Squid: Take Notes, Markup PDFs

Analysis by Getfullapps

Paper notes have a habit of creating small problems that become expensive in time. A worksheet gets separated from the notebook, a useful comment is written in the margin and then forgotten, or a PDF has to be printed simply because typing an answer into it feels awkward. I tested Squid: Take Notes, Markup PDFs as a way to keep handwriting, documents, and quick annotations in one place, and its main value became clear quickly: it reduces the number of little handoffs between paper, files, and other apps.

Squid is a free productivity app from Steadfast Innovation, LLC. It is designed around handwritten notes rather than treating handwriting as an afterthought, while also making room for PDF markup and sharing. That makes it especially interesting for students, teachers, office workers, and anyone who thinks more naturally with a pen or stylus than with a keyboard. I would not describe it as a universal replacement for every notes app, but it has a focused purpose and generally stays close to it.

The app has been available since March 28, 2012, and its reach is substantial, with more than ten million installs. Its average rating is 4.1 from roughly seventy thousand ratings and six thousand reviews, which suggests a well-established tool with plenty of real-world use behind it, but not one that satisfies every user equally. It is free to start, rated Everyone, and includes optional in-app purchases ranging from one dollar to $14.99 per item.

Why handwritten work is still awkward on a phone or tablet

The recurring problem Squid addresses is not simply “I need to write something down.” The harder issue is preserving the way handwritten information works. A handwritten page can contain a diagram, arrows, underlining, a quick calculation, and a short sentence all at once. Reproducing that mix in a conventional text editor often takes longer than writing it by hand. On the other hand, physical paper is difficult to search, reorganize, share, or carry when several classes or projects are involved.

PDFs make the problem more obvious. Many documents are meant to be read and marked rather than rewritten. A student may need to circle a question, add a solution beside it, and move on. A colleague may want to highlight a clause and add a brief comment before returning the file. Printing, writing, scanning, and sending the document back creates unnecessary steps. Squid’s usefulness comes from keeping those actions together in a workspace built for pen input.

I also found that the app makes sense for short-lived notes that do not deserve a formal document. A meeting sketch, a rough plan for rearranging a room, a quick explanation for someone else, or a handwritten checklist can be created without first deciding on a complicated structure. That immediacy matters. The less ceremony involved in opening a page, the more likely I am to capture an idea before it disappears.

Getting to a useful first page

The first setup should be approached with a practical goal rather than an attempt to organize your entire life immediately. I would begin by creating a small set of notebooks that match actual routines: one for a course or project, one for personal notes, and perhaps one for temporary sketches. This prevents the app from becoming a single endless stream of pages while avoiding the opposite mistake of creating too many categories.

The writing experience is most convincing when used with a compatible stylus or a device that supports comfortable pen input. On a touchscreen, finger writing can be useful for brief marks, but it is less natural for several pages of notes. Before committing to a long lecture or meeting, I would spend a few minutes testing line thickness, page style, and the way the device responds to fast strokes. Small choices made early can make later review much easier.

For class notes, I prefer a page layout that leaves enough room for diagrams and side comments. For a checklist or a compact work note, a more structured page can reduce wandering. The important point is that Squid does not force every thought into the same text-first format. I can write a heading, draw a box around an action, and place an arrow between two ideas without switching modes every few seconds.

PDF work deserves its own preparation. Rather than importing every document I receive, I would bring in only the files I genuinely expect to annotate. That keeps the workspace easier to navigate and makes it clearer which version contains my comments. A useful habit is to finish a document by reviewing the pages at a glance before sharing it. Handwritten annotations can look obvious while writing but become less clear when viewed at a different zoom level.

One of the less obvious strengths is the ability to use handwriting as a thinking layer over an existing document. I do not have to convert a PDF into a blank canvas or recreate its questions elsewhere. I can preserve the original context and add my own marks directly around it. This is particularly helpful when the relationship between the source text and my comment matters, such as when comparing a requirement with a proposed answer.

How it fits into ordinary routines

A realistic student scenario would be a lecture followed by a worksheet. During the lecture, I would keep a notebook open and write only the ideas that need my own wording: definitions, examples, and questions. Later, I could open the related PDF, mark the sections that answer those questions, and add short handwritten links back to the lecture page. That workflow is more useful than simply collecting pages because it connects the explanation with the material that needs revision.

For office work, I can imagine using Squid during a meeting where the discussion moves too quickly for polished typing. I might sketch a process, place initials beside decisions, and draw a line between an issue and its owner. Afterward, the page can serve as a visual memory aid while I write a cleaner summary elsewhere. This is where I see the app as a companion to a conventional document editor rather than a replacement for one.

It also works well for reviewing forms, drafts, and reference material. I can underline a phrase, circle a missing detail, and write a question beside it without changing the source wording. When the review is complete, sharing the marked document is more direct than describing every location in a separate message. The trade-off is that handwritten feedback is best when the recipient can comfortably read it; for formal records, typed comments may still be the better choice.

At home, the app can handle practical notes that are too visual for a standard list. I might draw a rough furniture arrangement, mark measurements on a reference page, or make a handwritten plan for a weekend task. These are small examples, but they show why a handwriting-focused workspace can be faster than forcing every idea into bullets and sentences.

Where the app saves time

The biggest friction removed is the print-and-scan loop. When a PDF needs a few marks, I can work on the document directly instead of printing it, finding a pen, keeping the pages flat, and later digitizing the result. That is not only faster; it also avoids the chance of losing the physical copy between steps. For people who regularly receive worksheets or documents for review, this can become a meaningful change in routine.

Another time saver is keeping rough work beside finished material. In a typical notes app, I may need to create a separate file for a diagram, then attach it to a typed note. In Squid, the diagram and the surrounding handwriting belong to the same page. That reduces the amount of file management required during the moment when I am trying to think.

I also appreciate the ability to treat a page as a visual workspace instead of a sequence of text fields. A handwritten note can show priority through size, position, arrows, and spacing. Those cues are not decoration; they can make later recall quicker. A page that shows how I reached a conclusion may be more useful than a polished sentence that records only the conclusion.

A practical tip is to use separate pages for separate stages of a task. I would keep brainstorming on one page, a cleaned-up outline on another, and PDF comments in the document itself. This avoids the common problem of one page becoming a crowded mixture of abandoned ideas and final instructions. The app makes freeform writing easy, but that freedom still benefits from a modest personal system.

Another useful habit is to leave a little empty space around important annotations. It is tempting to fill every available area when working on a tablet, especially when zooming in. Later, however, crowded marks are harder to scan and can obscure the original PDF. Writing smaller is not always more efficient; readable spacing often saves time during review.

What it does better than ordinary alternatives

Compared with a standard text notes app, Squid is better when the input is visual, spatial, or intentionally rough. Text apps win when I need fast searching, long-form typing, structured lists, or easy editing of individual words. If my work consists mostly of typed meeting minutes, a conventional notes tool will probably feel more efficient. Squid earns its place when the pen is part of the thinking process.

Compared with a paper notebook, it offers a more convenient way to keep documents and annotations together. Paper still has advantages: it starts instantly, never needs charging, and can feel more comfortable for extended writing. Squid is stronger when I need to carry multiple notebooks without physical bulk, annotate a PDF, or share the result. The choice depends less on whether digital handwriting is “better” and more on whether the surrounding workflow benefits from being digital.

Compared with a dedicated PDF editor, Squid feels more natural for people who want to write extensively rather than make occasional formal comments. A specialist PDF tool may be preferable for precise document operations, professional form handling, or workflows centered on typed annotations. Squid’s appeal is the combination of a notebook-like experience and document markup, not an attempt to replace every advanced PDF function.

There is also a difference between handwriting capture and searchable knowledge management. I would not choose this app solely because I want a large archive of typed information that can be queried instantly. Handwritten pages can be excellent for memory and visual thinking, but they require a different retrieval habit. Naming notebooks sensibly and keeping related pages together becomes important once the collection grows.

Limits that affect the decision

The first limitation is obvious but important: handwriting quality depends heavily on the device and stylus. On a small phone, extended writing can feel cramped. On a larger tablet, the experience is more convincing, but the device may be less convenient to carry. The app cannot remove the physical constraints of the screen, so I would judge it together with the hardware rather than in isolation.

Freeform pages can also become disorganized. The same flexibility that makes a quick sketch easy can make a long-term archive messy. Users who want automatic structure, elaborate databases, or a strongly text-centered workflow may find themselves doing more manual organization than expected. I see this as a design trade-off, not a flaw, but it is worth recognizing before moving all notes into one place.

PDF annotation has a similar trade-off. Writing directly over a page is quick, but handwritten marks are not always ideal for accessibility, precise editing, or formal collaboration. If several people need to revise the same document with clearly separated comments, another tool may communicate changes more cleanly. Squid is most comfortable when the goal is personal understanding, visual review, or straightforward sharing of marked material.

The optional purchases are another consideration. The app is free to begin using, but some users may eventually encounter features or additions associated with in-app purchases. I would start with a real task rather than buying anything immediately, then decide whether the free experience already covers the way I work. That approach makes the value easier to judge and avoids paying for capabilities that do not solve an actual problem.

Because the app is rated Everyone, it is approachable for a broad audience, including younger students and families looking for a simple handwritten workspace. Still, suitability depends on the task. A child practicing diagrams, a student marking homework, and a professional preparing a legally formal document have very different requirements. The age rating says the app is broadly appropriate; it does not mean every workflow will be equally comfortable.

Who should use it, and who should skip it

I would recommend Squid to students who annotate worksheets, people who learn through diagrams, professionals who sketch during meetings, and anyone trying to reduce the number of printed pages in a study or review routine. It is especially useful when the same person needs both a blank notebook page and a marked-up document. The transition between those two activities is where the app feels most purposeful.

I would be more cautious if your priority is keyboard-heavy writing, deep text search, complex project databases, or perfectly formatted documents. In those cases, a traditional notes app, word processor, or dedicated PDF editor may be the better primary tool. Squid can still serve as a handwriting companion, but I would not force it to become something it was not designed to be.

My strongest recommendation is to test one complete workflow: create a notebook page, write a real note, annotate a relevant PDF, review the result later, and share it if that is part of your routine. This reveals more than trying random tools. Pay attention to whether the pen input feels comfortable, whether your pages remain understandable after a few days, and whether the app actually removes printing or file-switching from your day.

After using it this way, I see Squid as a focused productivity app with a clear practical advantage. It saves time when handwriting is faster than typing and when a document needs marks rather than a rewrite. It is less compelling for text-first organization and formal document production, where conventional alternatives remain stronger.

For me, the deciding factor is not the novelty of writing on a screen. It is the reduction of small interruptions: no separate sheet for a diagram, no unnecessary printout for a few comments, and fewer disconnected pieces of a task. If your daily work depends on handwritten thinking, PDF review, or quick visual notes, Squid is worth trying before you settle for a text-only workflow. Its free entry point makes that test straightforward, while its limitations make the right expectations equally important.