Bangle.io vs Tangent Notes
We give Bangle.io a 3.2 GPA and Tangent Notes a 3.4, out of 4.0. Tangent Notes grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Tangent Notes
Open-source Markdown notes app that maps the path between notes
Free
How we grade them
| 3.2GPABangle.ioVery good | 3.4GPATangent NotesVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source under AGPL-3.0, with no paid plan. The FAQ says the core product is planned to stay free, though optional paid add-on services may be considered later to fund the work. | AFree, and the site says it always will be. It's open source under the Apache 2.0 licence, with no paid version to buy. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app is free with no account, at app.bangle.io or installed as a Progressive Web App. Nothing is held back, because there's nothing to upgrade to. | AThe whole desktop app is free on Mac, Windows and Linux, with no account and no server. There's nothing to upgrade to. |
| Features | BA rich-text editor that shows formatting as you write while the files stay Markdown, plus folders, backlinks, split screen and tabs. Good basics. But no sync or backup is built in, and the FAQ points you to git for versions. | BSliding panels that keep your path, a map built from where you've been, Markdown styled as you type, wiki links with backlinks, nested tags and a query language whose queries you can save. A good set. But it's an open alpha, there's no built-in sync or collaboration, and export to HTML is still on the roadmap. |
| Ease of use | BWe have no store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. You open a web page, pick a folder and start writing. It works best in Chrome or Edge, and other browsers are steered to the installed version. | BNo rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Nearly every action has a shortcut you can change, with a command palette for the rest. Just remember the download page calls it an open alpha. |
| Platforms and integrations | CIt's a web app and that's it. No native desktop or mobile apps, and the listing shows no integrations. The desktop option is installing the web app as a PWA so it gets its own window. | BMac, Windows and Linux, with Linux builds on Flathub too. iOS and Android sit under "Much Later" on the roadmap. Syncing is up to you: the site points to Git, iCloud, Drive or Dropbox for the files. |
| Best for | editing a folder of Markdown notes in the browser | following links between Markdown notes without getting lost |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Bangle.io and Tangent Notes. How we grade
Where they differ
- Bangle.io is free. Tangent Notes is free.
- Only Bangle.io lists a web app.
- Only Tangent Notes lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
In commonFree planOpen sourceWorks offlineLocal-firstNotesMarkdownLinked notes
At a glance
| Bangle.io | Tangent Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free and open source under AGPL-3.0, with no sign-up. The FAQ says the core product is planned to stay free and that optional paid add-on services may be considered later. | The whole app is free. The site describes it as open source under the Apache 2.0 license and says it will always be free. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Bangle.io | Taylor Hadden |
| Price read from | bangle.io | tangentnotes.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Bangle.io
- Editing a folder of Markdown notes from the browser
- Writers who want rich-text editing with Markdown files on disk
- Trying a notes tool with no sign-up and nothing to install
Tangent Notes
- Writers who follow links from note to note and want to keep their place
- Obsidian users who want another editor for the same linked files
- People who want Markdown notes with no account or server
Worth knowing
Bangle.io
- It works best in browsers with the File System Access API, such as Chrome or Edge; other browsers are steered toward the installed PWA.
- There are no native desktop or mobile apps. The desktop option is installing the web app as a Progressive Web App.
- No sync or backup is built in. The FAQ leaves backups to your own routine and recommends git for versioned ones.
- The FAQ says optional paid add-on services may be considered in future to fund development.
Tangent Notes
- Desktop only: iOS and Android support is listed under "Much Later" on the roadmap.
- The download page calls the app an open alpha, and the roadmap says it is still in active development.
- There is no built-in sync or collaboration; the site points to Git, iCloud, Drive or Dropbox for syncing the files.
- Export to HTML or simplified Markdown is still on the roadmap.
Key features
Bangle.io
- Works on local Markdown files
- Notes are saved as plain Markdown files in a folder you pick on your computer, and the app reads and writes them there directly from the browser.
- WYSIWYG editor
- A rich-text interface in the style of Notion or Google Docs shows formatting as you write, while the files on disk stay in Markdown.
- Folders and backlinks
- Notes can be organized in folders, connected to one another with backlinks, or both.
- Offline web app
- Once loaded, the app keeps working without an internet connection, and installing it as a Progressive Web App gives a separate desktop-style window.
- Split screen and tabs
- Split-screen views and a multi-tab interface keep several notes open at the same time.
- No account, no tracking of notes
- There is nothing to sign up for or install. The privacy policy says no personal data is collected, with anonymous usage and diagnostic data going to Sentry and Cloudflare analytics.
Tangent Notes
- Thread View
- As you follow and create links, the notes behind you stay open as horizontally sliding panels, so you can move back and forth along the path you took.
- Map View
- A branching map of nodes and connections is built automatically from your writing and navigation, giving an overview of where you have been.
- Markdown styled as you type
- Markup is hidden once you move on and reappears when you return. Headers, highlights, lists, YAML front matter, LaTeX math, Mermaid diagrams and highlighted code blocks are supported.
- Wiki links and backlinks
- Double-bracket links connect notes by filename with autocomplete, and each note knows what links to it. Links in notes that come from Obsidian keep working.
- Tags, to-dos and queries
- Notes take nested tags and to-do checkboxes, and a custom query language finds notes by links, tags, to-dos or text. Queries can be saved and reused inside other queries.
- Keyboard control and focus mode
- Nearly every action has a customizable shortcut, with a command palette for the others. Focus mode narrows the view to one note, paragraph or sentence.
Plans
Bangle.io
Bangle.io$0
The full web app at app.bangle.io, used in the browser or installed as a Progressive Web App. No account is needed.
Tangent Notes
Tangent$0
The full desktop app for Mac, Windows and Linux, offered as an open alpha. Linux builds are also on Flathub.
