What it does
Paper is a versatile digital notebook that transforms your device into a creative canvas. It offers a suite of finely tuned tools for sketching, drawing, painting, and diagramming. The app is designed to feel intuitive and tactile, allowing users to capture ideas visually, create collages with photos, and organize their thoughts into digital journals without the complexity of traditional design software.
Where it shines
Paper excels at making digital creation feel analogue and approachable. The in-journal tutorial system (02:18) is a standout, teaching complex gestures and tools within the context of a real project. This hands-on learning is far more effective than a simple overlay. The app's gestural interface, like the rewind dial for undoing actions (03:28), keeps the canvas clean and allows for a fluid, uninterrupted workflow. Furthermore, its 'Paper Store' (11:33) offers a library of creative prompts and templates, providing endless inspiration for users.
UX highlights
- Gesture-driven UI: Actions like changing brush sizes are done with swipes on the tool icons (03:52), minimizing on-screen clutter.
- In-Journal Tutorials: The app includes a 'Paper Demo' journal with interactive lessons, allowing users to learn at their own pace.
- Smart Shapes: The diagram tool (05:46) automatically cleans up hand-drawn shapes like triangles and squares, speeding up wireframing and note-taking.
- Tactile Page Turns: The journal navigation features a satisfying page-flip animation (02:19) that reinforces the physical notebook metaphor.
- Intuitive Collage Tool: Adding and cutting photos (00:26) is straightforward, letting users quickly create visual mood boards.
- Contextual Tool Menus: Double-tapping a tool (08:32) reveals a simple pop-up for size selection, keeping options close at hand but out of the way.
Monetization & growth
Paper presents a soft paywall after its initial feature demonstration (01:52). It offers weekly and yearly subscription plans with a 7-day free trial. A key growth tactic is the prominent 'Not sure yet? Enable free access' option, which lowers the barrier to entry for hesitant users. This converts the paywall from a hard gate into a feature upsell screen. The app also features an in-app 'Paper Store' where users can acquire new journals and templates, some of which are free and others which require credits, suggesting an additional potential revenue stream or engagement loop.
Who it’s for
Paper is for visual thinkers, designers, artists, and anyone who prefers to capture ideas with sketches and diagrams rather than just text. Its simple interface makes it accessible to beginners, while its powerful gesture controls and toolset appeal to professional creatives looking for a quick idea-capture tool. The integration with Evernote also suggests it's for productivity-focused users who want to incorporate visual notes into their existing workflows.
Notes & opportunities
The mandatory Evernote sign-up (00:41) is a significant point of friction early in the user journey. While strategic, it may deter users who are not already part of that ecosystem. Offering a native sign-up option or allowing guest access to the first journal could improve initial adoption. Additionally, while the gestural UI is powerful, it relies heavily on the user discovering or completing the tutorial. Adding subtle, one-time tooltips for these gestures within the main editor could improve discoverability for users who skip the demo journal.