If you're looking for a more efficient way to stay organized, you're in luck! In this blog post, we'll be sharing our top picks for the best digital planning apps, as well as the best digital planners and resources to get your started.

A digital planner is a planner that you can use on your digital devices, like your tablet, laptop or phone. It has all the features you would find in a paper planner, but with the added benefit of being customizable, easily editable and way more convenient.

Digital planners are PDF documents with interactive hyperlinks.This means that you can quickly navigate between daily or weekly pages, and other templates that are included. This feature makes digital planners very versatile and easy to use.

These digital planners can be used with a variety of note-taking and PDF annotation apps, which means that you can use the planner with the app that suits you best. Digital planners are a great option for anyone who wants to stay organized and on top of their tasks without having to carry a physical planner around + there are unlimited stationery supplies available to you.

Digital planners offer a more modern, eco friendly and efficient way to organize your life. They are an excellent choice for anyone who wants to take their planning game to the next level.

To get started with digital planning, you'll need a few key items:

1. A tablet or device: You'll need a tablet or device that you can use to access your digital planner. Popular choices include the iPad, Android tablets, or Microsoft Surface.

2. A digital planner: Next, you'll need a digital planner in a PDF format. You can purchase pre-made digital planners from online marketplaces, such as Etsy or Creative Market, or create your own. (I make premium digital planners that you can find here)

3. A stylus: While not absolutely necessary, a stylus can greatly enhance your digital planning experience. It allows you to write and draw on your tablet, just like you would with a traditional planner.

1. A note-taking app: Finally, you'll need a note-taking app that supports PDF annotation, such as GoodNotes, Notability, or ZoomNotes. These apps allow you to write, draw, and highlight on your digital planner.

With these four items, you'll have everything you need to start digital planning and enjoy all the benefits of a traditional planner, without the paper and pencil.

Recommended digital planning tools and accessories for iPad:

Apple 2022 12.9-inch iPad Pro  - This powerful tablet is an excellent choice for digital planning, with its large, high-resolution screen and fast processing speed.

Apple Pencil (2nd Generation) - A stylus is not a must for digital planning, but it's really nice to have, and the Apple Pencil is one of the best on the market. It offers precision and accuracy, as well as pressure sensitivity, making it feel like you're using a real pen or pencil.

Apple Magic Keyboard - While not strictly necessary, a keyboard can greatly enhance your digital planning experience by allowing you to type quickly and easily. The Apple Magic Keyboard is a high-quality option that seamlessly integrates with your iPad.

Paperlike Screen Cover - This screen protector is designed to give your iPad screen a more paper-like texture, making it easier to write and draw on. It reduces glare and makes the screen feel more natural, which can greatly improve your digital planning experience.

Benks iPad Stand - A stand can make it easier to use your iPad in different positions, whether you're typing, drawing, or reading.

iPad Case - Finally, you'll want to protect your iPad from scratches and damage with a sturdy case. There are many options available, but make sure to choose one that fits your specific iPad model.

Recommended digital planning tools and accessories for Android:

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ - This tablet is a popular choice among Android users for digital planning.

Samsung S Pen - The Samsung S Pen is a highly recommended stylus for digital planning, offering precision, accuracy, and pressure sensitivity for a natural writing experience.

Samsung S7 cover - To ensure your tablet stays safe and protected from scratches and damage, it's a good idea to invest in a sturdy case that is specifically designed for your tablet model.

1. GoodNotes: GoodNotes is a note-taking and digital planner app that allows you to write, draw, and annotate documents using your Apple Pencil or finger. It offers a variety of templates and customization options, making it ideal for planning and organizing your schedule, notes, and tasks. It also allows you to import and annotate PDF files and has a built-in OCR feature that converts your handwriting into searchable text.

2. Notability: Notability is another popular note-taking and digital planner app for iPad and iPhone. It offers similar features to GoodNotes, including handwriting and PDF annotation, as well as audio recording and playback. It also offers cloud sync capabilities, allowing you to access your notes across multiple devices.

3. Zinnia: Zinnia is a digital planner app specifically designed for bullet journaling. It offers a range of customizable templates and stickers to help you organize your daily tasks, goals, and habits. It also allows you to import your own images and PDFs, and has a built-in habit tracker and mood tracker.

4. Noteshelf: Noteshelf is a note-taking and digital planner app that offers a variety of templates and customization options, including the ability to create your own templates. It also offers handwriting recognition and conversion to text, as well as the ability to import and annotate PDFs. Noteshelf also has a built-in task manager and calendar view.

5. ZoomNotes: ZoomNotes is a note-taking app with a focus on handwriting and drawing. It offers a variety of tools for handwriting and drawing, including brushes, pens, and shapes. It also offers PDF annotation and the ability to import images and audio recordings. ZoomNotes allows you to organize your notes into folders and notebooks, and has a built-in search feature to easily find specific notes.

GoodNotes: GoodNotes is an excellent app for note-taking and digital planning. It allows you to write, draw, and annotate documents using your Apple Pencil or finger. It offers a variety of templates and customization options, making it ideal for organizing your schedule, notes, and tasks. GoodNotes also allows you to import and annotate PDF files and has a built-in OCR feature that converts your handwriting into searchable text.

Noteshelf: Noteshelf is another great app for note-taking and digital planning. It offers a variety of templates and customization options, including the ability to create your own templates. Noteshelf also offers handwriting recognition and conversion to text, as well as the ability to import and annotate PDFs. Noteshelf also has a built-in task manager and calendar view.

Penly: Penly is a note-taking app that allows you to write, draw, and annotate using your Apple Pencil or finger. It offers a range of pens and colors to choose from, as well as the ability to import and annotate PDFs. Penly also has a built-in task manager and the ability to organize your notes into folders.

Samsung Notes: Samsung Notes is a versatile app for note-taking and digital planning that comes pre-installed on Samsung devices. It allows you to write, draw, and annotate using your finger or Samsung S Pen. Samsung Notes also offers a variety of templates and customization options, as well as the ability to import and annotate PDFs.

Xodo: Xodo is a PDF annotation app that allows you to read, annotate, and sign PDF documents. It offers a range of annotation tools, including highlighting, underlining, and strikethrough, as well as the ability to add comments and notes. Xodo also allows you to fill out forms and sign documents electronically.

Overall, each of these apps offers unique features and customization options to help you plan and organize your schedule and tasks digitally. Your readers may find it helpful to choose an app based on their specific needs and preferences.

Wrapping up, these are my top six picks for the best digital planner apps in 2023. I hope this post has been informative and enjoyable for you!

If you're just starting your digital planning journey, I recommend trying out a few of these apps to see which one works best for your needs. And if you have any questions or tips to share, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Lastly, if you found this post useful, please consider sharing it with your friends or on social media. Thanks for reading!