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Alternatives · Note-Taking

Linwood Butterfly alternatives

Linwood Butterfly compared with 5 alternatives: Xournal++, Rnote, Saber, Stylus Labs Write and Microsoft OneNote.

Linwood Butterfly is free to use. All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.

5 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
Linwood ButterflyThis toolFreeFreeWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, Android
Xournal++FreeFreemacOS, Windows, Linux
RnoteFreeFreemacOS, Windows, Linux
SaberFree plan · from $5/moYesmacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Stylus Labs WriteFree plan · from $8.99 one-timeYesmacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Microsoft OneNoteFree plan · from $9.99/moYesWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension

How each one differs from Linwood Butterfly

  1. Xournal++

    Open-source handwriting notes and PDF annotation for desktop

    • Xournal++ is free. Linwood Butterfly is free.
    • Only Linwood Butterfly lists a web app.
    • Only Linwood Butterfly lists an Android app.
    • Linwood Butterfly is self-hostable, according to its own site.
    • Linwood Butterfly also covers whiteboard and templates.

    Suits: Handwritten notes with a stylus or drawing tablet on a computer

    Xournal++ vs Linwood ButterflyXournal++ pricing and details

  2. Rnote

    Open-source app for sketching and handwritten notes with a stylus

    • Rnote is free. Linwood Butterfly is free.
    • Only Linwood Butterfly lists a web app.
    • Only Linwood Butterfly lists an Android app.
    • Linwood Butterfly is self-hostable, according to its own site.
    • Linwood Butterfly also covers whiteboard and templates.

    Suits: Students and teachers who write by hand with a stylus or drawing tablet

    Rnote vs Linwood ButterflyRnote pricing and details

  3. Saber

    Open-source handwritten notes app for phones, tablets and PCs

    • Saber starts at Any amount per month for 10 GB of sync storage; $5 per month for 50 GB. Linwood Butterfly is free.
    • Only Saber lists an iOS app.
    • Only Linwood Butterfly lists a web app.
    • Linwood Butterfly also covers whiteboard and templates.

    Suits: Students and others who take notes by hand on a tablet

    Saber vs Linwood ButterflySaber pricing and details

  4. Stylus Labs Write

    Open-source handwriting word processor for desktop and mobile

    • Stylus Labs Write starts at $8.99 one-time for the full iOS version; free on desktop and Android. Linwood Butterfly is free.
    • Only Stylus Labs Write lists an iOS app.
    • Only Linwood Butterfly lists a web app.
    • Linwood Butterfly is self-hostable, according to its own site.
    • Linwood Butterfly also covers templates.

    Suits: People who take handwritten notes on both a tablet and a desktop computer

    Stylus Labs Write vs Linwood ButterflyStylus Labs Write pricing and details

  5. Microsoft OneNote

    Microsoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes

    • Microsoft OneNote starts at $9.99 per month, or $99.99 per year (Microsoft 365 Personal). Linwood Butterfly is free.
    • Only Microsoft OneNote lists an iOS app.
    • Only Microsoft OneNote lists a browser extension.
    • Only Linwood Butterfly lists a Linux app.
    • Linwood Butterfly is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.

    Suits: People who already have a Microsoft account or a Microsoft 365 subscription

    Microsoft OneNote vs Linwood ButterflyMicrosoft OneNote pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in Linwood Butterfly

  • iOS is a preview only: an unsigned IPA that has to be sideloaded with AltStore or Sideloadly, and it is not on the App Store.
  • There is no hosted sync service. Remote storage supports only WebDAV, and it is not available in the web version.
  • Collaboration is experimental and has to be switched on with an experiment flag.
  • The web app performs better in Chromium-based browsers; the docs say Firefox and Safari lack the WebAssembly features it uses.
Linwood Butterfly pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to Linwood Butterfly?

The alternatives to Linwood Butterfly in this directory are Xournal++, Rnote, Saber, Stylus Labs Write and Microsoft OneNote. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Linwood Butterfly.

Is there a free alternative to Linwood Butterfly?

Yes. Xournal++ and Rnote are free to use. Saber, Stylus Labs Write and Microsoft OneNote have a free plan alongside paid ones.

Which Linwood Butterfly alternatives work on iOS?

The Linwood Butterfly listing does not include an iOS app. Saber, Stylus Labs Write and Microsoft OneNote list one.

When were these prices checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.

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