Fantastic human, hello! MyScript Notes, formerly Nebo, isn’t just about turning handwriting into text anymore — it’s evolved into a full‑featured note‑taking powerhouse, blending conversion in rich documents, and even on infinite canvases. Proving that diversification isn’t always bad for handwriting apps. If anything, MyScript Notes has carved out a unique space for itself.
Who else misses the name Nebo? It was shorter, and cuter than MyScript Notes.
Consistency in tools
One of the most impressive aspects of MyScript Notes is its consistency. No matter which part of the app you’re in — notebooks, infinite canvas, or PDFs — you have the exact same toolbar. It sits at the top, and never floating over your notes, which makes the experience distraction‑free. It’s a small design choice, but it makes a huge difference in usability.
I wonder if most developers understand how distracting floating toolbars can be. They hover over your writing space, blocking content, and requiring constant repositioning. MyScript Notes avoids this entirely. The result is a clean, predictable interface that feels professional and polished. It’s quite refreshing.
Handwriting‑to‑text conversion
If everything you write needs to end up as text, this is the app to use. MyScript’s Interactive Ink powers the handwriting conversion features in Goodnotes and Notability, but here you get the full experience. The body text is incredibly flexible: you can handwrite, type, mix the two within words or sentences, and it all works seamlessly. In most apps, typed text and handwriting overlap awkwardly, but not here. Whether you’re in the mood to type today or handwrite tomorrow, MyScript Notes adapts.
The accuracy is especially impressive. Even if your handwriting is messy, rushed, or inconsistent, MyScript Notes interprets it correctly. This reliability sets it apart from competitors. Coz handwriting conversion is tricky business. There’s usually so many errors, half the time you end up giving up on the conversion. But that never happens in MyScript Notes.
Rich document features
The word documents you can create in Myscript Notes can have images, equations, multi‑level lists, and diagrams. Even when you want to get creative and experiment with document layouts, MyScript Notes is not rigid. You can add columns, move them around and structure your documents pretty much however you want.
The app also supports LaTex mathematical and chemical equations, making it a brilliant choice for STEM students and professionals that prefer handwriting their notes.
What truly sets it apart, though, is the accuracy of its conversion. I often reach for MyScript Notes on lazy days because, no matter how messy my handwriting gets, the app rarely struggles to interpret it. That’s not something you can say about any other handwriting app. So if you find yourself squinting to read your own notes, or simply don’t want to put much effort into neat handwriting, MyScript Notes deserves a spot on your iPad.
Traditional handwriting options
If converting handwriting to text isn’t your priority, MyScript Notes still has plenty to offer. You can take traditional handwritten notes using notebooks or explore ideas freely on the infinite canvas. Notebooks provide fixed page sizes with orientation options, which is especially useful when exporting notes without accidentally cutting off parts of them.
You also get a laser pointer for presentations, and a ruler for measuring items. Tools we’ve grown to love in handwriting apps.
Improved PDF annotation
PDF support has come a long way. You can now add blank pages between existing ones, duplicate pages, and manage them with a page manager that shows the entire document at a glance. This makes annotating PDFs far more practical than before. I also still love the smart highlighter, every handwriting app must have it.
Cons
Despite its strengths, MyScript Notes has limitations, especially for traditional handwritten notes. The experience is fairly basic. Page sizes and templates are limited, and there are no line spacing controls. If you’re coming from Goodnotes, Noteful, or Notability, this part of the app will definitely feel restrictive. MyScript can’t replace any of them in your workflow, because it’s really just a different app. Its experience is closer to Apple Notes in simplicity, which some users can appreciate, but power users will hate it.
Basic pen tools
The pen tools, also, aren’t particularly exciting. There’s not much you can do to personalise them. They work well enough when you’re converting handwriting to text — because in that case, the pen choice doesn’t matter much. But for pure handwritten notes, I’ve struggled to find a pen tool I genuinely love in MyScript Notes. They’re not terrible, because I have managed to create some decent notes with them. When I put my mind to it, and really girded up my loins. But they are definitely not fun. I was missing Noteful the whole time.
Why is the study space in beta for so long?
I’ve always loved the Study Space in Nebo, but the fact that it’s been stuck in beta for almost two years is a real concern. For users who’ve come to rely on it, that uncertainty is frustrating. Beta features can vanish without warning, and the lack of clarity from the developers leaves us wondering: are we keeping the Study Space feature or not? It’s a well‑designed feature that works reliably and could be a compelling reason to choose the app — if only the developers would commit to it.
The custom dictionary is still primitive
Adding custom words to the dictionary is still clunky. You can only add them one at a time, which slows down workflows. It’s a small annoyance, but one that adds up if you’re working quickly. Especially for technical writing.
PDF annotation still needs some work
PDF annotation, while improved, still has gaps. Blank pages are plain and can’t be customized, hyperlinks respond sluggishly, and multitasking support is nonexistent in iPadOS 26. These shortcomings remind you that while MyScript Notes excels at conversion, it’s still catching up in other areas. We are only happy that, unlike Goodnotes 7, they haven’t ruined what made them special. Simply added to it.
Pricing
MyScript Notes, still branded as Nebo on Windows, is available across iOS, iPadOS, Android, and Windows. It syncs effortlessly through iCloud, Dropbox, or Google Drive, and its pricing is flexible: $2 per month, $8 per year, or a one‑time purchase of $24.
Conclusion
I doubt any handwriting app will ever deliver better conversion than what MyScript Notes offers. Even Scribble isn’t as accurate, nor intuitive. Combined with MyScript’s thoughtful AI features, Nebo is an app that’s hard to overlook. I can say Nebo one last time, right? For old time sake?