iA Writer vs Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)

iA Writer and Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) are both Productivity tools in our directory. This side-by-side comparison covers pricing, editorial scores, supported platforms, key features and open-source status so you can decide which one fits your needs.

Side-by-side comparison

Attribute	iA Writer	Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)
Product status	Status not recorded	Status not recorded
Vendor	Information Architects	Google
Rating	★ 4.7	★ 4.7
Pricing	Paid	Freemium
Platforms	macOS, Windows, iOS	Web, iOS, Android
Key features	Markdown, focus and export, Style Check wording review, Authorship typed/pasted tracking	Questions with inline source citations, PDF, web, video and audio sources, Audio overviews, guides and mind maps
Headquarters	—	—
Launched	—	—
Open source	No	No

Key differences

iA Writer and Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) carry the same editorial score (4.7★).
iA Writer is Paid, while Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) is Freemium.
iA Writer runs on macOS, Windows, iOS; Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) runs on Web, iOS, Android.

iA Writer and Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) at a glance

iA Writer

Information Architects

A Markdown writing editor with focus tools, Style Check and Authorship tracking of typed/pasted text; platform licenses and external AI/cloud services have separate conditions.

Rating: 4.7★
Pricing: Paid

Editorial verdict

Consider it for a Markdown writing workflow after confirming the specific platform/version license; do not buy on an assumption of lifetime upgrades or a bundled AI rewrite API.

Strengths

Markdown and focused editing
Authorship tracks typed and pasted text
Separate one-time platform purchases

Key features

Markdown, focus and export
Style Check wording review
Authorship typed/pasted tracking
Per-platform one-time licenses

Best for

Drafting Markdown documents
Reviewing wording with Style Check
Tracking pasted material before editing or export

Read the full iA Writer review →

Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)

Google

Google's source-based research assistant, renamed from NotebookLM, with cited questions, audio overviews and sharing governed by account-specific limits and data terms.

Rating: 4.7★
Pricing: Freemium

Editorial verdict

Gemini Notebook, formerly NotebookLM, is a candidate for source-based study and research when you can check the evidence, account-specific data terms and sharing rights.

Strengths

Questions tied to uploaded sources and citations
Multiple source types and overview formats
Distinct consumer, Workspace and Cloud access paths

Key features

Questions with inline source citations
PDF, web, video and audio sources
Audio overviews, guides and mind maps
Account-dependent sharing and limits

Best for

Questioning a permitted document collection
Creating study guides or audio summaries for review
Sharing a notebook under the correct account permissions

Read the full Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) review →

Feature overlap

The two tools have no listed features in common — see both feature lists above.
iA Writer also lists: Markdown, focus and export, Style Check wording review, Authorship typed/pasted tracking, Per-platform one-time licenses
Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) also lists: Questions with inline source citations, PDF, web, video and audio sources, Audio overviews, guides and mind maps, Account-dependent sharing and limits

Frequently asked questions

Is iA Writer or Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) better?

iA Writer and Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) carry the same editorial score (4.7★), so the better choice depends on your needs — see the feature and platform comparison above.

Which is cheaper, iA Writer or Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)?

iA Writer is Paid and Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) is Freemium. Check each product page for current plan details.

Are iA Writer and Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) open source?

No — neither iA Writer nor Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) is open source.

What platforms do iA Writer and Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) support?

iA Writer supports macOS, Windows, iOS; Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) supports Web, iOS, Android.

What are the main features of iA Writer and Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)?

iA Writer: Markdown, focus and export, Style Check wording review, Authorship typed/pasted tracking, Per-platform one-time licenses. Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM): Questions with inline source citations, PDF, web, video and audio sources, Audio overviews, guides and mind maps, Account-dependent sharing and limits.

Visit iA Writer →Visit Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) →

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