7 Best reMarkable 2 Alternatives for Note Taking

The reMarkable 2 is the reference product in this list, and it is now sold refurbished only, with bundles from $349 for the tablet with a new Marker and a Book Folio, rising to $499 depending on the Marker and folio chosen. The writing feel is the closest to paper in this list, with low latency and a matte screen that takes a pen well. There are no apps, no browser, and no notifications to pull you away from your notes, which is the whole point of the device.

• Basic use needs no subscription, and your notes sync to the cloud within the free tier.
• The limits are real.
• There is no front light at all, so you cannot read or write in the dark, and unlimited cloud sync needs the optional Connect subscription, which costs
• The tablet is also refurbished only now, so you will not get a brand-new unit from the maker.

Visit reMarkable 2 →

The Amazon Kindle Scribe starts at $429.99 for the 11-inch model without a front light, with the Premium Pen included in the box. The front-lit model costs $499.99, and the Colorsoft version starts at $629.99. The full Kindle bookstore is built in, so you can read ebooks and write notes in the same device, with no subscription required.

• The pen feels natural on the screen, and handwritten notes attach to the book you are reading, which suits students and heavy readers.
• The cheapest model has no front light, so you need to pay more for the $499.99 version if you read at night.
• Handwritten-note search and organisation are also weaker than on the reMarkable, so the Scribe suits readers who take notes more than note-takers who
• The 11-inch screen is large for a reader and comfortable for writing, though the device is heavier than a standard Kindle.

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The BOOX Note Air4 C sells for $469.99 on the official BOOX store, down from a launch price of $499.99. It runs full Android 13, so you can install apps, read from several bookstores, and use cloud services of your choice. The colour Kaleido 3 display has an adjustable front light, which the reMarkable lacks, and the maker includes 10 GB of Onyx cloud storage for free, with no subscription needed.

• The pen is included, and the tablet handles PDFs, ebooks, and handwritten notes in one place.
• The trade-off is focus.
• Android flexibility adds complexity and distractions compared with a focused notebook, since notifications and apps can pull you away from writing.
• Colour e-ink is also dimmer than monochrome e-ink, so the screen looks best in good light.

Visit BOOX Note Air4 C →

The Supernote Nomad, also called the A6 X2, sells for $359 on the official Supernote store, with the Crystal edition at $389. The price has risen from an older $329, so $359 is the current figure. The Nomad has a user-replaceable battery and a modular, repairable design, with a 2-year warranty, which is rare among e-ink tablets.

• Its note organisation is among the best in this list, with links, titles, and keywords that make long notebooks easy to search.
• The small A6 size fits in a jacket pocket, so it suits travellers and field workers.
• The pen is sold separately from about $65, which adds to the real cost, and the screen has no front light, so you cannot use it in the dark.
• The small screen also suits short notes more than long documents, so check the size before you buy.

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The Kobo Elipsa 2E sells for $399.99 on the official Rakuten Kobo US store, with the Kobo Stylus 2 bundled in the box. It supports open EPUB files, so you can load books from sources other than the Kobo store, and the adjustable ComfortLight PRO front light lets you read and write at night. The 10.3-inch screen is a good size for both reading and note-taking, and the stylus writes well on the matte display.

• Kobo’s bookstore is large, and the device syncs with the Kobo app on your phone.
• The main limit is that there is no app ecosystem, since the Elipsa 2E is an e-reader first, with more limited note-taking tools than the reMarkable or
• You cannot install third-party apps, and the note tools cover the basics rather than advanced organisation.
• If your main job is reading ebooks with notes on the side, and you want an open format and a front light, the Elipsa 2E is a strong pick at $399.99, w

Visit Kobo Elipsa 2E →

The Lenovo Smart Paper is listed on the maker’s own store with no purchasable price, so we list it as quote only. The launch US price was $399.99, but that is not a live price, and the device appears discontinued or undistributed on the Lenovo store. The build is premium, with a metal body and a pen and case bundled, and the 10.3-inch E Ink display is sharp and easy on the eyes.

• For buyers who find one in stock at a retailer, it remains a well-made writing tablet.
• The limits are serious.
• Cloud storage is an extra cost at poor value, at £8.99 for 5 GB over 3 months, and the device is effectively unavailable from Lenovo’s own store now,
• We include it here because it is a real rival that many buyers still search for, but we would not recommend it as a first choice in November 2026.

Visit Lenovo Smart Paper →

The Supernote Manta, also called the A5 X2, sells from $505 on the official Supernote store, up from a launch price of $459. It has a large 10.7-inch flexible E Ink display, which gives more room for writing and for reading PDFs than the smaller Nomad. Like the Nomad, it has a modular design with a user-replaceable battery and an upgradeable motherboard, which is rare in this class and should extend its useful life.

• The note organisation tools are the same strong set as on the Nomad, with links and keywords.
• The stylus is not included, with pens from $59, so the real cost is higher than $505, and there is no front light, so you need good light to use it.
• At $505 it is the most expensive tablet in this list, though the large screen and the repairable design help to justify the price for serious note-tak
• If you want the largest screen with the best organisation and you do not need a front light, the Manta is the pick.

Visit Supernote Manta →