to Notion with OCR searchability

Decision Framework: Which Tool(s) Should You Choose?

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you think better by writing or typing?
   • Handwriting = GoodNotes
   • Typing = Notion
2. Do you prefer structure or flexibility?
   • Rigid structure = Notion
   • Freeform flexibility = GoodNotes
3. Is your work visual or text-based?
   • Visual (design, art, teaching) = GoodNotes
   • Text (writing, coding, research) = Notion
4. Do you need automation?
   • Yes = Notion
   • No = GoodNotes

The Verdict

In 2025, both Notion and GoodNotes have cemented their positions as category leaders—just in different categories. For structured productivity and knowledge management, Notion remains unmatched. For creative, tactile planning and note-taking, GoodNotes continues to set the standard.

The most sophisticated users (like myself) are finding increasing value in using both strategically. But if you must choose one, let your cognitive style—not feature lists—guide your decision.

What’s your experience been with these tools? I’d love to hear how you’re using them in your workflow—share your setup in the comments!