The best note-taking apps for iPad

The iPad can be a workhorse for your productivity needs if you know how to use it. Whether you are building a business network, making your way through college, or just trying to run a brick-and-mortar record shop, the iPad can be one of your greatest allies.

The iPad is the perfect sized tablet for taking notes. If you are in a meeting, listening to a lecture, or coming up with ideas for your next masterpiece, you can find an app that will accommodate your needs. We’ve got a list of the best note-taking apps that we think rise to the top. Feel free to add your own favorites in the comments section…

Best apps for taking notes

                            Penultimate

One of the best features of this note-taking app is that you can handwrite your notes. If you are not comfortable using the iPad’s touch screen keyboard and haven’t already invested in some kind of keyboard case, you will love being able to write on your iPad like a note pad. Of course, you’ll need a stylus in order to make the most out of your chicken scratch. However, Penultimate features smooth, realistic handwriting simulation with multiple paper styles and a variety of pen color options. You can search your text, save your ideas to Evernote, and share single page images or full PDF notebooks to others. You can import images, annotate files, and sketch ideas. Available for free.

                           Bamboo Paper – Notebook

This is another great note-taking app that lets you handwrite your ideas using a realistic pen and paper simulation. Wacom took things a step further by making a line of stylus pens to work with the app. Not that you couldn’t use any stylus, but Wacom makes some of the best. Bamboo paper features the ability to zoom in so you can write smaller notes without having to change your handwriting. You can save your notes in Dropbox and Evernote and there is even a feature to allow you to post your ideas to Facebook and Twitter. The app includes one free notebook. You can unlock the full version, which gives you unlimited notebooks, for $1.99. Available for free.

                           MyScript Notes Mobile

This is probably one of my favorite apps because of its many, innovative features. Not only can you handwrite your notes, but you can turn your notes into text so that others don’t have to try to figure out your sloppy handwriting. Your handwritten notes are also searchable and you can look up definitions of words, or search for them on the Internet. The app also lets you use a wide variety of gestures to edit text and you can import PDFs for annotation, or add images to your document. Files can be saved to Evernote and Dropbox and can be posted on Facebook or Twitter. This is one of those apps that utilizes everything the iPad’s technology offers to create an exciting and inventive app. Available for $7.99.

                            Notability

If you are in college, you kind of need this app. Not only can you handwrite notes, but you can type text as well. It includes a full-featured word processor with the ability to spell check, add bullet points, and more. You can annotate PDFs, so if your professor sends out a worksheet, you can write notes directly on the iPad without having to switch to a different app. The most useful feature of this app is that it records audio. You can record a lecture while taking notes. The app syncs what you type with what was recorded so that, when you go back over your notes, if something you wrote doesn’t make sense, you can tap a word and it will play back the section of the lecture that took place at that time. Available for $1.99.

                            My Sketch Paper

This is less of a note-taking app and more of an idea-sketching app, but I felt that is was important to include it for our creative readers. Users can take notes using the text editor and freehand sketch ideas, or simply doodle in the margins. You can also change the type of paper you are using from plain white, to a variety of lined options, including list making and grid paper. You can even change the background from textured paper to stark white or antique. For a few dollars with in-app purchases, you can add a whole lot of additional backgrounds, pen and paintbrush options. My personal favorite is the sheet music notepaper. Available for free.

These are what we believe to be some of the best apps for taking notes. What are your favorites and why? Make sure to share your thoughts in the comment section below.