Heynote
Block-based scratchpad for developers on Mac, Windows and Linux
What is Heynote?
Heynote is a desktop scratchpad aimed at developers and power users. Each note is one long, persistent text buffer split into blocks, and every block has its own language for syntax highlighting and auto-formatting, or acts as a calculator. Buffers are plain .txt files in a folder on disk. The app is a free download for Mac, Windows and Linux, and its source code is public.
Heynote is free to use. See every plan
Good for
- Developers who need a holding place for JSON, logs and code snippets
- Quick calculations and unit conversions next to working notes
- People who want scratch notes kept as plain files on their own disk
Worth knowing
- Desktop only: there is no mobile app, and the author says one is out of scope for now.
- No sync of its own. The docs suggest a file-syncing service such as Dropbox and warn that editing one buffer on two machines at once can cause conflicts.
- The Windows build is not code-signed, so Windows may show a warning when installing it.
- The code is under the MIT license with the Commons Clause, which does not allow selling the software.
Key features
- Buffers divided into blocks
- A buffer is a persistent stretch of text split into blocks. One keystroke adds a block, and select-all picks the current block first, then the whole buffer.
- A language for each block
- Each block has its own language, detected automatically or set by hand, with syntax highlighting for more than 30 languages and auto-formatting for JSON, JavaScript, HTML, CSS and Markdown.
- Math blocks
- A math block works as a calculator pad with variables, functions and unit and currency conversion. It is built on Math.js expressions.
- Multiple buffers
- Besides the default Scratch buffer you can create any number of buffers, open them in tabs, sort them into directories and search across them. Each one is a .txt file on disk.
- Inline images with markup
- Images pasted or dropped into a buffer appear inline, can be resized and annotated with a freehand drawing tool, and copied back to the clipboard.
- Keyboard control
- Default, Emacs-like or custom key bindings, a command palette, multi-cursor editing and an optional global hotkey that shows or hides the app.
Heynote pricing
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Every build on the site is a direct download with no price, account or license key. There is no paid edition.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Heynote | $0 | The full app as Mac Universal, Arm and Intel builds, a Windows installer, and an AppImage or Snap for Linux. |
Read from heynote.com on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Heynote before you buy.
Heynote alternatives
- Heynote vs Antinote
Free trial · from $5 one-time
- Heynote vs Tot
Free plan · from $19.99 one-time
- Heynote vs Drafts
Free plan · from $1.99/mo
- Heynote vs Inkdrop
Free trial · from $8.31/mo
Common questions
Is Heynote free?
Yes. Heynote is free to use. Every build on the site is a direct download with no price, account or license key. There is no paid edition.
How much does Heynote cost?
Heynote lists one plan. Heynote: $0. Prices were read from heynote.com on Oct 9, 2026.
What platforms does Heynote work on?
Heynote is available on macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Heynote have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Heynote is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Heynote have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Heynote is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is Heynote open source?
Heynote is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Who makes Heynote?
Heynote is made by Jonatan Heyman. It dates from 2023.
What are the alternatives to Heynote?
The closest alternatives to Heynote in our directory are Antinote, Tot, Drafts, Inkdrop and Simplenote. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Heynote.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026.