FSNotes vs nvALT (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FSNotes grades higher than nvALT: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
FSNotes grades higher on features and platforms. nvALT grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
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
nvALT
Free keyboard-driven Mac notes app with plain-text Markdown files
Free
Which one is for you
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
Pick nvALT if
- Fits if you want quick plain-text notes on a Mac, driven from the keyboard
- Works for people who already use Simplenote
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows, a phone or a browser, as it is Mac only
- Tight if you sync through Dropbox: the app warns against that while Simplenote sync is on
- Watch out: a new major version opens with default settings, so sync and the notes folder must be picked again
- Watch out: the author describes nvUltra as the app that follows nvALT
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAFSNotesVery good | 2.8GPAnvALTGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | AFree, with no paid plan listed on its project page. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | AFree outright, with no paid tier and no cap shown on the project page. |
| Features | 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. | CSearch-first entry, plain-text files, Markdown preview, web clipping and Simplenote sync. The listing's gaps: sync is Simplenote only and the author points to a successor. |
| Ease of use | 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. | BNo store rating on record. You download it and start typing in the search field. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | DMac only, needing macOS 12 or later. No Windows, mobile or web version. |
| Best for | Markdown notes as plain files on a Mac | keyboard-driven plain-text notes 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: FSNotes and nvALT. How we grade
Where they differ
- FSNotes is open source, according to its own site.
- FSNotes can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- nvALT also covers web clipper.
In commonFree planmacOSLocal-firstKeyboard-firstNotesMarkdown
At a glance
| FSNotes | nvALT | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $8.99 one-time for Mac | Free |
| Free plan | 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. | NvALT is free, with no paid plans listed. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Oleksandr Hlushchenko | Brett Terpstra |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | brettterpstra.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
nvALT
- nvALT 3 requires macOS 12 or later; there is no Windows, mobile or web version.
- Sync is through Simplenote only, and the app warns if notes sit in Dropbox while Simplenote sync is on.
- A first launch of a new major version opens with default settings, so sync and notes folder must be chosen again.
- The author describes nvUltra as the app he is building to follow nvALT.
Key features
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.
nvALT
- Search-first note entry
- One field searches and creates: typing filters the list, and a title with no match becomes a new note on Return.
- Plain-text files
- New libraries are a folder of Markdown files, and tags are written to them as Finder tags.
- Apex Markdown preview
- Previews combine CommonMark, GitHub Flavored Markdown, MultiMarkdown and Kramdown syntax, with themes for editor and preview.
- Web clipping
- Safari extension ships inside the app; Chrome, Brave, Firefox and Zen extensions are installed separately.
- Simplenote sync
- Sync runs through Simplenote and is set up in the Synchronization tab of the notes settings.
Plans
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.
nvALT
nvALT$0
Free download; the project page says it is free and shows no paid tier.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FSNotes or nvALT?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FSNotes starts at $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $8.99 one-time for Mac, and nvALT is free.
Which has a free plan, FSNotes or nvALT?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both FSNotes and nvALT have a free plan.
Which platforms do FSNotes and nvALT run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, 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.