Mindset · 6 min read
Why GoodNotes Is the Best App for Digital Journaling in 2026
By The Stacked Days Team · February 14, 2026
We get asked this every week. The honest answer: any PDF reader works. Notability is great. Noteshelf is beautiful. Adobe Acrobat will do it in a pinch. But for a daily journaling practice on an iPad, GoodNotes is still the one we recommend, and it isn't close.
Three reasons. First, the hyperlinks. Every Stacked Days journal has hyperlinked navigation — tap an index entry, jump to that page. GoodNotes handles this seamlessly. Second, the templates. You can pin a page as a recurring template, which means you can use the same daily spread for a year without re-importing. Third, the search. Handwritten text search means you can find that thing you wrote in May without scrolling through 200 pages.
Our exact GoodNotes setup for a Stacked Days journal: import the PDF, set the default pen to the Fineliner at 0.25mm, paper color set to off-white, and pin the daily spread as a template. Lock the cover so you don't accidentally write on it. That's it.
If you're on Android, Noteshelf 3 is your closest equivalent. On Windows or web, OneNote with the imported PDF works well. The journal is the practice — the app is just where it lives.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
- Is GoodNotes worth it for journaling?
- Yes — the one-time purchase pays for itself within weeks if you journal daily. Hyperlinked navigation, template pinning, and OCR search make it materially better than free alternatives for long-term journaling.
- What's the best alternative to GoodNotes on Android?
- Noteshelf 3 is the closest equivalent on Android. It supports hyperlinks, templates, and Apple Pencil-style stylus input, and every Stacked Days journal is fully compatible.
- Can I use GoodNotes on iPhone for journaling?
- Yes, GoodNotes syncs across iPhone, iPad and Mac via iCloud. The iPad with Apple Pencil is the best canvas, but you can read and add quick notes from your phone.
Author
The Stacked Days Team
We make slow-made digital journals, planners, and trackers for anyone choosing to live a little more on purpose.
