In this NotebookLM review, I will guide you through this note-taking app’s features, pros, and cons.

Also, I will explain in more detail why I say that it is very different from other note-taking apps that you use.

Let’s dive in!

Verdict

Here’s the quick verdict if you don’t want to read the full review:

Tested with our review & scoring methodology Real-world testing Unbiased evaluation

How We Test Note-Taking Apps (and how flexible tools like NotebookLM are evaluated)

To keep our reviews & final score for each note-taking app fair and transparent, we evaluate every tool using the same testing framework based on real-world usage, feature depth, and overall value.

Our scoring breakdown after testing 10+ note-taking apps:

Unlike traditional note-taking apps, NotebookLM focuses on AI-powered research and summarization rather than manual note organization.

Therefore, we replaced the task & workflow management criteria under the key functions for this specific review with AI features to ensure the score better reflects the overall usefulness of NotebookLM.

Want a detailed breakdown of how we test each category?

Learn exactly how we test tools → Review methodology

Short on time? Here’s a quick overview of NotebookLM

What is NotebookLm?

NotebookLM is a research and note-taking app developed by Google that uses artificial intelligence (AI), specifically Google Gemini. It was launched last year, and in 2024, in the middle of October, they finally released it to everyone.

NotebookLM allows users to interact with the documents in different ways, like creating summaries, asking questions, or turning the document into a podcast.

To perform these actions, NotebookLM uses only the information you upload, which makes the results more accurate, as you are the one who selects the data it should use.

Testing NotebookLM in everyday use

NotebookLM is not a traditional note-taking app, and it works more like a research and learning app. After I had tested it two years ago, I still use it today.

The way I use it is simple: I collect the relevant sources I need to study, whether it is a PDF, website, or YouTube video, and start working with them. I normally create a summary from all of the sources and ask questions.

I appreciate the option to select the sources from which you want to get the information. It helps to identify discrepancies in a topic with different views.

You could ask me: why is it different from ChatGPT?

NotebookLM provides more accurate and reliable outputs because you select the data it uses. So, there are no AI hallucinations, and if the information isn’t in the sources you shared, it won’t answer.

Ultimately, NotebookLM is an outstanding learning and research tool. Still, if you are looking for a note-taking app to structure notes, projects, and knowledge, you should look elsewhere and check tools like Notion and Obsidian.

How NotebookLM scored in our testing

Since we replaced the task & workflow management criteria under the key functions for this NotebookLM review, it could achieve a more realistic score of 4.3.

To be fair, for the note-taking capabilities, we also factored in that it was not designed to be a traditional note-taking app, which is why it gets 4.5 out of 5.

While it delivered strong results across all the functions we analyzed, it fell short in team features.

When NotebookLM makes the most sense

When to consider alternatives to NotebookLM

Before diving into the key features, I will quickly explain what the sources exactly are to ensure you properly understand how NotebookLM works.

Understanding the sources

I know NotebookLM may seem complex at first, and you have no clue where to start. However, using NotebookLM will be significantly easier when you understand how sources work.

NotebookLM utilizes source-grounded AI. This means that it only uses the sources you upload to answer your questions or complete your requests. You can upload numerous types of documents, from Google Docs and webpages to PDFs or YouTube videos, with a few clicks.

You are able to upload video blog posts from the entire internet by copying only the URL. Regarding other files, you can easily upload documents by dragging and dropping them, and NotebookLM will use the uploaded data to answer your questions accurately.

After the upload, NotebookLM makes a copy of the original file. If you make any changes to the original documents, NotebookLM will not track them, and you will need to manually refresh your sources. Also, NotebookLM can not delete or edit your original files.

Google increased the sources from 20 sources with 200,000 words max each to 50 sources with 500,000 words each. So, NotebookLM can understand and provide you with answers from a huge source, up to 25 million words in total.

As this is a huge dataset, you will quickly realize that NotebookLM’s real power lies when you combine documents and different sources. It really helps to digest complex questions in an efficient way using different source materials.

Lastly, Google said they do not use the uploaded data to train NotebookLM, so you can share any private or sensitive information with this note-taking app.

NoteBookLM features

Now, let’s dive into NotebookLM’s key features!

Notebook Guide

When you upload a source, you will see the Notebook guide instantly. In short, the Notebook guide offers a platform where you can interact with your sources in different ways.

On the left side of the screen, you will see the uploaded sources. If all of them are selected, NotebookLM will use all the uploaded information for your questions and interactions.

In the middle, NoteBookLM automatically creates a summary of the source. Also, you can use FAQs, study guides, table of contents, timelines, and briefing docs to help you understand the document faster.

I especially loved here the study guide. You can create a briefing doc about the uploaded information, and in 5 seconds, NotebookLM will provide you with the fundamentals of this topic. So, summarizing the key points can accelerate the learning process of a topic.

On the right side, you can see the suggested questions and the option to create a podcast from the document. I will talk about this later. Below, you can ask questions about the uploaded sources, and NotebookLM will answer you instantly.

Notebooks and notes

You use notebooks to organize your stuff in NotebookLM. They are similar to how folders organize the files on your computer. Each notebook is totally separate, so NotebookLM accesses information from one notebook at a time. You have to understand that the notebooks are not connected to each other, and they work like different folders, even if they are about the same topics.

In your notebooks, there are notes, right? And this is where the fun part comes in. You can have notes for different stuff. If you close the Notebook Guide’s window, you will see your notes in a specific notebook.

NotebookLM will automatically add the created briefs, study guides, etc., to your notes. However, you can add your text notes as well.

When accessing your notes, you can interact with that specific note differently if you click on the checkboxes. You can ask questions about only one note or ask NotebookLM to describe it in another way to help you understand it easily.

There are also other options, like creating an outline about that note or critiquing the selected note. Nevertheless, if you do not select one of your notes, you interact with all your sources in your notebook.

Asking questions

You can ask questions from NotebookLM at the bottom of the page if you are browsing among your notes or using the Notebook Guide. NotebookLM will always show some recommended questions based on the data you provided.

When answering questions, Notebook LM will use citations so you can see which source it uses to provide you with the answers. Seeing the citations ensures that you will always know the original source that NotebookLM uses to answer your questions.

If you click on the save to note tab, NotebookLM will save this answer as a note, and you can access it when you go into your notebook. There is also something that people tend to overlook, and this is the selection of sources.

For example, if you want to ask a question from only a subset of data, that is not a problem. You can easily select only that specific source you want to work with, and NotebookLM will disregard the other sources.

In the chat feature below, NotebookLM always shows you how many sources are selected. Therefore, you have the full power to decide which source you want to work with.

Turning documents into a podcast

During my NotebookLM review, I experienced something special when I tried the podcast feature. You see, I tested and reviewed many AI tools in the past two years. I encountered several fascinating AI tools, as well as some that were disappointing.

But when I heard the two AI hosts talking about the sources I uploaded, I felt like Google’s AI tool crossed a line. It was way more realistic than I could have imagined previously. Do not believe me? Check my NotebookLM tutorial video, and you will see it as well.

These AI-generated discussions are very impressive, and I feel like they set a new standard for AI tools.

To create a podcast from your notes, just click on the notebook guide; you can see the audio overview in the top right corner. If you click on the customize tab, you can ask AI to focus on specific parts when creating the podcast.

Once you have your instructions, you only need to click on the generate, and that’s it. It takes around 5 minutes, and NotebookLM will generate the audio summaries for you. I recommend you try this feature!

NotebookLM’s pricing

Google’s NotebooKLM is a completely free note-taking app. It is a pretty new project, and during my NotebookLM review, I did not find any information on whether they want to introduce paid plans in the future.

So, for now, you can enjoy all the features of NotebookLM for free!

NotebookLM user interface

NotebookLM offers a simple and intuitive interface. Once you understand how this AI-powered note-taking tool works, it will be easy to navigate its pages.

However, you need to keep in mind that it is not a regular note-taking app. So, when getting started with NotebookLM, you can not just simply start a blank notebook like with other note-taking apps. NotebookLM only works if you upload sources related to a topic.

Ultimately, NotebookLM offers an intuitive interface, and compared to more complex tools like Anytype, it’s easier to get started with – but in a very different way, since most of the heavy lifting is handled by AI.

NotebookLM pros and cons

Let’s see the pros and cons I discovered during my NotebookLM review!

NotebookLM’s pros

• First, NotebookLM provides you with reliable outputs, as it utilizes only the sources you upload. It also gives you citations when answering your questions, so you can always double-check where the answer is coming from.
• Secondly, NotebookLM’s audio overview feature is fantastic. It allows you to turn documents, videos, and webpages into a high-quality podcast.
• Thirdly, NotebookLM has solid features to help you understand and learn complex subjects faster. Using the briefs and study guides, you can digest documents pretty fast.
• Moreover, NotebookLM offers a reliable mobile app.
• Finally, it has a generous free plan.

NotebookLM’s cons

• What is missing for me is the customization options. For example, you can not personalize or connect the notes in your notebooks. Compared to other note-taking apps, you have zero opportunity to structure your notes.
• Furthermore, you can not connect your notebooks, as they work like different folders. So, each notebook is a separate entity, and you can not organize and connect them.
• Lastly, it does not offer a desktop version.

NotebookLM’s use cases

I think NotebookLM is great for educational purposes. It helps to effectively summarize learning materials, understand complex subjects, and create study guides quickly.

Also, if you are looking for a tool to create your own knowledge library, NotebookLM could be an excellent solution. You can create one notebook for one subject and include all the relevant information there.

Finally, the podcast feature is game-changing. Turning articles or notes into podcast-style discussions with realistic AI voices allows you to easily create new content from your previous content. For example, if you write an article and use the podcast feature, you can create a new piece of content in five minutes.

Editor’s pick for the best NotebookLM alternative

If you use MacOS and iOS, you definitely need to check out Elephas. It is an AI-powered assistant that helps you to create a smart knowledge base. Elephas supports 20+ file formats, from DocX, PDFs, Images, URLs, Audio files, and Web pages to YouTube videos. 

This way, you can store everything, including projects, clients, etc., and organize them into safe spaces. Thanks to its AI features, you can interact smoothly and effectively with this data, and it works like a personal ChatGPT that works from the uploaded files. 

With Elephas, you can ask questions about the uploaded files and gain insights from your data. Whenever it provides you with an answer, it uses references from your own data, so you can ensure it is 100% relevant to you.

Ultimately, Elephas helps you turn this fragmented information into actionable steps and offers a great knowledge management solution for MacOS and iOS users.

Other NotebookLM alternatives

Here are some other NotebookLM alternatives you should check:

NotebookLM vs alternatives

Notion VS NotebookLM

Compare Notion vs NotebookLM

Wrap-up: NoteBookLM review

Personally, I think NotebookLM is a great tool that created a new segment in the note-taking apps space.

During my NotebookLM review, I discovered it works totally different from other apps like Notion, Obsidian, Anytype, or Xtiles. None of those note-taking tools can offer capabilities similar to NotebookLM to quickly understand several articles, videos, and other documents.

Nevertheless, NotebookLM is not yet capable of working as a centralized note-taking app like Notion, where you can store, structure, and connect all your notes in one place.

Ultimately, while some people will love this tool, I do not think many will switch from their previous note-taking tools. Rather, they will probably use NotebookLM beside them.

Why you can trust our reviews

At thebusinessdive.com, our team tests, reviews, and compares hundreds of productivity apps every year — from project management tools to note-taking apps. We dive deep into real-world use cases to help you find the right tools that actually improve your workflow, not just add noise.

Our mission? No fluff, no shortcuts—just honest, hands-on insights from productivity pros.

Discover how we stay transparent, read our review methodology, and let us know about any tools we missed.

Frequently asked questions

What is NotebookLM good for?

NotebookLM is a fantastic tool for educational purposes and for creating your knowledge library. Also, you can use its podcast feature to create new content from your previous content.

How is NotebookLM different from ChatGPT?

NotebookLM serves different purposes than ChatGPT and works completely differently. While NotebookLM utilizes the information you uploaded to answer your queries, ChatGPT was trained on a massive amount of data collected from the internet.

What are the limitations of NotebookLM?

Based on my NotebookLM review, I found two major limitations of this note-taking app. First, you can not personalize or connect the notes in your notebooks. Second, you can not connect your notebooks, as they work like different folders.

Is there an alternative to NotebookLM?

Honestly, I think NotebookLM is quite a unique app in terms of features and use cases. However, there are many note-taking apps that you can try. I recommend trying Notion, Xtiles, AnyType, or Evernote, as they can be an ideal alternative to NotebookLM.

Can I upload a Google Doc as a source?

You can upload many formats, including Google Docs, from among the sources. You can also upload documents, web pages, and videos.

Aron Kantor

Hey there! I am Aron, the founder of Thebusinessdive. I have been testing productivity apps for almost three years now. I reach 25.000 -50.000 people monthly with the mission to help you find the perfect productivity apps. Subscribe to my YouTube channel, newsletter, and social media to hear more about the best productivity tools. Let’s dive in!

thebusinessdive.com

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