KeyNote NF vs NoteCase Pro

KeyNote NF

• Windows users who want a free, open-source tree notebook
• Long-time KeyNote users who need Unicode and newer features
• Keeping selected notes encrypted inside an otherwise open file

NoteCase Pro

• People who want one outliner on Windows, macOS and Linux
• Writers who outline and draft long documents in a tree
• Users who like to script their notes program

KeyNote NF

• Windows only: the project's SourceForge page lists Windows as its platform, and no other build is offered.
• The built-in backup keeps at most 9 recent copies made on saving, so the author advises keeping separate backups of .knt files.
• Its .knt format extends the old one: saving such a file in the original KeyNote 1.6.5 loses alarms and checked-node information.

NoteCase Pro

• The free Lite mode exists only on Android; on desktop a license is required once the 30-day trial ends.
• The cheaper licenses are tied to one operating system and to an exact version or one major version; only lifetime licenses have no version limit.
• The Android edition has a different code base with fewer features, and the site lists no iOS or web version.
• License keys are emailed by the developer personally, which can take up to 24 hours, and VAT may be added to the listed prices.

KeyNote NF

Tabbed notes with trees

A file holds tabbed notes with a rich text editor and multi-level trees of nodes, and linked nodes can share the content of the same note.

Encryption

A file can be encrypted as a whole, or stay unencrypted while selected notes and images are encrypted, with a lock-on-opening option.

Find All and tree filtering

Find All shows excerpts with the matched words highlighted, can be limited to a node and its subtree or to node names, and combines with tree filtering.

Tags and text folding

Tags apply to notes and to fragments of text for filtering, searching and exporting, and blocks of text can be folded down to a short excerpt.

Image management

Handles GIF, PNG, JPG, TIF, BMP, WMF, EMF and ICO images, stored inside the file or externally in a zip or folder, with a built-in viewer.

Checkboxes, alarms and export

Tree nodes can show checkboxes, carry alarms and be hidden once checked, and notes export to a printer or PDF with a table of contents.

NoteCase Pro

Outliner tree in tabbed documents

Notes form a tree that can be reordered with the mouse, branches can be cloned so copies stay in sync, and several documents open in tabs.

Rich text, images and attachments

Notes take rich formatting, hyperlinks and embedded pictures. Any number of files can be attached and are saved inside the document file.

Tasks and tags

Any note can become a task with a due date, repetition and priority, and tags are used to filter and search notes.

Encryption and sync

Encrypted document formats are supported natively, documents sync note by note, and an SSL-encrypted private cloud on your own server shares them between machines.

Lua scripting and plugins

Scripts and plugins written in Lua automate the program through several hundred API commands, and an embedded MCP server connects notes to AI agents.

Import and export

Imports more than 30 file formats, including Evernote, XMind, TreePad and Tomboy, and exports to formats such as HTML, RTF and OPML.

KeyNote NF

• KeyNote NF$0

  The full Windows program, downloaded from the project's GitHub releases with a setup program.

NoteCase Pro

• Android license$5

  one-time, lifetime, Android only

  Removes the Lite mode limits in the separate Android edition. Delivered as a license key file.

• Exact version, single OS€7

  one-time, single user

  Valid only for the exact desktop version available at the time of purchase, on one operating system.

• One major version, single OS€17

  one-time, single user

  Valid across one major version span, roughly two years of updates, on one operating system. €20 adds the Android license.

• One major version, all platforms€27

  one-time, single user

  The same version span, with one installation allowed on each supported desktop operating system.

• Lifetime, single OS€37

  one-time, single user

  No version limit, on one operating system.

• Lifetime, all platforms€67

  one-time, single user

  No version limit on every supported platform, Android included.

KeyNote NF

No public discounts listed.

NoteCase Pro

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime licenses with no version limit

  A lifetime license costs €37 for one operating system or €67 for all supported platforms including Android, in place of version-limited licenses.

• Other savings

  Site licenses for companies

  Site licenses for one major version cost €1,000 for up to 100 users, rising to €2,500 for unlimited users in one company. A lifetime site license is €7,000.