The short answer
- Pick GoodNotes if you like everything in neat notebooks and folders, and you want your planner to feel like a paper notebook on screen.
- Pick Notability if you record lectures and want your notes tied to the audio, or you like working in one long scrolling page.
- Already use one of them for class? Put your planner in that app. One less app to open is worth more than any feature on this list.
Why the app matters more with ADHD
A digital planner only helps if you open it. With ADHD, every extra step between "I should check my plan" and actually seeing it is a chance to get distracted. That's why the best setup is usually the simplest one: your ADHD digital planner in the same app, on the same tablet, where you already take lecture notes.
Both GoodNotes and Notability support hyperlinked planners, the PDFs with clickable tabs that jump you to "Today," "Exams," or your brain dump in one tap. So the real question isn't which app can do it. It's which app you'll keep using.
GoodNotes vs Notability at a glance
| GoodNotes | Notability | |
|---|---|---|
| Feels like | A shelf of paper notebooks | A flexible notes workspace |
| Organization | Notebooks inside folders, with an outline and page thumbnails | Notes grouped into subjects and dividers |
| Hyperlinked PDF planners | Supported. Tap links to jump between sections | Supported. Tap links to jump between sections |
| Stand-out strength | Clean notebook feel and strong search, including handwriting | Audio recording linked to what you write |
| Best for ADHD students who | Like tidy structure and a planner that feels like paper | Replay lectures and like fewer boundaries between pages |
| Price | Both offer a free version with limits and paid plans. Check the App Store for current pricing. | |
When GoodNotes is the better ADHD planner app
An ADHD planner for GoodNotes works well if structure calms you down. Each planner lives as its own notebook, so it doesn't get mixed up with class notes. The page thumbnails and outline give you a quick map of where things are, which helps when you open the planner after a few days away.
It's also a good choice if you like the feeling of a paper planner. Pages look and behave like pages, and you can duplicate a daily spread as many times as you need, which pairs nicely with an undated planner.
When Notability is the better ADHD planner app
An ADHD planner in Notability makes sense if you already live there for lectures. Notability is known for recording audio while you write, then letting you tap your notes to hear what was said at that moment. If you drift during class, that can be a real safety net.
Keeping your planner in the same app means you can jump from lecture notes to today's 3 tasks without switching apps, which is exactly the kind of small friction that adds up with ADHD.
What about Android?
If you use an Android tablet, you're not left out. Apps like Xodo and Noteshelf open hyperlinked PDF planners, and the setup is the same: import the file, then tap the tabs to move around.
Test the setup before you buy anything
Import our free one-page 3-Task Day template into GoodNotes or Notability and see how planning in the app feels for a week.
How to set up a hyperlinked planner (either app)
- Download the PDF to your tablet, into Files or your Downloads folder.
- Import it. In the app, tap + and choose Import, then pick the PDF. You can also open the file and use Share to send it to the app.
- Test a link. Tap a tab with your finger. If it draws instead of jumping, look for the setting to draw with Apple Pencil only, or switch to read-only mode.
- Pin it where you'll see it. Mark it as a favorite or keep it at the top of your notebooks, so it's the first thing you see.
- Start with today. Don't fill in the whole semester. Open today's page, write 3 tasks, and stop there.
The planner matters more than the app
Switching apps won't fix a planner that asks too much of you. Whichever app you choose, look for a digital planner for iPad or Android that is undated, keeps the daily page short, and has a brain dump. Our guide to choosing the best ADHD planner for college students walks through the full checklist.
FocusFlow works in both apps
One hyperlinked PDF for GoodNotes, Notability, Xodo, and Noteshelf, plus a printable version. Undated, $19 one time. (Yes, we make it.)
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the same ADHD planner PDF in GoodNotes and Notability?
Yes. A hyperlinked PDF planner is a standard PDF file, so you can import the same file into GoodNotes, Notability, Xodo, or Noteshelf. You don't need a different version for each app.
Why don't the links in my digital planner work?
In most note apps, links respond to a finger tap or in a read-only or viewing mode, not while you're writing with the pen tool. If taps are drawing instead of jumping, check the app's setting for drawing with Apple Pencil only, or switch to read-only mode.
Do I need an Apple Pencil for a digital planner?
It helps, but it isn't required. You can type into text boxes in most apps. If you don't like writing on a screen, a printable PDF planner may suit you better.
Can I use a hyperlinked ADHD planner on Android?
Yes. On Android tablets, apps like Xodo and Noteshelf open hyperlinked PDF planners. The setup is the same: import the PDF, then tap the tabs to move between sections.
GoodNotes and Notability are trademarks of their respective owners. FocusFlow isn't affiliated with either app. App features and pricing change, so check each app's App Store page for the latest details.