On this page, I want to do a deep dive into the native note-taking apps provided by the four most popular e-ink tablet brands; Boox, Kindle, reMarkable, and Supernote.
Although some of these manufacturers produce a range of different models, all products by the same manufacturer essentially use the same software, including the pre-installed note-taking app. So, for example, the Boox Tab Ultra uses the same software as the Boox Tab X. Similarly, the Supernote A5 X uses (almost) the same software as the Supernote A6 X.
The only differences are the hardware (which won’t be taken into consideration in this article). In addition, I won’t be taking into account other software features, such as e-reading software, operating system, or additional apps unless they directly pertain to the native note-taking software (I will probably write more articles exploring other facets of the software).
This article will not go into a lot of detail about the functionality of the note-taking apps – just enough for a fair comparison. For more detailed information in this regard, please click on the links below:
I’ll be rating each note-taking app in a range of categories related to note-taking. My ratings will be between zero and three:
- 0 – Not implemented
- 1 – Implemented poorly
- 2 – Implemented well but with limitations
- 3 – Implemented really well
And then I’ll add them all up at the end to see which software is subjectively best in terms of note-taking.
Let’s get started…
Templates & Layers
First off, the Kindle Scribe does not support layers and whilst it does have 18 pre-installed templates to choose from, it is fewer than the other manufacturers. Also, you cannot add custom templates. In addition, when you set a template on the Scribe, it is set for the whole notebook! So, you cannot use different templates on different pages like you can with the other manufacturers.
Boox has 45 pre-installed templates and supports up to six layers in total (including the template layer). Custom templates can also be added.
Supernote has 28 pre-installed templates and supports up to five layers (including the template layer). Custom templates can also be added and it has the unique feature of being able to import a PDF as a template, retaining the hyperlinks.
reMarkable has 45 pre-installed templates and supports up to seven layers (including the template layer and a text layer, if being used). The reMarkable software allows the merging of layers (which the others don’t) but does not support custom templates.
So here’s the scores for templates and layers:
- Boox: 3
- Kindle: 1
- reMarkable: 2
- Supernote: 3
Page Overview
The Page Overview feature in note-taking software allows you to add, delete and reorder pages as well as quickly navigate to a particular page. All the manufacturers on this list have implemented this well – although it was a feature that Amazon didn’t deem necessary when the Kindle Scribe first launched, it was added in a subsequent software update.
All software except the Kindle also allows you to make copies of pages.
The reMarkable also provides functionality to convert handwriting to text and export pages from the page overview screen, however, these are features that are available elsewhere in the other apps, so I won’t be giving reMarkable any extra points for this.
- Boox: 3
- Kindle: 2
- reMarkable: 3
- Supernote: 3
Brush Types
Boox has five brush types; Pen (fountain), Brush, Ballpoint Pen, Pencil & Marker. There are a lot of options for stroke thickness and colour, and up to five preset brush types can be set on the toolbar. Pressure sensitivity has also been implemented for some of the brushes. There is also the option to insert text.
reMarkable has the most brush types (seven) to choose from; Ballpoint Pen, Fineliner, Pencil Mechanical Pencil, Marker, Paintbrush, Calligraphy Pen & Highlighter. There are three stroke thicknesses to choose from and up to four colours, depending on the brush type. Pressure sensitivity works really well and text can be inserted, however, brush types cannot be preset on the toolbar. You can also insert text on the reMarkable.
The Kindle has five brush types; Pen, Fountain Pen, Marker, Pencil & Highlighter. Each brush has five stroke thicknesses but no option to change the colour. Pressure sensitivity works really well, however you can only customise the toolbar with a single preset brush (the last one you used).
Finally, Supernote has three brush types; Needlepoint Pen, Ink Pen & Marker. They have a good choice of stroke thicknesses and four colours but are not really all that distinguishable from one another (a thick needlepoint pen looks very similar to a thin ink pen). Pressure sensitivity has been implemented okay. You can preset up to three brush types on the toolbar.
- Boox: 3
- Kindle: 2
- reMarkable: 3
- Supernote: 1
Eraser/Undo/Redo
All native note-taking apps have the ability to undo and redo any strokes you make.
Both the Kindle and the reMarkable have an area eraser and a selection eraser. The Supernote has a stroke eraser and a selection eraser. And the Boox has all three.
- Boox: 3
- Kindle: 2
- reMarkable: 2
- Supernote: 2
Lasso Selection Tool
I think that the lasso-selection tool is one of the most useful tools for e-ink tablet users. With it you can move, resize and manipulate selections of handwriting.
On Kindle, you can use the lasso-selection tool to move, resize, cut, and copy text.
On the reMarkable, you can do all this plus rotate the selection and flip it 180-degrees vertically or horizontally.
Boox can do everything the reMarkable can do as well as change the colour, add a link (to another page, another notebook, a document, or a webpage), and tag it with a keyword to make it easier to locate at a later date.
Whilst Supernote cannot flip text through 180-degrees, it can move, resize, rotate, cut and copy. In addition, selections can be made into headings (which form a custom table of contents), tagged with keywords, turned into links (to another page, another notebook, a document, or a webpage) or added to your calendar (the handwriting is converted to text and used as the name of the event).
- Boox: 3
- Kindle: 1
- reMarkable: 2
- Supernote: 3
Handwriting Conversion
All note-taking software being compared on this page has handwriting-to-text conversion and they are all around 90-95% accurate (depending on how neatly you write).
However, the implementations are slightly different.
On the reMarkable, converted text is added as a new page in your notebook (there are no other options). You can then edit it and send the converted text via email.
The Kindle is similar, however it doesn’t insert the text into your notebook. Instead, you have the option to edit it (in a new window) before emailing it to up to five recipients.
With Supernote, the converted text is exported as either a TXT or DOCX file into the EXPORT folder of your tablet. From here, it can be copied or synchronised to your computer or cloud and edited via a different app. One thing worthy of note with Supernote is that there is an option to automatically convert text in the background – whilst this draws slightly more power, it does make handwriting conversion very quick (because it has already been done).
And with Boox, you have the option to edit the text after it has been converted and then can export it as a TXT file to the local filesystem or copy it to the system clipboard (to paste in another app). Because Boox tablets run Android, you can also use the Share feature of the operating system to import the exported file into other apps (such as an email attachment).
- Boox: 3
- Kindle: 1
- reMarkable: 2
- Supernote: 3
Handwriting Search
As stated in the previous section, the Supernote software can convert handwriting to text automatically in the background. This feature makes handwriting search lightning quick.
Boox devices also allow you to search your handwriting, however, in my experience, it is not quite as fast as Supernote.
Kindle and reMarkable do not support handwriting search – however, on the reMarkable you can convert your handwriting to text and then do a text search.
- Boox: 2
- Kindle: 0
- reMarkable: 0
- Supernote: 3
Tags & Keywords
Tagging pages or selections of text with keywords means that you can group similar items together and makes them easier to search for.
Kindle does not support tagging pages or selections with keywords.
reMarkable supports tagging pages with keywords.
Boox supports tagging lasso-selected handwriting with keywords. After selecting some handwriting and pressing the Tag button, Boox will automatically convert the handwriting to text to use for your keyword (you can change this).
Supernote works in a similar – lasso-select some handwriting and tap the K (for Keywords) button. The handwriting is converted to text to use as the default tag name but it can be changed to something different.
Both Boox and Supernote allow you to search for tags. In addition, Boox can also search for any asterisks (*) and triangles you have drawn in your notebooks (a neat way to quickly flag something you will need to come back to later). Supernote has a similar function – if you draw a five-pointed star, it will be automatically formatted (with straight edges) and stars can be searched for.
In addition, on Supernote, a summary list of all the Keywords and Stars within a notebook can be viewed.
- Boox: 2
- Kindle: 0
- reMarkable: 1
- Supernote: 3
Headings & Links
Only Boox and Supernote support adding links within notebooks. Links can point to either other pages, other notebooks, files/documents, or webpages.
When linking to web pages, they open using the default browser. For Supernote, this is a basic browser that works really well for pretty much all normal webpages, but may struggle with web addresses for online apps, such as Google Sheets. Because Boox runs Android, pretty much any web browser from the Google Play Store can be used (Chrome, Opera, Brave etc.)
Only Supernote’s note-taking software supports adding headings (previously known as titles). You can lasso-select some handwriting and tap the H button to turn it into a heading. All your headings can be viewed as a summary, very much like a table of contents. This feature can be used to split your notebook into sections and makes it easier to navigate around.
- Boox: 2
- Kindle: 0
- reMarkable: 0
- Supernote: 3
Inserting Objects
In the ‘Brush Types‘ section, I noted that only the Boox and reMarkable software support the insertion of text into a notebook.
In addition, Boox supports the insertion/embedding of other objects into notebooks, including lines, shapes, arrows, voice recordings, images, and files.
Neither Supernote nor Kindle provide any of these features.
- Boox: 3
- Kindle: 0
- reMarkable: 2
- Supernote: 0
Export
The Kindle note-taking software supports exporting your notebooks in PDF format via email through Amazon’s servers. Up to 5 recipients can be sent an email with a link to download the PDF. This is the only way of transferring your notebooks off of your Kindle Scribe.
Similarly, reMarkable uses a similar email method to export notebooks from the tablet, however, you have the choice to export in PDF, PNG,or SVG formats.
Supernote supports exporting notebooks in PNG, PDF, TXT, or DOCX formats. The exported file is stored in the EXPORT folder of the Supernote tablet where it can be synchronised with the cloud or manually copied to wherever it is required. There is also an option to export the notebook to Supernote’s servers where it can be accessed by anyone with a unique web address stored within a QR Code that Supernote provides.
Boox supports exporting notebooks in PNG, TXT or PDF (both vector and bitmap) formats. Like with the Supernote, the exported file can be stored within the local file system or on Boox’s servers and accessed via a QR Code. In addition, the exported file can be shared with other Android apps using the share feature. So, for example, the file could be imported into GMail as an email attachment or inserted in Microsoft OneNote (obviously, this is dependent on which apps are installed on the Boox tablet and whether they support Android’s sharing feature).
- Boox: 3
- Kindle: 1
- reMarkable: 1
- Supernote: 2
Other Features
Boox, Supernote, and reMarkable support screen sharing/mirroring. reMarkable is the only software that natively supports screen-sharing over the Internet, however, you have to be logged in to the reMarkable desktop app for it to work. Boox and Supernote require the e-ink tablet and the other screen to be on the same network but do not require any third-party software to work. Because Boox supports the installation of other Android apps, it may be possible to screencast over the Internet using a third-party app.
Kindle does not support screen sharing.
reMarkable’s software is the only one that supports creating and editing notebooks via their companion app, however, this is restricted to adding and editing text only (not handwriting or freehand notes).
Boox and Supernote support taking screenshots on the tablet, and Boox also supports screen recording and split screen.
Supernote has a very useful touch-sensitive bar on the right bezel which brings up a quick navigation menu, which is useful for switching between notebooks, documents and apps.
- Boox: 3
- Kindle: 0
- reMarkable: 2
- Supernote: 2
Verdict
So, let’s look at the final scores:
- Boox: 33
- Supernote: 28
- reMarkable: 20
- Kindle: 10
Boox’s native note-taking app takes first place, which is not that much of a surprise because the software is very comprehensive and feature-rich, and has the added versatility of using the Android operating system with access to the Google Play Store.
Not too far behind is Supernote. It doesn’t quite have the range of brush tools that are present in the other apps. However, it does have some unique features such as super fast handwriting search/conversion, quick access bar, and the ability to add headings that make it a respectable choice for those that will be focused primarily on writing.
reMarkable’s note-taking software takes third place. Whilst it has the best range of brush types, and is the only contender that supports editing notebooks via the companion app (albeit only text and not handwriting), it does not boast as many features (or they are not quite so well-implemented) as the apps above them.
Most surprising to me was how poorly the Kindle performed. I always knew it would take last place in this little competition because the note-taking app is less mature than its competitors and perhaps has a different target audience in mind. It is how wide the gap between third and fourth place is that astonished me – I expected it to be a little closer to the reMarkable in this regard.
Of course, if you are in the market for an e-ink tablet, you shouldn’t let these scores dictate which product you buy but hopefully they have provided you with idea of what to expect from each manufacturer with regards to note-taking functionality. There will still be other factors to consider – for example, the remarkable 2 is arguably the most aesthetically-pleasing tablet available, and if appearances are high on your agenda (and you don’t need the additional features of the other products), it could certainly be a consideration. Personally, I prefer the Supernote – although it doesn’t have quite as many features as Boox, the fast handwriting search, headings, and quick access bar are more important to me and help keep me organised and productive.
Although I’ve tried to be as objective as possible, I’m sure that my own personal preferences have crept in there a little. And feel free to send me your feedback (both positive and negative) to dan@ewritable.com.
About the author
Dan Dutton is passionate about E-ink writing tablets, which bring together the pleasure of writing on paper with the power of digital technology. When he bought his first tablet, he realised that there wasn't a lot of unbiased information available for people that were considering buying an E-ink tablet, and so he built eWritable.