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Rocketbook vs reMarkable vs iPad
Want handwritten notes that end up safely in the cloud? Here's how a reusable Rocketbook compares with a reMarkable e-paper tablet and an iPad with Apple Pencil, on price, writing feel, battery, distractions and more.
Side by side
| Rocketbook CoreReusable smart notebook | reMarkable Paper PureE-paper tablet | iPad + Apple Pencil11-inch iPad (A16) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price to get started | From $54.95 pen & cloth included | A$629 Marker included | A$888 A$749 iPad + A$139 Pencil |
| Writing feel | A real pen on smooth, paper-like pages | Stylus on a textured e-ink screen | Stylus on glass |
| Charging | Never – no battery | Up to 3 weeks per charge | Up to 10 hours per charge |
| Distractions | None – no screen or notifications | Distraction-free | Apps, alerts and social media |
| Send notes to the cloud | Free Rocketbook app – Google Drive, Dropbox, OneNote, email and more | Built-in sync; some features need Connect (A$6.99/month) | Built in, through note-taking apps |
| Search your handwriting | Yes – handwriting to text in the app | Yes | Yes |
| If you drop it or spill on it | Wipe it and keep going – no screen to crack | Screen can be damaged | Glass screen can crack |
| Subscription | None | Optional (A$6.99/month) | Optional (storage, apps) |
| Lend it to a student or teammate | Easy – low cost, nothing to break | Pricey to replace | Pricey to replace |
Pros and cons
Rocketbook
From $54.95
Pros
- A fraction of the price of a tablet
- Real pen-on-paper feel, so your handwriting stays natural
- No battery, no charging, no screen and no notifications
- Free app sends your notes to the cloud services you already use
- Tough and reusable – less paper waste, nothing to crack
Cons
- You scan pages with your phone to digitise them
- Pages are wiped clean with water and the included cloth
- Erasable FriXion ink can fade with high heat, so scan important notes
reMarkable
From A$629 (Paper Pro around A$999)
Pros
- Paper-like e-ink screen with low-latency writing
- Stores thousands of pages; read and mark up PDFs
- Long battery life for a tablet
Cons
- More than ten times the price of a Rocketbook Core
- Needs charging, and the screen can be damaged
- Some features need a paid Connect subscription
- Paper Pure has no front light
iPad + Apple Pencil
From A$888
Pros
- Does everything: apps, video, colour drawing
- Lots of handwriting and note-taking apps
Cons
- The most expensive way to take handwritten notes
- Writing on glass doesn't feel like paper
- Needs charging every day or so
- Notifications and apps compete for your attention
- Fragile and a target for theft
The verdict
If you want the feel of pen and paper with the convenience of the cloud – without a screen, a charger or a subscription – Rocketbook is the simplest and best-value choice.
Tablets do more, but they cost many times more and bring the distractions with them. Plenty of people use both: a tablet for everything else, and a Rocketbook for focused, handwritten thinking.
Prices are recommended retail prices in Australian dollars, checked 16 October 2026, and may change: iPad (11-inch, A16, 128GB Wi-Fi) and Apple Pencil (USB-C) from apple.com/au; reMarkable Paper Pure with Marker, and Connect subscription, from reMarkable pricing as reported by TechRadar; reMarkable Paper Pro from JB Hi-Fi. Battery life is the manufacturer's stated maximum. reMarkable is a trademark of reMarkable AS. iPad and Apple Pencil are trademarks of Apple Inc. Rocketbook is not affiliated with either company.