Bamboo Paper for Windows

Rekindle the traditional sketchbook experience

Miss the tactile sensation of writing and drawing on real paper? Bamboo Paper brings a digital imitation of notebooks and sketchpads to your phone or tablet. It aims to reproduce the look and texture of paper while providing tools for note-taking, sketching and light painting.

Key capabilities and creative tools

Bamboo Paper includes a range of simulated stationery options — different notebook covers, paper styles, colors and textures — so your digital pages can resemble a real pad. You can insert photos into a page, use multiple pen and brush presets, and apply strokes that mimic oil or pastel when used with compatible styluses. The app also offers sharing and cloud connectivity: export or sync pages to services like Dropbox and Evernote, or publish work to social networks.

When it performs best

The app is optimized for tablets and pen input (it specifically complements Bamboo and Wacom styluses). With a proper stylus you’ll get much closer to precise lines, controlled curves and richer brush effects. Touch-only input (fingers) works for casual doodles, but accuracy and fine detail suffer compared with a stylus.

Limitations to be aware of

• No native support for importing or exporting PDFs, so annotating existing PDFs or sending notes as PDF files isn’t possible.
• Pages can be accidentally turned by swiping while drawing; there’s no built-in toggle to lock page-turning during editing.
• Some brush effects are tuned for styluses with different tip types, so their full realism may not show up with generic pens or finger input.

Recommended alternative

If you want another free option, consider Plumbago — a suggested alternative that also focuses on delivering a paper-like note and sketch experience.

Summary judgment

Bamboo Paper is a visually attractive, well-organized app that does a credible job of imitating the pen-and-paper workflow on a screen. For anyone seeking a nostalgic sketchbook feel and who can use a tablet with a stylus, it’s a strong choice; however, shortcomings like the lack of PDF handling and accidental swipes may frustrate power users.