How To Choose The Perfect Planner: Paper vs Digital
Paper vs digital planners is a hotly debated topic in the planning community. My planner journey has been a long one and eventually I made the switch from paper to digital While I love my digital planner and can’t imagine going back to paper, I realize it’s not for everyone. If you’re curious about digital planners or are on the fence about switching from paper, keep reading.
Why I Love My Digital Planner
I already listed all the reasons I love my digital planner so if you want those deets, check it out. Here are the highlights:
- It’s clean. I can mess up writing, erase, and do it again.
- All notebooks are searchable.
- I can move appointments without messing up the page.
- I can attach photos to anything. I do this more than I thought I would.
- It syncs with my Apple calendar (or a Gmail calendar).
- I can access the planner from my phone.
- It’s secure. Nobody can flip through my digital planner and find sensitive topics or notes.
- I have an endless supply of pens, highlighters, Post-Its, and stickers.
- I can have unlimited pages and multiple different styles of pages in the same notebook.
- All my info is backed up on the app so there’s no fear of losing or damaging it.
- My Digital Productivity Planner includes 65+ additional templates to help organize and track just about everything in life.
Drawbacks to Digital
There are a few cons to consider if you’re trying to decide which is best for you in the paper vs digital debate:
- iPads are expensive. You don’t need an iPad, digital planners will work on any digital device (except Kindles), but the iPad Pro is a dream for it and probably the most commonly used device.
- You need a pencil. Again, the Apple Pencil is the crème de la crème but any pencil that’s compatible with your device will do. I bought my grandmother this cheap pencil for her iPad (she didn’t know if she’d like it and didn’t want to jump in the deep end). It was only $11 and works impressively well. Read more about it here..
- You’re kinda screwed if you break your iPad. You can still access your info (and even manually transfer it to a paper planner) because it’s backed up but it wouldn’t be terribly convenient until you replace your iPad.
You Should Stick With A Paper Planner If…
You like to doodle
I’m an artist and I can’t believe how much I love drawing and painting (yes, oil paint!!) on my iPad. But it only works well in specific apps. In order to use all the features of a digital planner, you need to upload it into an annotation app. These apps are built well for digital planner functions but they’re not ideal for drawing or doodling.
You could have other apps on your iPad for drawing (like I do). It’s just not the same for those who are chronic doodlers. If you’re not quite following me here then you’re not a chronic doodler. Chronic doodlers are nodding their heads right now.
you love the feel of paper
At least 90% of the books I read are paper. No more than 10% are digital or audio. There’s just something different about turning paper pages and digital will never fulfill that satisfaction.
The same can be said when comparing paper vs digital planners. I don’t think my boss will ever be able to go digital because she loves the feel of pencil on paper. It doesn’t hurt that we bought her the best pencils on the planet and she’s obsessed with them. (More about them here.)
While there are paper-like screen protectors that make writing on an iPad surprisingly enjoyable, they still don’t allow you to turn the page and there really is just something about that. (More on paper-like screen protectors here, including the only one I recommend.)
You don’t want to technology all the time
While new tech can make life a lot nicer, it can be exhausting at the same time. Just managing battery life on all your devices can sometimes feel like a part-time job. Sometimes you just want to keep it simple and if that’s you, these beautiful paper planners will do that. This is a huge consideration in the paper vs digital debate.
you tend to break things
I’m not gonna call you a klutz but really think about it! If you’ve broken more than 2 smartphone screens, you should probably stick to paper. Trust me, an OtterBox will ruin the digital planner experience.
You don’t want to shell out a fortune to make the switch
Let’s look at all the expenses required to switch to digital. For full reviews of all products, see my recommendations.
iPad or other Smart Tablet
A number of different tablets will do. I prefer the iPad Pro ($900+). You can get smaller or refurbished iPads (GREAT DEAL) for way cheaper. If you’re an Android user, Samsung is a preferable option and they start at around $150.
cover for your tablet
Tablet covers start at about $10 on Amazon and any will do. Check out my recommendations to see what I use and why.
smart pencil
The Apple Pencil is my go to ($80+). You can get a generic pencil from Amazon for under $10 that works with just about any tablet on the market.
paperlike screen protector
You can get a generic screen protector for cheap on Amazon but I don’t recommend it. The Paperlike Screen Protector is my preference. I paid $45 for the one on my iPad Pro but smaller ones start at around $15. Be sure to read my recommendations before purchasing Paperlike.
annotation app
You must use an annotation app if you want all the features of a digital planner. I highly recommend Goodnotes. It works on both Apple and Andorid operating systems and it’s the best. (I’ve tried them all.)
Goodnotes is free for up to 3 notebooks. It has annual and one-time pricing structures for unlimited notebooks. I suggest you try it for free to make sure you’re into the digital planner before taking the full plunge.
digital planner
Your final purchase is the digital planner itself and you can get them for a range of prices ($5-$50). Beware of the cheaper ones, though. I bought 7 different planners of varying prices before I decided to make my own. I’m an experienced graphic designer and I had to stretch some design muscles to make mine. Designing my first planner took several hundred hours to get it just right. It can be tempting to take shortcuts but I wasn’t willing to do that. Some people clearly are and you get exactly what you pay for in this area, in both design and function.
You May Be Ready To Switch To Digital Planner If…
- You already have an iPad or tablet (again, not a Kindle Fire) or you’re ready to buy one.
- You have a smart pencil or you’re willing to spend at least $10 on one.
- You’re ready to NOT carry around a notebook + all the accessories (pens, highlighters, stickers, washi tape, etc.).
- You don’t tend to lose or break things easily.
- You enjoy technology and don’t dread charging all your things.
I made the switch to digital and for me, there’s no going back. I hope all this info helps you compare paper vs digital and decide if you’re a paper planner or a digital planner person. If you’re still wondering and have questions, leave a comment below or contact me anytime!
