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Foam review (2026): is it any good?

Free linked-notes system built on VS Code and Markdown

FreeNote-TakingChecked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Visit docs.foam.mdFree guide

Foam report card

2.6GPA

Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026

Best for linked Markdown notes inside VS Code

Foam is a free, open-source VS Code extension that links plain Markdown notes with wikilinks, backlinks and a graph view. There is no Foam app for phones, you must install VS Code to use it, and it is a tool for people comfortable in a code editor.

Who Foam is for

  • Fits if you already live in VS Code and keep notes as Markdown files
  • Works for people who want notes in Git with no vendor lock-in

Who Foam is not for

  • Skip it if you want a phone app, as there isn't one
  • Not for you if you don't use VS Code, since it runs only inside that editor
  • Watch out: it is a code editor with notes added, which is heavy for a quick shopping list
  • Watch out: it sends anonymous usage data and follows VS Code's telemetry setting
See the alternatives

Why Foam gets a 2.6

Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.

  • AValue for moneyFree and open source with no subscription. You also need VS Code, which the docs call free.
  • AFree plan and trialEverything is free, with no plan limits and no paid tier.
  • CFeaturesWikilinks, backlinks, a graph view, daily notes, templates and Git-based sync. It has no mobile app, and the docs offer capture from a phone only as a workaround through other apps.
  • DEase of useNo store rating on record. You install VS Code and the extension, and it works as plain files and commands, which suits developers more than most note-takers.
  • CPlatforms and integrationsMac, Windows and Linux desktops only, through VS Code. A command-line tool with an MCP server exists, but nothing for phones or the web.

What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Foam's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.

Make Foam? Put this grade on your site
Foam: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA

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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/foam#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/foam.svg" alt="Foam: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>

Where Foam stands among note-taking apps

Foam's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 51 of the 152 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 24.

It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 104 of 152) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).

Foam has no paid plan.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 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 153 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Foam’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 66 of 152, level with 86
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 104 of 152, level with 48
  • CFeaturesAbove 2 of 152, level with 102
  • DEase of useAbove 0 of 152, level with 6
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 152, level with 55

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 107 note-taking apps. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$0.5$1$2$5$10$20More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessFoam

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

  • The best score at each price
  • Has a free plan
  • No free plan
The full chart, and the best note-taking apps at every price

Keep Foam, or make your own?

Keep it

Foam is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

What you could make

  • Markdown, linked notes, daily notes and templates: an app builder makes these well.

What you could not

  • Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
  • It plugs into other products, Visual Studio Code, GitHub and GitHub Pages among them.

What this rests on. Foam’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.

What is Foam?

Foam is an extension for Visual Studio Code that turns a folder of Markdown files into a connected set of notes. It adds wikilinks, backlinks, a graph view, daily notes and templates, and the notes can be synced and published through Git. It is free and open source.

Worth knowing

  • It runs inside VS Code, so you install the editor as well as the extension.
  • The docs describe mobile capture as a workaround through other apps; there is no Foam mobile app.
  • It collects anonymous usage data and follows VS Code's telemetry setting.

Key features

Wikilinks and backlinks
Link notes with double brackets; a Connections panel shows what links to the current note.
Graph view
Visualize how your notes connect to one another.
Daily notes and templates
Create timestamped daily notes and standard note templates.
Plain Markdown files
Notes are ordinary Markdown files you own, with embeds, block anchors, tags and footnotes.
Git and publishing
Sync through source control and publish to GitHub Pages, Netlify, Vercel and other hosts.
Command line and MCP server
A CLI includes an MCP server for AI clients; it is read-only unless writes are allowed.

Foam pricing

As of Nov 12, 2026, Foam is free to use.

Starts at
Free
Free plan
Everything is free; the project says it has no subscriptions.
Free trial
None listed
Foam$0Free, open-source VS Code extension. You also need VS Code, which the docs call free.

Read from docs.foam.md on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Foam before you buy.

Pricing in detail

Works with

Foam alternatives

All Foam alternatives comparedAll note-taking apps

Common questions

Does Foam have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Foam is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.

Does Foam have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Foam is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.

Is Foam open source?

Yes. Foam is open source, according to its own site.

Sources for this page

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.