What is a digital planner?

You know that feeling? You quickly jot down an appointment in your paper calendar, but a few days later, you're searching in vain for it among to-do lists, notes, and Post-its. Or even worse: An overturned coffee mug renders your lovingly curated planner useless! 🫡

Now imagine having a planner that's always with you, never fills up, and automatically syncs—whether on your tablet, smartphone, or laptop. Welcome to the world of digital planners! 🤩

But what exactly is a digital planner? How do you use it? And which one is right for you? Here's everything you need to know! 👇🏼

No more paper chaos: What a digital planner really is

In short: A digital planner is the digital version of a classic paper calendar.

Everything you did with an analog calendar—note appointments, plan tasks, jot down ideas—works here too, only much more flexibly! 😍

A digital planner – just like a traditional paper planner – helps you better organize your daily life and keep track of your appointments and tasks. Instead of laboriously flipping pages, you navigate to the desired page with just one click using hyperlinks. You can use it in note-taking apps like Goodnotes, Penly, or Notability, add handwritten notes with a digital pen, and have all your important information at your fingertips at all times – right on your iPad or tablet! 🙌🏼

Here are the main advantages:

✅ Everything in one place – No more loose notes or forgotten appointments
✅ Synchronization on all your devices – whether smartphone, tablet or laptop
✅ Customizable & flexible – Add notes, images or digital stickers
✅ Sustainable & space-saving – No more piles of paper

My personal highlight: Since I don't like my own handwriting at all, I always let Goodnotes convert it directly! This makes my pages look much neater—and even quick scribbles remain legible! 🎉

Whether for work, study or everyday life – digital planners make organization much easier!

How to use a digital planner

1. Choose the right device

You can use your planner on your tablet, smartphone, or laptop. It works best with a tablet and stylus, so you can write as if you were writing on paper.

2. Install the appropriate note-taking app

For your digital planner to work, you need an app that supports hyperlinks:

📌 iPad: Goodnotes 5/6
📌 Android: Penly
📌 Windows: Drawboard PDF

Many apps have free versions – so just give it a try!

A notice: Some apps offer basic features for free but may incur additional costs.

3. Import planner & get started

Upload your planner as a PDF to the app, then you can start right away: enter appointments, take notes, add stickers – all digital and expandable at any time.

What digital planners are there?

Digital planners are available for every area of ​​life:

Whether you want to structure your life, find a new home for your favorite recipes, or bring more mindfulness into your everyday life – there is a digital planner for you:

1. Annual Planner: Your ultimate planner for an entire year—with detailed life planning in the Gamechanger or a clean design in the Minimalist! 🚀

2. Monthly planner: Keep track of all important dates in the month 📆

3. Weekly planner: Organize your week stress-free and structured – for maximum efficiency. 🗓️

4. Family planner: The ideal companion for coordinating all family activities and not forgetting any important appointments! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

5. Diary: Fivory, Mindfully, Gratefully or the classic version - a digital diary offers you enough space for all your thoughts!

6. To-Do Planner: No more excuses – check things off and get started! ✅

7. Teacher's calendar: Lessons, corrections, breaks? Everything fits here! 🍏

8. Student calendar and study planner: Ideal for pupils and students to plan homework, exams and study times 🎓

9. Recipe and baking book: Practical for collecting and organizing favorite recipes 🍽️

10. Meeting Notes Planner: Never again “What did we discuss?” 🤔

11. Fitness planner: Perfect for documenting training goals, workouts and progress

12. Garden Planner: Helps with planning planting times, maintenance work, and harvest times 🌿

💡 Tip: Dated planners are ready to use , while undated planners can be used for years.

How to find the perfect digital planner

Before you choose a digital planner , you should ask yourself a few important questions to determine which planner truly suits your needs:

🔍 1. What do you need it for?

Do you want to use it for professional or personal purposes? Or should it combine both? If you're looking for a life planner that can cover every aspect of your life, be sure to check out our Gamechanger 2025 .

🎨 2. Which design suits you?

Do you prefer a horizontal or vertical view? Should the planner be minimalist, playful, or colorful? Your planner should be not only functional but also visually appealing!

📱 3. Do you also use your Apple or Google Calendar?

Many digital planners are optimized for tablets with styluses, but there are also special formats for smartphones and laptops. Make sure your planner fits your device!

📂 4.Do you also use your Apple or Google calendar?

Perfect – because you can optionally use our digital planners with the Apple or Google Calendar function; simply select this option for the desired product.

Get your favorite planner in 1 minute!

Not sure which planner is right for you? Take our quiz and find out in no time which planner best suits you and your daily routine:

To the planner quiz To the planner quiz

Conclusion: Why a digital planner simplifies your life

A digital planner means more organization, less stress. The change may be unfamiliar at first, but once you get used to it, you won't want to miss the flexibility and simplicity.

📥 Download our free digital planner here and test it out in your favorite note-taking app. See if digital planning is right for you and take our quiz to find your absolute dream planner—the one that's perfect for you and your needs!

Have fun! 🤩