Noteshelf – Handwriting notes on the iPad

Download Noteshelf $7.99

Today’s app is Noteshelf from Fluid Touch which is one of the best note-taking apps available for the iPad. Noteshelf is $7.99; only for the iPad; and requires iOS 8 and higher.

True to its name, Noteshelf boasts a lovely “bookshelf-like” interface where you can create custom notebook covers, and group like notes together. You can also password-protect confidential notebooks.

I use Noteshelf to handwrite notes, holding the iPad in portrait mode since it feels more like holding a yellow legal pad.

Noteshelf supports a wide variety of styluses/styli including the Bamboo line from Wacom, Adonit Jot, Livescribe, and most recently, the Apple Pencil.

I use the “zoom window” to handwrite my notes, letting the dotted box up top jump ahead for me so I can keep writing on the same line. I’ve always appreciated the placement of the buttons on the zoom window for changing the color of my pen and enabling the eraser.

Noteshelf has always offered the smoothest and most responsive experience for handwriting on the iPad (prior to the Apple Pencil). It is the closest thing to writing with a ballpoint pen on a piece of paper. If you prefer, you can draw shapes; and add text or cute little emoji.

More recently, Noteshelf finally offered “auto-backup” to Dropbox which was a feature found in other similar apps. You can also export your notes to Evernote, or convert them into a PDF file.

Noteshelf is one of the best apps for handwriting notes and perfect for lawyers that prefer the pen over the keyboard.

Download Noteshelf $7.99