Paste lecture notes, a textbook excerpt, or class content and Scholarly organizes it into study notes with summaries, key points, and examples. Free on this page with no account.
A study notes generator turns raw text into organized notes. Scholarly's runs on this page with no account: paste a lecture, reading, or your rough notes, choose detailed, outline, Cornell, or mind-map format, then copy the result or download it as Markdown. PDFs, audio, and video go through the Scholarly app instead, where a free account has lifetime limits.
Used by 200,000+ learners and professionals worldwide
Direct answer
Is this study notes generator free, and what does it make?
Yes. Using the generator here costs nothing and needs no account. Paste your text, pick a format, and the AI returns organized notes with headings, key terms in bold, and summaries you can copy or download.
Cost and sign-up: No account or credit card for this page. A free Scholarly account is optional and has lifetime limits: 1 AI creation, 1 upload, and 1 recording.
What goes in: Pasted text only. Lecture notes, textbook passages, articles, and transcripts all work, and up to 140,000 characters are used. Files, audio, and video need the app.
What comes out: Notes in detailed, outline, Cornell, or mind-map structure, with key points and examples switched on or off. You can copy them or download a .md file.
The catch: Nothing is saved, and signing up does not carry your notes across. It is also AI output, so check facts, examples, and memory aids against your source.
If your material is already text, you can generate your notes here right now. If it is a file or a recording, the app is the better route.
Updated November 2026
Try it now
Create Your Study Notes
Paste your content below and select your preferred note format.
Your text is sent to Scholarly's AI to write the notes. Nothing is saved on this page.
How it works
From raw material to study-ready notes
01
Step 1: Paste Content
Input your text, lecture notes, or any content you want to transform into study notes.
02
Step 2: AI Creation
Our AI analyzes your content and creates organized, comprehensive study notes.
03
Step 3: Study & Learn
Review your notes, then copy them or download a Markdown file.
Example output
See What Your Study Notes Look Like
Scholarly creates notes that are structured for review, not just a short summary. Each output highlights the main idea, key details, examples, and points to review.
Looking for a full exam-prep document with key terms and review questions instead of notes? Try the study guide generator - same source, a more complete study-guide format.
Illustrative example
Biology lecture notes
Cellular respiration converts glucose into ATP through glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.
Glycolysis happens in the cytoplasm.
The Krebs cycle releases electron carriers.
The electron transport chain produces most ATP.
Illustrative example
History textbook section
The Treaty of Versailles reshaped Europe after World War I and created political and economic pressure in Germany.
Germany accepted war guilt.
Reparations created economic strain.
Territorial changes weakened postwar stability.
Illustrative example
Psychology reading
Memory consolidation is the process of stabilizing new information so it can be retrieved later.
Sleep supports consolidation.
Retrieval practice strengthens recall.
Spacing improves long-term retention.
Worked example
One passage in all four note formats
These samples are hand-written to show how the formats differ. The format you pick is an instruction to the AI, not a fixed template, so layout and headings can vary from run to run.
The passage
Price elasticity of demand measures how much the quantity people buy changes when the price changes. It equals the percent change in quantity divided by the percent change in price. If the absolute value is above 1, demand is elastic. Below 1, it is inelastic. Gasoline is often inelastic in the short run because drivers cannot change their habits quickly. A restaurant meal is usually more elastic because people can cook at home instead.
Detailed Notes
Best when you will reread the notes more than once.
Main idea: quantity bought responds to price, and elasticity measures by how much.
Key term: price elasticity of demand, the percent change in quantity divided by the percent change in price.
Example: gasoline is often inelastic in the short run because habits change slowly.
Review point: why are restaurant meals usually more elastic than gasoline?
Outline Format
Best for seeing the order of a topic at a glance.
I. Definition: response of quantity to price
II. Formula: percent change in quantity / percent change in price
III. Categories: A. Elastic, above 1. B. Inelastic, below 1
IV. Examples: A. Gasoline. B. Restaurant meals
Cornell Notes
Best for testing yourself by covering the answers.
Cue: What does elasticity measure?
Note: how much quantity bought changes when price changes.
Cue: When is demand elastic?
Summary: elasticity above 1 means buyers react strongly, and having substitutes usually makes that more likely.
Mind Map Structure
Best for grouping ideas before you learn the details.
Center: price elasticity of demand
Branch: formula, quantity change over price change
Branch: elastic, such as restaurant meals
Branch: inelastic, such as gasoline in the short run
What goes in, what comes out
What to paste and what you get back
Paste these
Your rough lecture notes, even with shorthand and gaps.
A textbook section or article you can select and copy.
A meeting, lecture, or video transcript you already have.
Training or work documents you need to learn from.
This page cannot take a file, a photo of a whiteboard, or an audio clip. Those go through the app.
The AI is asked to include
A hierarchy of main topics and subtopics, in Markdown headings.
Key concepts and definitions in bold, with important facts and figures.
Examples and applications, if you leave that option on.
Memory aids where they fit, tables for comparisons, and a summary for each section.
Possible exam questions or review points to finish on.
Honest limits
Where this generator falls short
It is a quick way to organize text. These are the things to plan around.
Very long pastes are sampled. Over 140,000 characters, the AI sees three excerpts from the beginning, middle, and end, not the whole text. Split long material into chapters.
It can add things your class did not cover. Memory aids, examples, and possible exam questions are written by the AI. They are not a prediction of your exam, so compare them with your source.
Results disappear. There is no history on this page, and creating an account does not transfer the notes. Copy or download before you navigate away.
The download is Markdown only. You get a .md file, and Copy gives you the same Markdown source. There is no PDF or Word export here, so expect to tidy symbols like # and ** in editors that do not convert them.
The mind-map format is text. It gives you an indented structure, not a picture. For a drawn map, use the Mind Map creator in the app.
The model is built for speed. Public tools run on a fast, low-cost AI model, and you cannot change it here. Paid plans can choose among more models in the app.
This page or the app: which route fits your material
Both routes are free to start. They take different inputs and give back different things.
Question
This page
Scholarly app
What you give it
Pasted text. Up to 140,000 characters are read in full.
A PDF, Word or PowerPoint file, an audio or video file, a YouTube or web link, or pasted text.
Account
None.
A free account, no credit card.
What you get back
Markdown notes in detailed, outline, Cornell, or mind-map structure.
A typeset Summary: a section per topic, key terms, worked examples, and a closing study guide with questions and answers.
Live lecture
Not available.
Record in the browser and get a transcript with notes, with no AI Creation Credit used. Free includes 1 recording of up to 60 minutes, lifetime.
How long it takes
Written while you wait on the page.
A Summary usually takes 5 to 11 minutes, and you can leave the page.
Is it saved?
No. Copy or download before you leave.
Yes, in your account.
Cost
Free. A shared limit of 50 requests per 15 minutes applies.
Free: 1 lifetime AI Creation and 1 upload (8 MB, first 32 PDF pages). Premium: 15 AI Creation Credits a week.
Export
Copy, or download a .md file.
PDF, Word, or PowerPoint download on paid plans.
App limits checked November 2026.
Is it the right tool?
When to use the study notes generator
Best for
Students cleaning up messy class notes into something worth reviewing.
Exam and certification candidates organizing one chapter or section at a time.
Professionals condensing a report, manual, or transcript they need to know.
Trying Cornell or outline format without building the layout by hand.
Not for
A single exam-prep document with key terms and review questions across a whole unit. For that, use the Study Guide Generator.
Seeing how ideas relate rather than listing them. For that, use the Concept Map Generator.
Formatting the sources behind your notes. For that, use the Citation Generator.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free AI note generator with no sign-up?
Yes, this one. You can paste text and generate notes with no account or credit card, and the shared limit is 50 requests per 15 minutes per connection across Scholarly's public tools. The catch is that it works on pasted text only and nothing is saved, so copy or download your notes before you leave.
What types of content can I convert to study notes?
On this page you paste text: lecture notes, textbook passages, article text, or a transcript. To work from the file itself, such as a PDF or a recording, use the Scholarly app, where a free account includes 1 upload (8 MB, first 32 PDF pages) and 1 AI creation, both lifetime.
Can AI make Cornell notes from my lecture notes?
Yes. Paste your notes, choose Cornell Notes from the format menu, and generate. The AI is asked for Cornell format, typically cue questions, matching notes, and a summary. The format is an instruction rather than a locked template, so the layout can vary. You get text to copy, not a printable two-column sheet.
How do I turn a PDF into study notes?
Open the PDF, select the pages you need, copy the text, and paste it here. If the PDF is a scan with no selectable text, this page cannot read it. To work from the file itself, upload it in the Scholarly app and create notes from it there. Free accounts get one upload up to 8 MB, the first 32 PDF pages, and one AI Creation, all lifetime. Viewing is included, but downloads need a paid plan.
Can I generate study notes from a PDF or lecture?
Yes, in two ways. If you can select the text in your PDF or have the lecture transcript, paste it here. To use the file itself, or an audio or video lecture, go through the Scholarly app, which reads PDFs and transcribes recordings. A free account gets 1 upload (8 MB, first 32 PDF pages), 1 recording of up to 60 minutes with notes included, and 1 AI Creation, all lifetime.
Can it make notes from a YouTube video or a recording?
Not on this page, unless you already have the transcript to paste. In the Scholarly app you can record or upload audio and get a transcript with notes, and you can add a YouTube link as a source. Free includes 1 recording of up to 60 minutes, which uses no AI Creation Credit. It does not reset.
Can AI listen to a lecture and take notes for me?
Yes, in the Scholarly app, not on this page. Start a recording in your browser during the lecture, with the lecturer's permission, and when you stop, Scholarly transcribes the audio and writes notes organized by topic. A recording with notes uses no AI Creation Credit. Free includes 1 recording of up to 60 minutes in total, and Premium includes 20 recordings a week of up to 10 hours each. If you already have an audio file, upload it and create a Summary from it, which uses an AI Creation Credit.
How are the notes organized?
The AI is asked for a hierarchy of main topics and subtopics under Markdown headings, key terms and definitions in bold, bullet points for lists, tables for comparisons, a summary at the end of each section, and review questions to finish on. The format you choose (detailed, outline, Cornell, or mind map) changes the layout, not the content it covers.
Can it summarize my notes instead of expanding them?
Yes. Choose Outline Format and switch off Include Examples for the shortest result. Every format is asked to end each section with summary points, so you get a condensed version of what you pasted. If you need everything on one or two pages, the cheat sheet maker is the better tool.
How do I take reading notes on a textbook chapter with AI?
Work one section at a time. Copy a section of the chapter (up to 140,000 characters is read in full, roughly 20,000 words), paste it here, and choose Cornell Notes if you plan to quiz yourself or Detailed Notes if you plan to reread. Then read the output against the chapter and fix anything the AI added that is not in your book. For the whole chapter as a file, use the app route in the table above.
How much text can I paste into the study notes generator?
Up to 140,000 characters are used. Past that, the tool does not read everything: it sends three evenly sized excerpts from the beginning, middle, and end of your text, so sections between them are skipped. If you are working through a whole book, paste one chapter at a time. You will get better notes that way too.
Can I download or print my study notes?
You can download a Markdown (.md) file or copy the notes to your clipboard. There is no PDF, Word, or print button on this page. Copying gives you the Markdown source, so an editor that does not convert it will show symbols like # and **. Clear those, then print from your document.
Are my notes saved anywhere?
No. The result exists only on this page until you leave or reload it, and creating an account will not recover it. Copy or download it first. If you want notes stored with their source, create them inside the Scholarly app.
What's the difference between study notes and a study guide?
Study notes condense and organize a single source into a clean record you can review - summaries, key points, examples. A study guide is a broader, exam-focused document that adds key-term definitions and review questions across all your material. Use the study notes generator to capture each lecture or reading, then build a full Summary when it's time to prep for the exam.
Will AI notes replace taking my own notes?
They work better as a cleanup step than a replacement. Writing during a lecture makes you decide what matters, and pasting those rough notes here gives you an organized version to review. Read the output against your original, since the AI can add examples, memory aids, and exam-style questions that were not in your class.
Pasting text here costs nothing and needs no account. Sign up for PDFs, recordings, and more study tools: Free includes 1 AI creation, 1 upload (8 MB, first 32 PDF pages), and 1 recording, all lifetime.
Free makes a lecture of about 2 minutes in 720p with the Scholarly logo, to watch in Scholarly. Premium and Laureate make lectures up to 45 minutes in 1080p that you can download as an MP4, with the logo off if you choose.
With the Scholarly logo, to watch in Scholarly. Podcasts of about 2 min.
1 free AI Creation Credit total
2 lifetime images · Beta
100 lifetime AI Chat messages
1 free file upload total (8MB)
AI Meeting Notes: 1 meeting total, no reset, up to 60 minutes, notes included
5 lifetime quiz questions
1 completed practice exam total
5 lifetime voice minutes
32-page PDF to flashcards
500 lifetime autocomplete words
Use it to generate flashcards, improve a deck, or create a podcast, video lecture, slides, infographic, mind map, Summary, worksheet, spreadsheet, story book, timeline, SOP, flowchart, lesson plan, or outline - or run Deep Research. A meeting recorded with it comes with its transcript and AI Meeting Notes.
Pricing shown in USD by default. Local currency may be available in app or at checkout.
Compare plans
Image creation · Beta
Shared across Image Studio and chat. Separate from AI Creation Credits. Free images are lifetime and do not reset. Paid allowances reset weekly without rollover. Limits may change during beta.
Free
2 lifetime
Premium
40/week
Laureate
80/week
AI chat
Premium and Laureate include unlimited AI chat on Auto. Chat starts on Best, and premium models such as GPT 6.1 Sol, Claude Sonnet 5.5, and Claude Opus 5.5 draw on a weekly premium usage allowance; when it runs out, chat keeps going on Auto until it resets. Chat never spends AI Creation Credits.
Free
100 total
Premium
Unlimited
Laureate
Unlimited
Premium chat models (Best)
Chat answers on Best, the strongest model, by default. Premium models draw on a weekly allowance that resets every Monday at 00:00 UTC; long threads, large files, background tasks, and Claude Opus 5.5 use it faster. When it runs out, chat keeps going on Auto until the reset.
Free
Not included
Premium
Weekly usage
Laureate
4× weekly usage
AI Creation Credits
AI Creation Credits cover videos, slides, documents, and other AI creations. Most models use 1 credit, a few use 2, and Frontier models use 2, 3, or 4. Image Studio and chat images have a separate weekly allowance.
Free
1 total
Premium
15/week
Laureate
80/week
Podcast length
Free episodes are about 2 minutes. Paid plans can set a target length up to 60 minutes.
Free
About 2 minutes
Premium
Up to 60 minutes
Laureate
Up to 60 minutes
Video lecture length
Free lectures with a length control are about 2 minutes. Paid plans can set a target up to 45 minutes. Short uses its own short video format.
Free
About 2 minutes
Premium
Up to 45 minutes
Laureate
Up to 45 minutes
Video lecture resolution
Free
720p
Premium
1080p
Laureate
1080p
Download lectures as MP4
Free
-
Premium
Included
Laureate
Included
Scholarly logo on lectures
Free
Always on
Premium
Your choice
Laureate
Your choice
File uploads
Free
1 total (8MB)
Premium
Unlimited (300MB)
Laureate
Unlimited (1 GB each)
PDF to flashcards
Free
32 pages
Premium
1000 pages
Laureate
3000 pages
Sources per creation
Free
Up to 1
Premium
Up to 10
Laureate
Up to 20
Practice questions
Free
5 total
Premium
Unlimited
Laureate
Unlimited
Practice exams
Free
1 total
Premium
Unlimited
Laureate
Unlimited
Voice mode
Free
5 min total
Premium
2 hr/day
Laureate
12 hr/day
Autocomplete
Free
500 words total
Premium
Unlimited
Laureate
Unlimited
Export to Anki
Free
-
Premium
Included
Laureate
Included
Support
Free
Standard
Premium
Priority
Laureate
Priority
Feature
Free
Premium
Laureate
Image creation · Beta
2 lifetime
40/week
80/week
AI chat
100 total
Unlimited
Unlimited
Premium chat models (Best)
Not included
Weekly usage
4× weekly usage
AI Creation Credits
1 total
15/week
80/week
Podcast length
About 2 minutes
Up to 60 minutes
Up to 60 minutes
Video lecture length
About 2 minutes
Up to 45 minutes
Up to 45 minutes
Video lecture resolution
720p
1080p
1080p
Download lectures as MP4
-
Included
Included
Scholarly logo on lectures
Always on
Your choice
Your choice
File uploads
1 total (8MB)
Unlimited (300MB)
Unlimited (1 GB each)
PDF to flashcards
32 pages
1000 pages
3000 pages
Sources per creation
Up to 1
Up to 10
Up to 20
Practice questions
5 total
Unlimited
Unlimited
Practice exams
1 total
Unlimited
Unlimited
Voice mode
5 min total
2 hr/day
12 hr/day
Autocomplete
500 words total
Unlimited
Unlimited
Export to Anki
-
Included
Included
Support
Standard
Priority
Priority
What customers say
Scholarly has enhanced the quality of notes and questions I administer to my tutees. Insightful, to the point.
TD Georgas
Tutor
I have very good experience with Scholarly it summarize me scientific text in hovel academic level with citation. I use this for any therapeutic area . It is great and useful tool.
Diana
Scholarly user
Scholarly has been a valuable tool for my studies. The AI-generated flashcards and intuitive features make organizing and retaining information much easier.
Briana
Scholarly user
This app is great for studying for big test. Drop your PDF's in the system and it'll do the trick. You can organize it specifically for your needs.
Kelvin
Scholarly user
Your questions, answered
Is Scholarly free to use?
Yes! The free plan includes core study tools with lifetime allowances: 100 AI Chat messages, 500 autocomplete words, 5 quiz questions, 5 voice minutes, 1 practice exam, one free AI Creation Credit total, and 1 file upload. These allowances do not reset. Image Studio and chat also share 2 lifetime images during beta; this separate Free allowance does not reset and may change. Upgrade to Premium for 15 AI Creation Credits per week and unlimited uploads.
What uses my free AI Creation Credits?
AI Creation Credits are shared across flashcards, podcasts, videos, slides, AI Documents, Deep Research, and the Transcribe tool. The selected model determines the credit cost. Recording a meeting does not use an AI Creation Credit. Transcript and notes are included, up to 10 hours on paid plans.
Can I cancel anytime?
Absolutely. There are no contracts or commitments. You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings, and you'll keep access until the end of your billing period.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept all major credit and debit cards through Stripe. Pricing is displayed in USD by default, but local currency is available in the app.
Can I use Scholarly with a class or school?
Yes. For a school or organization-wide rollout, contact us at hello@scholarly.so and we'll help you find the right setup.
What happens when I hit a free plan limit?
You'll see a prompt to upgrade. Your existing work is never lost - limits only apply to new actions. Most Free allowances are lifetime limits. The separate beta image allowance includes 2 lifetime images on Free with no reset, 40 per week on Premium, and 80 per week on Laureate. Limits may change during beta. Premium includes 15 AI Creation Credits per week, podcasts up to 60 minutes, video lectures up to 45 minutes, unlimited uploads, chat, autocomplete, quizzes, and exams, plus more daily voice time.
