SpiikWhat Notability does well
- Handwriting and annotation with Apple Pencil
- AI summaries, quizzes and flashcards
- Very widely used and rated
Where Notability falls short
- Unlimited transcription needs the Pro plan
- Free stops at 5 notes
- Its plan page doesn't list speaker labels or subtitle export
Why we'd pick Spiik instead
Spiik Pro costs $49.99 a year, with no monthly minute cap and no bot in your calls. It keeps your audio, works in more than 100 languages, and turns any recording into notes, quizzes, flashcards or a mind map, on iPhone, iPad and Mac. On a Mac with Apple silicon, it can also transcribe offline with no duration limit.
Frequently asked questions
Is Notability worth it?
If you love handwriting with an Apple Pencil, yes. If you mainly want to record and transcribe, Spiik is voice first and costs less.
Does Notability transcribe audio?
Yes, with limits on Plus and unlimited on Pro.
Sources
Competitor facts come from the public pages below, checked on October 31, 2026. Prices are US prices, change often and can vary by country and offer. We compare price, limits, features and platforms rather than accuracy percentages, because we know of no independent test that covers these apps side by side. Spotted something out of date? Email [email protected] and we will fix it.