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Zim alternatives · Note-Taking

Alternatives to Zim with a one-time purchase

The Zim listing shows no one-time purchase. 46 of the 146 other note-taking apps in this directory can be bought with a one-time purchase.

Zim is free to use. 31 of them are free or have a free plan.

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

The 12 closest to Zim

  1. NoteCase Pro

    Cross-platform outliner and note manager with Lua scripting

    • NoteCase Pro starts at $5 one-time for Android; desktop licenses start at €7 one-time. Zim is free.
    • Only NoteCase Pro lists an Android app.
    • NoteCase Pro can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    • Zim is open source, according to its own site.
    NoteCase Pro vs ZimNoteCase Pro pricing and details

  2. Notebooks

    Writing, documents and tasks organized in nested books

    • Notebooks starts at $17.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $43.99 one-time for Mac. Zim is free.
    • Zim has a free plan. Notebooks does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Notebooks lists an iOS app.
    • Only Zim lists a Linux app.
    Notebooks pricing and details

  3. Octarine

    Local Markdown notes app with daily notes, views and optional AI

    • Octarine starts at $79 one-time purchase. Zim is free.
    • Only Octarine lists a browser extension.
    • Octarine can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    • Zim is open source, according to its own site.
    Octarine pricing and details

  4. GitJournal

    Mobile Markdown notes app that syncs through any Git repository

    • GitJournal starts at $1.99 per month in installments, or $31.99 one-time (US App Store minimums). Zim is free.
    • Only GitJournal lists Android and iOS apps.
    • Only Zim lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
    • GitJournal can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    GitJournal pricing and details

  5. MiaoYan

    Native Mac Markdown notes app with a split editor and preview

    • MiaoYan starts at $14.99 one-time purchase (App Store edition). Zim is free.
    • Only MiaoYan lists an iOS app.
    • Only Zim lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • MiaoYan can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    MiaoYan pricing and details

  6. MyInfo

    Offline note-taking and personal information manager for Windows

    • MyInfo starts at $99 one-time purchase, plus tax. Zim is free.
    • Zim has a free plan. MyInfo does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only MyInfo lists a browser extension.
    • Only Zim lists macOS and Linux apps.
    MyInfo pricing and details

  7. RightNote

    Windows note organizer with pages, trees and several note types

    • RightNote starts at $29.95 one-time purchase (Standard license). Zim is free.
    • Only Zim lists macOS and Linux apps.
    • RightNote can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    • Zim is open source, according to its own site.
    RightNote pricing and details

  8. DEVONthink

    Document and information manager for Mac, iPhone and iPad

    • DEVONthink starts at $99 one-time license, with 2 Mac seats and 1 year of updates. Zim is free.
    • Zim has a free plan. DEVONthink does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only DEVONthink lists a web app.
    • Only DEVONthink lists an iOS app.
    DEVONthink pricing and details

  9. Tinderbox

    Mac tool for mapping, analyzing and sharing notes

    • Tinderbox starts at $289 one-time license, with a year of free updates. Zim is free.
    • Zim has a free plan. Tinderbox does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Zim lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • Tinderbox can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Tinderbox pricing and details

  10. FSNotes

    Open-source Markdown notes app for Mac and iPhone

    • FSNotes starts at $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $8.99 one-time for Mac. Zim is free.
    • Only FSNotes lists an iOS app.
    • Only Zim lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • FSNotes can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    FSNotes pricing and details

  11. The Archive

    Plain-text note-taking app for Mac built around Zettelkasten

    • The Archive starts at $19.99 one-time purchase. Zim is free.
    • Zim has a free plan. The Archive does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Zim lists Windows and Linux apps.
    • The Archive can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    The Archive pricing and details

  12. NotePlus

    Native Markdown notes app with kanban boards and AI chat

    • NotePlus starts at $29 one-time purchase (Basic license, 1 computer). Zim is free.
    • Only NotePlus lists an iOS app.
    • Only Zim lists a Linux app.
    • NotePlus can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    NotePlus pricing and details

34 more that can be bought with a one-time purchase

All 46 in one table

Common questions

Is there an alternative to Zim that you buy once?

Yes. NoteCase Pro, Notebooks, Octarine, GitJournal, MiaoYan, MyInfo, RightNote, DEVONthink and 38 more can be bought with a one-time purchase.

Can you buy Zim once instead of subscribing?

The Zim listing shows no one-time purchase. The listing was checked on Oct 9, 2026 against the pages it cites.

Which of these note-taking apps are free?

NoteCase Pro, Octarine, GitJournal, MiaoYan, RightNote, FSNotes, NotePlus, AllMyNotes Organizer and 23 more are free or have a free plan.

When was this checked?

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

This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to Zim: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.