Foam vs FSNotes (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, FSNotes grades higher than Foam: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Foam grades higher on the free plan. FSNotes grades higher on features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FSNotes
Open-source Markdown notes app for Mac and iPhone
Free plan · from $4.99 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick Foam if
- Fits if you already live in VS Code and keep notes as Markdown files
- Works for people who want notes in Git with no vendor lock-in
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a phone app, as there isn't one
- Not for you if you don't use VS Code, since it runs only inside that editor
- Watch out: it is a code editor with notes added, which is heavy for a quick shopping list
- Watch out: it sends anonymous usage data and follows VS Code's telemetry setting
Pick FSNotes if
- Fits if you want your notes as plain Markdown files you can open in anything
- Works for keyboard users who liked Notational Velocity
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, as it runs on Apple platforms only
- Not for you if you sync with Dropbox, WebDAV or Google Drive, since the iOS app only does iCloud Drive
- Too light for iPad-first people, because the iPad build has no full keyboard shortcuts or multiple windows
- Watch out: the Mac and iPhone apps are separate purchases, and the free GitHub build misses App Store automatic updates
- Tight if you're on iPhone and paying nothing, as the iOS app is $4.99 with no free route
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAFoamGood | 3.0GPAFSNotesVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source with no subscription. You also need VS Code, which the docs call free. | A$8.99 once for the Mac app and $4.99 once for iPhone and iPad, with no subscription anywhere. The two together cost less than two months of this category's $6 middle. They are separate purchases, mind. |
| Free plan and trial | AEverything is free, with no plan limits and no paid tier. | BThe code is MIT and every GitHub release carries a free build of the whole Mac app, which Homebrew will install for you, so one person could live on it for nothing. You lose App Store automatic updates, and the iPhone app has no free route at all. |
| Features | CWikilinks, backlinks, a graph view, daily notes, templates and Git-based sync. It has no mobile app, and the docs offer capture from a phone only as a workaround through other apps. | BMarkdown files any editor can open, instant search built for more than 10,000 of them, double-bracket links, tags, AES-256 on single notes or whole folders, optional Git history and backups, Mermaid and MathJax. The personal notes job, covered. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. You install VS Code and the extension, and it works as plain files and commands, which suits developers more than most note-takers. | BNo store rating on record, so we go by the listing: no account to make, point it at a folder and type. It's built around Notational Velocity-style shortcuts, which are quick once your fingers know them. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac, Windows and Linux desktops only, through VS Code. A command-line tool with an MCP server exists, but nothing for phones or the web. | COne family of devices: Mac and iPhone, synced through iCloud Drive, with Git if you want it. No Windows, Android or web version, no Dropbox or Google Drive sync on iOS, and the iPad build has no full keyboard shortcuts or multiple windows. |
| Best for | linked Markdown notes inside VS Code | Markdown notes as plain files on a Mac |
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: Foam and FSNotes. How we grade
Where they differ
- FSNotes can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Foam also covers linked notes, daily notes and templates.
- FSNotes also covers notes.
In commonFree planmacOSOpen sourceMarkdown
At a glance
| Foam | FSNotes | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $8.99 one-time for Mac |
| Free plan | Everything is free; the project says it has no subscriptions. | The source code is free under the MIT license, and each release on GitHub includes a free build of the Mac app. The iPhone and iPad app is sold only through the App Store. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Foam | Oleksandr Hlushchenko |
| Price read from | docs.foam.md | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Foam
- It runs inside VS Code, so you install the editor as well as the extension.
- The docs describe mobile capture as a workaround through other apps; there is no Foam mobile app.
- It collects anonymous usage data and follows VS Code's telemetry setting.
FSNotes
- It runs on Apple platforms only, and the Mac and iPhone apps are separate purchases on the App Store.
- The iOS app syncs through iCloud Drive only; Dropbox, WebDAV and Google Drive sync are not available.
- The iPad build lacks dedicated iPad features such as full keyboard shortcuts and multiple windows; development focuses on macOS and iPhone.
- The free Mac build comes from GitHub releases or Homebrew; the site names the App Store apps as the official stable releases with automatic updates.
Key features
Foam
- Wikilinks and backlinks
- Link notes with double brackets; a Connections panel shows what links to the current note.
- Graph view
- Visualize how your notes connect to one another.
- Daily notes and templates
- Create timestamped daily notes and standard note templates.
- Plain Markdown files
- Notes are ordinary Markdown files you own, with embeds, block anchors, tags and footnotes.
- Git and publishing
- Sync through source control and publish to GitHub Pages, Netlify, Vercel and other hosts.
- Command line and MCP server
- A CLI includes an MCP server for AI clients; it is read-only unless writes are allowed.
FSNotes
- Plain Markdown files
- Notes are GitHub Flavored Markdown or plain text files in folders you choose, readable in any other editor. Images and attachments can sit in TextBundle containers.
- Keyboard-centric and fast
- Notational Velocity-inspired controls and shortcuts, instant search and a two-pane view, built to stay smooth with more than 10,000 files.
- iCloud Drive sync
- The same folders and notes, including pinned notes, stay available on a Mac and an iPhone through iCloud Drive.
- Git versioning and backups
- Optional Git integration makes scheduled commits, shows note history and can push to or pull from a remote repository.
- Encrypted notes and folders
- Individual notes or whole folders can be protected with AES-256 encryption and unlocked with Touch ID.
- Links, tags and rich Markdown
- Cross-note links in double brackets, tags, syntax highlighting for more than 30 programming languages, and Mermaid and MathJax rendering.
Plans
Foam
Foam$0
Free, open-source VS Code extension. You also need VS Code, which the docs call free.
FSNotes
GitHub release$0
A zip of the Mac app posted with each release on GitHub, also installable through Homebrew. The site points to the App Store for automatic updates.
FSNotes for iOS$4.99
one-time purchase (US App Store)
The iPhone and iPad app, with iCloud Drive sync, encrypted notes and folders, tags and Git integration. Requires iOS 18.0 or later.
FSNotes for Mac$8.99
one-time purchase (US Mac App Store)
The Mac app, updated automatically through the Mac App Store. Requires macOS 12.4 or later.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Foam or FSNotes?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Foam is free, and FSNotes starts at $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $8.99 one-time for Mac.
Which has a free plan, Foam or FSNotes?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Foam and FSNotes have a free plan.
Which platforms do Foam and FSNotes run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Foam lists Windows and Linux apps and only FSNotes lists an iOS app. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.