Skip to content
ToolGPA

Beaver Notes

Open-source, local-first Markdown notes app for desktop

FreeNote-TakingChecked Oct 9, 2026
Visit beavernotes.com

What is Beaver Notes?

Beaver Notes is a free, MIT-licensed notes app for Windows, macOS and Linux that keeps notes on your own device with no account. It offers Markdown editing, labels, links between notes, password-locked notes, file attachments and drawings, and it syncs by pointing at a folder in a cloud or sync service you choose. A version 5 rewrite that brings mobile into the same app is in beta.

Beaver Notes is free to use. See every plan

Good for

  • People who want notes kept on their own device with no account
  • Windows, Mac and Linux users looking for an MIT-licensed notes app
  • Markdown note-takers who want math, diagrams and file attachments

Worth knowing

  • The stable release, 4.4.0, covers Windows, macOS and Linux only; the site says a mobile app is in the works and takes beta sign-ups.
  • There is no hosted sync yet: you pick a folder in your own cloud or sync service. A hosted option, BeaverSync, is announced for later this year.
  • Version 5 is a rewrite still in beta; real-time collaboration, version history, backlinks and plugins are planned for it.
  • The docs say auto sync does not work on Linux folders mounted through GVFS.

Key features

Local Markdown notes
Notes are stored on your device and written in Markdown, with LaTeX equations, code blocks and Mermaid diagrams. No account or server is involved.
Note linking and labels
Notes can link to one another, and labels typed with a # sort and filter them. Home and Archive views show notes as cards that can be bookmarked.
Command Prompt
A command palette, available on every page, searches notes by title, content or label and runs commands such as opening settings.
Locked notes
A note can be locked with a password, which encrypts its content until the password is entered again.
Files, audio and drawings
PDFs, presentations, images and audio can be placed inside notes, and sketches or handwritten sections can be inserted as drawings.
Sync through your own storage
Sync works by choosing a folder inside a service such as Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud or Syncthing, with an auto-sync option or manual sync buttons.

Beaver Notes pricing

Starts at
Free
Free plan
The whole app is free and open source under the MIT license, with no account and no monthly fee. The project says it will stay free and takes donations.
Free trial
None listed
Beaver Notes$0The full desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux, as installers or through Scoop, Homebrew, Flatpak and the AUR.

Read from raw.githubusercontent.com on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Beaver Notes before you buy.

Pricing in detail

Works with

Beaver Notes alternatives

All Beaver Notes alternatives comparedAll note-taking apps

Common questions

Is Beaver Notes free?

Yes. Beaver Notes is free to use. The whole app is free and open source under the MIT license, with no account and no monthly fee. The project says it will stay free and takes donations.

How much does Beaver Notes cost?

Beaver Notes lists one plan. Beaver Notes: $0. Prices were read from raw.githubusercontent.com on Oct 9, 2026.

What platforms does Beaver Notes work on?

Beaver Notes is available on macOS, Windows and Linux.

Does Beaver Notes have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Beaver Notes is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.

Does Beaver Notes have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Beaver Notes is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.

Is Beaver Notes open source?

Yes. Beaver Notes is open source, according to its own site.

Does Beaver Notes work offline?

Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.

What does Beaver Notes integrate with?

Beaver Notes's listing names Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud and Syncthing. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.

Who makes Beaver Notes?

Beaver Notes is made by Beaver Notes.

What are the alternatives to Beaver Notes?

The closest alternatives to Beaver Notes in our directory are Joplin, Obsidian, Notesnook, Logseq and Tangent Notes. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Beaver Notes.

Sources for this page

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026.