# FSNotes

> Open-source Markdown notes app for Mac and iPhone

FSNotes is a native notes app for Mac and iPhone that works directly on folders of plain Markdown and text files rather than a database. It is keyboard-driven in the style of Notational Velocity, syncs through iCloud Drive, can lock notes or folders with AES-256 encryption, and offers optional Git versioning and backups. The app is open source: a free Mac build is posted on GitHub, and the App Store versions for Mac and iPhone are one-time purchases with no subscription.

- **Category:** Note-Taking Apps
- **Made by:** Oleksandr Hlushchenko (since 2017)
- **Website:** https://fsnot.es
- **Runs on:** macOS, iOS
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 6, 2026

## Pricing

FSNotes has a free plan. Paid plans start at $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $8.99 one-time for Mac.

- **Pricing model:** Free plan
- **Free plan:** The source code is free under the MIT license, and each release on GitHub includes a free build of the Mac app. The iPhone and iPad app is sold only through the App Store.
- **Free trial:** None listed.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GitHub release | $0 | A zip of the Mac app posted with each release on GitHub, also installable through Homebrew. The site points to the App Store for automatic updates. |
| FSNotes for iOS | $4.99 one-time purchase (US App Store) | The iPhone and iPad app, with iCloud Drive sync, encrypted notes and folders, tags and Git integration. Requires iOS 18.0 or later. |
| FSNotes for Mac | $8.99 one-time purchase (US Mac App Store) | The Mac app, updated automatically through the Mac App Store. Requires macOS 12.4 or later. |

Read from https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fsnotes/id1277179284?mt=12 on Oct 6, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with FSNotes before buying.

## Mac App Store prices by country

"The app", as each country's Mac App Store showed it on Oct 9, 2026. These are the app's prices, not the website's.

| Country | Price | In US dollars |
| --- | --- | --- |
| United States | $8.99 | |
| United Kingdom | £8.99 | about $11.89 (32% more) |
| Germany | 9,99 € | about $11.19 (25% more) |
| Canada | $11.99 | about $8.43 (6% less) |
| Australia | $14.99 | about $10.46 (16% more) |
| India | ₹ 999 | about $10.33 (15% more) |
| Brazil | R$ 59,90 | about $11.97 (33% more) |
| Mexico | $199.00 | about $10.93 (22% more) |
| Turkey | ₺499,99 | about $10.17 (13% more) |
| Indonesia | Rp 179ribu | about $10.01 (11% more) |
| Philippines | ₱ 599.00 | about $9.54 (6% more) |
| South Africa | R199.99 | about $12.10 (35% more) |

## Key features

- **Plain Markdown files:** Notes are GitHub Flavored Markdown or plain text files in folders you choose, readable in any other editor. Images and attachments can sit in TextBundle containers.
- **Keyboard-centric and fast:** Notational Velocity-inspired controls and shortcuts, instant search and a two-pane view, built to stay smooth with more than 10,000 files.
- **iCloud Drive sync:** The same folders and notes, including pinned notes, stay available on a Mac and an iPhone through iCloud Drive.
- **Git versioning and backups:** Optional Git integration makes scheduled commits, shows note history and can push to or pull from a remote repository.
- **Encrypted notes and folders:** Individual notes or whole folders can be protected with AES-256 encryption and unlocked with Touch ID.
- **Links, tags and rich Markdown:** Cross-note links in double brackets, tags, syntax highlighting for more than 30 programming languages, and Mermaid and MathJax rendering.

## Good for

- Mac and iPhone users who want notes kept as plain Markdown files
- Keyboard-driven note-takers used to Notational Velocity-style apps
- People who want an open-source app with no account or subscription

## Worth knowing

- It runs on Apple platforms only, and the Mac and iPhone apps are separate purchases on the App Store.
- The iOS app syncs through iCloud Drive only; Dropbox, WebDAV and Google Drive sync are not available.
- The iPad build lacks dedicated iPad features such as full keyboard shortcuts and multiple windows; development focuses on macOS and iPhone.
- The free Mac build comes from GitHub releases or Homebrew; the site names the App Store apps as the official stable releases with automatic updates.

## Works with

iCloud Drive, Git

**Tags:** Open source, Local-first, Works offline, One-time purchase, Keyboard-first, Notes, Markdown

## Alternatives

- [The Archive](https://toolgpa.com/tools/the-archive): Plain-text note-taking app for Mac built around Zettelkasten. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/fsnotes-vs-the-archive)
- [MiaoYan](https://toolgpa.com/tools/miaoyan): Native Mac Markdown notes app with a split editor and preview. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/fsnotes-vs-miaoyan)
- [Obsidian](https://toolgpa.com/tools/obsidian): Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/fsnotes-vs-obsidian)
- [Bear](https://toolgpa.com/tools/bear): Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with tags and links. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/bear-vs-fsnotes)
- [Simplenote](https://toolgpa.com/tools/simplenote): Free plain-text notes that sync across every major platform. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/fsnotes-vs-simplenote)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 6, 2026:

- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fsnotes/id1277179284?mt=12
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fsnotes/id1346501102
- https://fsnot.es/
- https://fsnot.es/faq/
- https://fsnot.es/markdown-notes-app-for-mac/
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/glushchenko/fsnotes/master/README.md
- https://github.com/glushchenko/fsnotes/releases
- https://api.github.com/repos/glushchenko/fsnotes/releases/latest
- https://formulae.brew.sh/api/cask/fsnotes.json

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/fsnotes
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).