Handwriting-First Note-Taking App for Math/Science on Windows.

Published on 06/10/2025Marketing Opportunities

Okay, let's dive into the Reddit post "1l7qflm":

Niche Market: The user is clearly looking for a Windows alternative to Notability, specifically for taking handwritten math notes using a stylus on a 2-in-1 laptop. This points to a niche of students (likely in high school, college, or graduate programs in STEM fields) and professionals who find existing Windows solutions, like OneNote, lacking for their specific needs. If they're used to Notability's features and feel on iOS, they might be frustrated with the alternatives.

SaaS Opportunity: There's a real opportunity here for a dedicated note-taking app on Windows that captures the best parts of Notability, especially for handwritten mathematics. While OneNote is powerful, some users find its inking less fluid or its interface not as streamlined for focused note-taking compared to apps like Notability or GoodNotes. The key is to create a Windows app with:

  1. Superior Inking Experience: Focus on low latency, pressure sensitivity, and a natural feel that rivals or even surpasses Notability, optimized for Windows Ink.
  2. Math-Specific Features:
    • Excellent shape recognition (for geometric figures).
    • Robust equation recognition (converting handwritten math to LaTeX or MathML).
    • Easy insertion of common math symbols.
    • Grid/lined paper templates suitable for math.
  3. Notability-like Organization & UX: Simple, intuitive organization (subjects, dividers, notes), and a clean, user-friendly interface.
  4. PDF Annotation: Essential for annotating lecture slides, textbooks, or problem sets.
  5. Cloud Sync: Potentially its own cloud solution or integration with existing services (OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox), but tailored for seamless note syncing.

Product Form: A freemium model or a subscription-based SaaS product would be most appropriate.

  • Free Tier: Basic inking, limited number of notebooks, and basic organizational features.
  • Premium Tier (Subscription):
    • Unlimited notebooks and storage.
    • Advanced math recognition and conversion.
    • Advanced PDF annotation tools.
    • Cloud sync across devices (if a companion app for other platforms is developed later).
    • Audio recording synced with notes (a key Notability feature).
    • More customization options.

Expected Revenue: This is highly speculative and depends on market adoption, feature set, and marketing.

  • Pricing Strategy: A competitive price point could be $4.99 - $9.99 per month, or an annual subscription of $49 - $79. This is in line with or slightly premium to existing high-quality note-taking apps when considering their subscription costs or one-time purchase prices converted to an annual value.
  • Target Audience Size: The number of Windows 2-in-1 users who are STEM students or professionals needing advanced handwritten math notes.
  • Potential:
    • Early Stage (1,000-5,000 paying users): If the app gains traction among students specifically seeking a Notability alternative, achieving 1,000 users at an average of $50/year would yield $50,000 ARR. Reaching 5,000 users would yield $250,000 ARR.
    • Growth Stage (10,000-50,000+ paying users): If the product becomes the go-to for this niche on Windows, revenues could reach $500,000 to $2,500,000+ ARR.
    • This assumes the product successfully delivers a superior experience for math note-taking compared to OneNote and other alternatives like Nebo or Scrivano for this specific use case. The key differentiator would be the Notability-like experience combined with strong math features on Windows.

This aligns with the previous analysis, reinforcing the demand for a specialized, high-quality handwritten math note-taking application on the Windows platform, specifically for users who appreciate the Notability experience.

Origin Reddit Post

r/software

Note-taking software?

Posted by u/Even_Locksmith_96006/10/2025
I want something I can use for math notes for like hand writing on my 2 in 1 laptop with the stylus it came with. I liked notability on my iPad but unfortunately it's not available on windows

Top Comments

u/sassanix
Joplin, pair it with any of your favourite cloud backup or local.
u/infinityNN
[Nebo](https://www.nebo.app/) [Scrivano](https://scrivanolabs.github.io/)
u/SubhanBihan
OneNote, Openboard
u/Past_Lifeguard8349
While you are waiting for an answer let suggest a plastic tube that carries a mysterious dark fluid and the somewhat special writing ✍️ material as it's recipient
u/yuji_itadori730
Microsoft OneNote
u/Dick_Johnsson
The obvious answer is OneNote! You will find it in your PC or in Microsoft Store!
u/Even_Locksmith_960
No ❤️ I would actually rather die
u/OblateBovine
I’m a long time Evernote user, but they’ve imposed a lot of limitations on the free tier in the last several years. I would check those limitations before getting too tied to the Evernote eco
u/Unfair-Drummer-9924
[siyuan](https://github.com/siyuan-note/siyuan), an open source and fully self-hosted note-taking software.
u/rawr_im_a_nice_bear
Its a fantastic notetaking software and my personal choice but may not be the best choice if you rely on handwritten notes. You'll have to use a plugin. The 3 main options are excalidraw, tld
u/whoisoliver
OneNote or Evernote
u/SubhanBihan
OneNote, Openboard
u/yuji_itadori730
Microsoft OneNote
u/OddSpiteDevil
Obsidian
u/OddSpiteDevil
Obsidian
u/infinityNN
[Nebo](https://www.nebo.app/) [Scrivano](https://scrivanolabs.github.io/)
u/OblateBovine
[storage limitation of one notebook and 50 notes.](https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/articles/23565231682323-Understanding-Evernote-Free-Plan-Limits-50-Notes-and-1-Notebook-Explained) with a
u/Unfair-Drummer-9924
[siyuan](https://github.com/siyuan-note/siyuan), an open source and fully self-hosted note-taking software.
u/Past_Lifeguard8349
While you are waiting for an answer let suggest a plastic tube that carries a mysterious dark fluid and the somewhat special writing ✍️ material as it's recipient
u/Dick_Johnsson
The obvious answer is OneNote! You will find it in your PC or in Microsoft Store!
u/Even_Locksmith_960
storage or cloud limitations?
u/LeaveMickeyOutOfThis
Does Obsidian allow handwriting or just typed notes?
u/rawr_im_a_nice_bear
Not by default but you can with plugins.
u/whoisoliver
OneNote or Evernote
u/Even_Locksmith_960
No ❤️ I would actually rather die

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