Skip to content
ToolGPA

The DEVONthink Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about DEVONthink 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.

Download the PDF
Pass it onEmailLinkedInXWhatsApp
ToolGPAOctober 2026

DEVONthink

The Insider’s Guide

Document and information manager for Mac, iPhone and iPad

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from DEVONthink’s own pages.

Made by DEVONtechnologies, LLC · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.4GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from DEVONthink’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on DEVONthink’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

2.4

GPA, above 22 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade

DEVONthink is a document and information manager for the Mac, with a companion app called DEVONthink To Go for iPhone and iPad. It keeps PDFs, notes, web pages, emails and other files in databases stored on your own machine, where they can be tagged, cross-linked, searched and synced between devices. It is sold as a one-time license in three editions; the higher ones add generative AI integration, OCR and a web interface for teams.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about DEVONthink, taken from its own pages and our grades.

No store rating on record, and this is a deep one.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for a big document archive kept on your own Mac

    DEVONthink is a Mac document manager that keeps PDFs, notes, web pages and emails in databases on your own machine, tagged, linked and searchable, sold once from $99.

  2. 2

    What it costs

    Paid plans start at $99 one-time license, with 2 Mac seats and 1 year of updates.

  3. 3

    You can try it first

    Free trial for 30 days or 150 hours of use, whichever is longer, with all Server edition features

  4. 4

    It runs on 3 platforms

    macOS, iOS and Web, with a browser extension too.

  5. 5

    Document databases

    Stores texts, PDFs, web pages, images, emails and spreadsheets in databases on your Mac, organized with groups, tags and smart groups.

  6. 6

    Notes, annotations and links

    Write notes as Markdown, plain text or rich text and attach annotations to documents. Cross-references and item links connect items into a personal wiki.

  7. 7

    Built-in and generative AI

    Built-in AI suggests related documents and filing locations. Pro and Server connect online or local chat models for summaries, tagging and chat.

  8. 8

    A 2.4 GPA, above 22 of 147

    That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  9. 9

    Keep it

    The plain part of DEVONthink you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes and web clipper. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.

DEVONthink at a glance

Pricing
Free trial, from $99 one-time license, with 2 Mac seats and 1 year of updates
Free plan
No
Free trial
Free trial for 30 days or 150 hours of use, whichever is longer, with all Server edition features
Runs on
Web, macOS, iOS, Browser extension
Made by
DEVONtechnologies, LLC
Category
Note-Taking Apps
Our grade
2.4 GPA, fair

The report card

Best for a big document archive kept on your own Mac

DEVONthink is a Mac document manager that keeps PDFs, notes, web pages and emails in databases on your own machine, tagged, linked and searchable, sold once from $99. It is Apple only, OCR, generative AI and the iPhone app's license start at the $199 Pro edition, the web interface is in the $499 Server edition, and updates stop after a year unless you pay $49 or more again.

ToolGPA report cardDEVONthinkGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyCStandard is $99 once for 2 Macs, which is more than a year of a typical notes subscription here and less than two. The parts people come for, OCR, generative AI and the iPhone licence, start at Pro for $199, and updates stop after a year unless you pay $49 or more for another.
Free plan and trialCNo free plan at all. The trial runs 30 days or 150 hours of use, whichever is longer, with every Server edition feature switched on. The listing doesn't say whether it asks for a card, so this is where a trial sits when we can't tell.
FeaturesADatabases for PDFs, notes, web pages and email, smart groups, encrypted sync through your own cloud, smart rules and AppleScript acting on documents without you. The part the other filing apps here haven't got is the built-in AI that suggests related documents and where a new one belongs. Pro adds OCR.
Ease of useCNo store rating on record, and this is a deep one. Databases, groups, smart groups, smart rules and scripting all wait inside, and the first job is deciding how your archive ought to be arranged.
Platforms and integrationsCOne family of devices: Mac, iPhone and iPad, because the vendor develops solely for macOS and iOS. It clips from the browser and hooks into OmniFocus, Things, Alfred and Bookends, but the one web interface belongs to the $499 Server edition.
Grade point averageFair, out of 4.02.4

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 DEVONthink is for

  • Fits if you're a researcher, lawyer or writer sitting on thousands of documents
  • Works for people who want their files stored on their own Mac, not a vendor's servers

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you use Windows or Android, as the vendor only develops for macOS and iOS, and the Mac app needs Ventura or later
  • Pricey if you want OCR, generative AI or email archiving, which start at the $199 Pro edition, or the web interface, which is $499 Server
  • Watch out: a license includes 1 year of updates, and more cost $49 to $149 a year depending on the edition
  • Watch out: Standard leaves out the iPhone and iPad app, which then needs its own $2.99 a month or $19 a year subscription
  • Not for you if you just want quick notes, because this is a filing system first, with a lot to set up

Good to know

Good for

  • Researchers, lawyers and writers with large document archives on a Mac
  • People who want their documents stored locally rather than on a vendor's servers
  • Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription

Worth knowing

  • The desktop app is Mac only and requires macOS Ventura or later; the vendor develops solely for macOS and iOS.
  • A license includes 1 year of updates. The app keeps working afterwards, but more updates cost $49 to $149 a year depending on the edition.
  • The web interface is part of the $499 Server edition only, and generative AI, OCR and email archiving start at Pro.
  • Standard does not include DEVONthink To Go, which needs a $2.99 monthly or $19 yearly subscription for full use.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$99 one-time

To start

DEVONthink is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $99 one-time license, with 2 Mac seats and 1 year of updates.

The listing doesn't say whether it asks for a card, so this is where a trial sits when we can't tell.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Standard

    $99

    one-time license with 2 Mac seats and 1 year of updates

    Importing, indexing, sync, encrypted databases, versioning, tagging, annotations, smart groups and rules, and scripting. Extra seats cost $49.

  • Pro

    $199

    one-time license with 2 Mac seats and 1 year of updates

    Adds generative AI integration, OCR, email archiving, custom metadata and DEVONthink To Go with 5 mobile seats. Extra seats cost $99.

  • Server

    $499

    one-time license with 2 Mac seats and 1 year of updates

    Adds a web interface and granular access management for teams, plus 25 mobile seats for DEVONthink To Go. Extra seats cost $99.

  • DEVONthink To Go

    $2.99

    per month, or $19 per year, as an App Store subscription

    The iPhone and iPad app. It works with restrictions without a license and is included with Pro and Server licenses that still receive updates.

Trying it first

Free trial for 30 days or 150 hours of use, whichever is longer, with all Server edition features

Read from devontechnologies.com on Oct 5, 2026.

Ways to pay less

  • Education

    20% off for students and educators

    Full-time students and teachers get 20% off new licenses, extra seats and update extensions once their status is approved in their customer account.

    Stated on devontechnologies.com

  • Nonprofit

    20% off for volunteer-run charities

    Charities working in children's aid, human aid, ecology, wildlife protection or renewable energy get 20% off. Educational institutes and religious organizations are excluded.

    Stated on devontechnologies.com

  • Other savings

    Lower price for extending updates early

    Extending before the update year ends costs $44, $89 or $134 for one more year instead of $49, $99 or $149, with two- and three-year options.

    Stated on devontechnologies.com

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

4

Places it runs: Web, macOS, iOS and Browser extension

Document and information manager for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: local-first, one-time purchase, AI features, notes, Markdown, linked notes, web clipper.

The part the other filing apps here haven't got is the built-in AI that suggests related documents and where a new one belongs.
From our grade for features
Document databases
Stores texts, PDFs, web pages, images, emails and spreadsheets in databases on your Mac, organized with groups, tags and smart groups.
Notes, annotations and links
Write notes as Markdown, plain text or rich text and attach annotations to documents. Cross-references and item links connect items into a personal wiki.
Built-in and generative AI
Built-in AI suggests related documents and filing locations. Pro and Server connect online or local chat models for summaries, tagging and chat.
Automation
Smart rules run actions on documents when their conditions are met, and AppleScript or JavaScript for Automation scripts can extend them.
Encrypted sync
Databases sync between Macs, iPhones and iPads over the local network or a cloud service of your choice, with the synced data encrypted.
Scanning, OCR and email archiving
Pro and Server make scanned documents searchable, archive email independently of the mail app and imprint PDFs with stamps or Bates numbers.

Where it runs

  • Web
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Browser extension

What it works with

  • OmniFocus
  • Things
  • Apple Reminders
  • Apple Calendar
  • Alfred
  • Bookends
  • Tinderbox
  • PopClip

DEVONthink is made by DEVONtechnologies, LLC.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

22/147

Other note-taking apps it is graded above

DEVONthink's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 22 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 27.

It stands best on features (A, above 135 of 147) and worst on ease of use (C, above 5).

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. DEVONthink’s own letter is outlined.

  • CValue for moneyAbove 16 of 147
  • CFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 147
  • AFeaturesAbove 135 of 147
  • CEase of useAbove 5 of 147
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 147

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

The plain part of DEVONthink you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes and web clipper. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.

That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 98 of the 147 other note-taking apps grade higher. It costs $99, paid once.

What you could make

  • Notes, Markdown, linked notes and web clipper: an app builder makes these well.

What you could not

  • Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
  • It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
  • It plugs into other products, OmniFocus, Things and Apple Reminders among them.
  • AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
  • The depth: we grade its features A, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. DEVONthink’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

EagleFiler, Keep It, Evernote, Obsidian and Notebooks

The 5 tools DEVONthink is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 2.6GPA

    EagleFiler

    Free trial · from $69.99 one-time

    Document organizer and mail archiver for Mac.

    • Only DEVONthink lists a web app.
    • Only DEVONthink lists an iOS app.
    • Only DEVONthink lists a browser extension.
    DEVONthink and EagleFiler compared in full
  • 2.4GPA

    Keep It

    Free trial · from $2.99

    Notebook and document organizer for Mac, iPhone and iPad.

    • Only DEVONthink lists a web app.
    • Keep It also covers templates and bookmarks.
    DEVONthink and Keep It compared in full
  • 2.6GPA

    Evernote

    Free plan · from $99/yr

    Note-taking app with web clipping, tasks, calendar and AI search.

    • Evernote has a free plan. DEVONthink does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Evernote lists Windows and Android apps.
    • DEVONthink can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    DEVONthink and Evernote compared in full
  • 3.6GPA

    Obsidian

    Free plan · from $4/mo

    Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.

    • Obsidian has a free plan. DEVONthink does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only DEVONthink lists a web app.
    • Only Obsidian lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    DEVONthink and Obsidian compared in full
  • 3.0GPA

    Notebooks

    Free trial · from $17.99 one-time

    Writing, documents and tasks organized in nested books.

    • Only DEVONthink lists a web app.
    • Only DEVONthink lists a browser extension.
    • Only Notebooks lists a Windows app.
    DEVONthink and Notebooks compared in full

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 DEVONthink free?

No, DEVONthink is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free trial for 30 days or 150 hours of use, whichever is longer, with all Server edition features.

How much does DEVONthink cost?

DEVONthink lists 4 plans. Standard: $99 one-time license with 2 Mac seats and 1 year of updates.

What platforms does DEVONthink work on?

DEVONthink is available on macOS, iOS and Web. It also has a browser extension.

Does DEVONthink offer any discounts?

DEVONthink publicly lists the following: 20% off for students and educators; 20% off for volunteer-run charities; Lower price for extending updates early.

Does DEVONthink have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. DEVONthink is listed for macOS, iOS and Web.

Does DEVONthink have a Windows app?

No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. DEVONthink is listed for macOS, iOS and Web.

Is DEVONthink open source?

DEVONthink is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.

What does DEVONthink integrate with?

DEVONthink's listing names OmniFocus, Things, Apple Reminders, Apple Calendar, Alfred, Bookends, Tinderbox and PopClip.

Does DEVONthink have a student discount?

20% off for students and educators. Full-time students and teachers get 20% off new licenses, extra seats and update extensions once their status is approved in their customer account.

Who makes DEVONthink?

DEVONthink is made by DEVONtechnologies, LLC.

What are the alternatives to DEVONthink?

The closest alternatives to DEVONthink in our directory are EagleFiler, Keep It, Evernote, Obsidian and Notebooks.

How does DEVONthink compare with other note-taking apps?

DEVONthink's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 22 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 27.

Could I make my own version of DEVONthink?

The plain part of DEVONthink you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes and web clipper.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from DEVONthink’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from DEVONtechnologies' own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-11.

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 DEVONtechnologies, LLC. Prices change, so check devontechnologies.com before you buy.

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

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, "DEVONthink: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/devonthink

Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/devonthink/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded note-taking apps after DEVONthink, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what DEVONthink’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. DEVONthink is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by DEVONtechnologies, LLC. Prices and plans change: check devontechnologies.com before you buy.