The Beaver Notes Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Beaver Notes in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Beaver Notes
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source, local-first Markdown notes app for desktop
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Beaver Notes’s own pages.
Made by Beaver Notes · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Beaver Notes’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Beaver Notes’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Beaver Notes, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, so we go by the listing: install it and start writing, no sign-up anywhere.
- 1
Best for free Markdown notes kept on your own computer
Beaver Notes is a free, MIT-licensed notes app for Windows, Mac and Linux that keeps Markdown notes on your own computer with no account.
- 2
It is free
Beaver Notes has no paid plan at all. 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.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 4
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.
- 5
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.
- 6
Command Prompt
A command palette, available on every page, searches notes by title, content or label and runs commands such as opening settings.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 107 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Beaver Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Beaver Notes at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Beaver Notes
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for free Markdown notes kept on your own computer
Beaver Notes is a free, MIT-licensed notes app for Windows, Mac and Linux that keeps Markdown notes on your own computer with no account. The stable release has no phone app, and the version 5 rewrite that adds mobile is still in beta. Sync means pointing it at your own Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud or Syncthing folder, and backlinks, version history and plugins are only planned.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under the MIT licence, with no paid tier at all, in a category where the middle plan is $6 a month. The project says it will stay free and takes donations instead. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright, with no account to make. The editor, locked notes, attachments and sync through your own storage are all in there and there's nothing above them to buy. A hosted option, BeaverSync, is announced for later this year. |
| Features | C | The writing side: Markdown with LaTeX, code blocks and Mermaid diagrams, links between notes, labels, a command palette, locked notes, PDFs and audio inside a note. But the listing puts backlinks, version history and plugins in version 5, which is still in beta, and there's no hosted sync yet. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, so we go by the listing: install it and start writing, no sign-up anywhere. The chore is sync, which means pointing it at a folder in Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud or Syncthing yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Computers only: Windows, Mac and Linux, as installers or through Scoop, Homebrew, Flatpak and the AUR. The stable release has no phone app and there's no web version, so your notes stay at the desk. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Beaver Notes is for
- Fits if you want your notes on your own machine with no account anywhere
- Works for notes with math, Mermaid diagrams or code in them
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you need your notes on your phone or in a browser today, as mobile is still in beta and there's no web version
- Not for you if you want sync handled for you, because for now you bring your own cloud folder, and BeaverSync is only announced
- Too light for anyone who needs backlinks, version history, plugins or real-time collaboration, which are planned for version 5
- Watch out: version 5 is a rewrite still in beta, and the docs say auto sync fails on Linux folders mounted through GVFS
Good to know
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Beaver Notes is free to use.
The project says it will stay free and takes donations instead.
Beaver Notes
$0
The full desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux, as installers or through Scoop, Homebrew, Flatpak and the AUR.
The 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.
Read from raw.githubusercontent.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Open-source, local-first Markdown notes app for desktop. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, works offline, local-first, keyboard-first, notes, Markdown, linked notes.
Computers only: Windows, Mac and Linux, as installers or through Scoop, Homebrew, Flatpak and the AUR.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Dropbox
- OneDrive
- iCloud
- Syncthing
Beaver Notes is made by Beaver Notes.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
107/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Beaver Notes's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 100 of 147) and worst on features (C, above 2).
Beaver Notes has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Beaver Notes’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 of 147
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 147
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Beaver Notes is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Beaver Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown and linked notes: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Beaver Notes’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Joplin, Obsidian, Notesnook, Logseq and Tangent Notes
The 5 tools Beaver Notes is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.6GPA
Joplin
Free plan · from €2.40/mo
Open source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose.
- Only Joplin lists a web app.
- Only Joplin lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Joplin lists a browser extension.
- 3.6GPA
Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.
- Only Obsidian lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
- Beaver Notes is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
Notesnook
Free plan · from $1.99/mo
Open source, end-to-end encrypted notes on every platform.
- Only Notesnook lists a web app.
- Only Notesnook lists Android and iOS apps.
- Only Notesnook lists a browser extension.
- 3.0GPA
Logseq
Free plan · from $5/mo
Open-source outliner for linked notes stored as local files.
- Only Logseq lists a web app.
- Only Logseq lists iOS and Android apps.
- Logseq also covers whiteboard and daily notes.
- 3.0GPA
Tangent Notes
Free
Open-source Markdown notes app that maps the path between notes.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Beaver Notes free?
Yes. Beaver Notes is free to use.
How much does Beaver Notes cost?
Beaver Notes lists one plan. Beaver Notes: $0.
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 a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Beaver Notes?
The closest alternatives to Beaver Notes in our directory are Joplin, Obsidian, Notesnook, Logseq and Tangent Notes.
How does Beaver Notes compare with other note-taking apps?
Beaver Notes's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
Is Beaver Notes good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Beaver Notes A for value for money. Beaver Notes has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Beaver Notes?
Beaver Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Beaver Notes’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Beaver Notes' own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-28.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Beaver Notes. Prices change, so check beavernotes.com before you buy.
- raw.githubusercontent.com/Beaver-Notes/Beaver-Notes/main/README.md
- beavernotes.com/
- beavernotes.com/#/Download
- docs.beavernotes.com/
- docs.beavernotes.com/User/Install/
- docs.beavernotes.com/User/Sync/
- docs.beavernotes.com/User/Lock-Noted/
- docs.beavernotes.com/User/Labels/
- docs.beavernotes.com/User/Navigate-Interface/
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Beaver Notes, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/beaver-notes
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Beaver Notes: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/beaver-notes
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/beaver-notes/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Beaver Notes, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 148 note-taking apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft OneNote Insider's GuideMicrosoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes3.8 GPA
- Goodnotes Insider's GuideHandwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant3.6 GPA
- Joplin Insider's GuideOpen source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose3.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Beaver Notes’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Beaver Notes is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Beaver Notes. Prices and plans change: check beavernotes.com before you buy.