FSNotes vs SnippetsLab (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FSNotes grades higher than SnippetsLab: 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. SnippetsLab 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
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 SnippetsLab if
- Fits if you write code on a Mac and want snippets in one searchable place
- Works for people who open snippets from Alfred or Raycast
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you work on Windows or Linux
- Not for you if you need snippets on a phone or in a browser
- Watch out: it needs macOS 14.6 or later, and sync is Mac to Mac
- Too light for general notes, since it is built around code
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAFSNotesVery good | 2.8GPASnippetsLabGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | AThe vendor and the Mac App Store list it as free, and no paid tier is shown. |
| 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 on the listing. |
| 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. | CFolders, tags, smart groups, highlighting for over 600 languages, a menu bar assistant, an MCP server and iCloud sync. It does one smaller job fully, snippets, more than general notes. |
| 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. It installs from the Mac App Store with nothing to set up. |
| 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 14.6 or later, with sync between Macs. No Windows, Linux, Android or web version, though Alfred and Raycast hook in. |
| Best for | Markdown notes as plain files on a Mac | keeping code snippets 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 SnippetsLab. How we grade
Where they differ
- FSNotes is open source, according to its own site.
- FSNotes can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- SnippetsLab also covers templates and menu bar app.
In commonFree planmacOSNotesMarkdown
At a glance
| FSNotes | SnippetsLab | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The whole app is listed as free on the Mac App Store. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Oleksandr Hlushchenko | Renfei Song |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.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.
SnippetsLab
- The vendor lists macOS 14.6 or later; sync is described as between Mac computers only.
- There is no Windows, Linux, Android or web version.
- A reviewer on the App Store cited iCloud sync crashes in a 2016 version and a weak importer in 2019; recent reviews are positive.
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.
SnippetsLab
- Folders, tags and smart groups
- Nested folders, color-coded tags and smart groups that filter on title, content and other metadata, plus tabs inside a snippet.
- Syntax highlighting
- Highlighting for over 600 languages and text formats, language detection for the 50 most popular, and formatting for 20-plus languages.
- Markdown with diagrams
- Side-by-side preview with Mermaid diagrams, MathJax formulas and custom CSS themes.
- Menu bar assistant
- Create, browse, preview, copy or insert snippets from the menu bar, with Alfred and Raycast extensions for search.
- MCP server and command line
- AI agents can search, read and save snippets through a built-in MCP server, and a lab command-line tool does the same from the shell.
- iCloud sync and Gist publishing
- Syncs a library between Macs through iCloud, keeps automatic backups, and publishes snippets to GitHub as Gists.
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.
SnippetsLab
SnippetsLab$0
Free download from the Mac App Store; the listing shows no paid tiers.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FSNotes or SnippetsLab?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FSNotes starts at $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $8.99 one-time for Mac, and SnippetsLab is free.
Which has a free plan, FSNotes or SnippetsLab?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both FSNotes and SnippetsLab have a free plan.
Which platforms do FSNotes and SnippetsLab 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.