The Heynote Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Heynote 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.
Heynote
The Insider’s Guide
Block-based scratchpad for developers on Mac, Windows and Linux
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Heynote’s own pages.
Made by Jonatan Heyman · 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 Heynote’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Heynote’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
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.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Heynote, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Download it and type in the Scratch buffer.
- 1
Best for a developer's scratchpad for snippets and sums
Heynote is a free desktop scratchpad for Mac, Windows and Linux: one long buffer cut into blocks, each with its own language or acting as a calculator, saved as .txt files.
- 2
It is free
Heynote has no paid plan at all. Every build on the site is a direct download with no price, account or license key. There is no paid edition.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 4
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.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 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
Heynote is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Heynote at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Jonatan Heyman, since 2023
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for a developer's scratchpad for snippets and sums
Heynote is a free desktop scratchpad for Mac, Windows and Linux: one long buffer cut into blocks, each with its own language or acting as a calculator, saved as .txt files. There's no phone app and no sync of its own, the docs warn that editing a buffer on two machines can cause conflicts, the Windows build isn't code-signed, and it's a scratchpad, not a notebook.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free, and not a stripped version of something paid: every build on the site is a direct download with no price, no account and no licence key, and there's no paid edition behind it. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright on Mac, Windows and Linux. Nothing is capped or held back, because there's nothing to upgrade to. |
| Features | C | Blocks that each get their own language, highlighting for 30-plus of them, auto-formatting for JSON and friends, math blocks that convert units and currencies, tabs and search across buffers. That's a scratchpad done fully, and a scratchpad is a smaller job: it has no sync of its own, so Dropbox does that bit. |
| Ease of use | B | Download it and type in the Scratch buffer. No account, nothing to configure. One wrinkle: the Windows build isn't code-signed, so expect a warning when you install it. No App Store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Mac, Windows and Linux, and that's the lot. Desktop only, with no phone app (the author says one is out of scope for now) and no integrations listed. |
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 Heynote is for
- Fits if you're a developer who needs somewhere to park JSON, logs and code snippets
- Works for quick sums and unit conversions next to your working notes
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want your notes on your phone, as there's no mobile app and the author says one is out of scope
- Not for you if you need sync built in, because the docs point you to something like Dropbox and warn of conflicts
- Too light for anyone wanting a full notebook with tags and links, since it's a scratchpad
- Watch out: the Windows build isn't code-signed, so Windows may warn you when installing it
Good to know
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.
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
Heynote is free to use.
Free outright on Mac, Windows and Linux.
Heynote
$0
The full app as Mac Universal, Arm and Intel builds, a Windows installer, and an AppImage or Snap for Linux.
The free plan
Every build on the site is a direct download with no price, account or license key. There is no paid edition.
Read from heynote.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
Block-based scratchpad for developers on Mac, Windows and Linux. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: local-first, keyboard-first, notes, Markdown, calculator.
That's a scratchpad done fully, and a scratchpad is a smaller job: it has no sync of its own, so Dropbox does that bit.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Heynote is made by Jonatan Heyman, and has been around since 2023.
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
Heynote'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).
Heynote 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. Heynote’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. Heynote 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
Heynote 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 calculator: 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. Heynote’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
Antinote, Tot, Drafts, Inkdrop and Simplenote
The 5 tools Heynote is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Antinote
Free trial · from $5 one-time
Mac scratchpad for temporary notes, quick math and checklists.
- Heynote has a free plan. Antinote does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Heynote lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Antinote can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.6GPA
Tot
Free plan · from $19.99 one-time
Seven-note text scratchpad for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
- Only Heynote lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Tot lists an iOS app.
- Tot can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 3.4GPA
Drafts
Free plan · from $1.99/mo
Quick-capture notes app for Apple devices with text actions.
- Only Heynote lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Drafts lists an iOS app.
- Heynote also covers calculator.
- 2.0GPA
Inkdrop
Free trial · from $8.31/mo
Markdown note app for developers with encrypted sync.
- Heynote has a free plan. Inkdrop does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Inkdrop lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Inkdrop lists a browser extension.
- 3.4GPA
Simplenote
Free
Free plain-text notes that sync across every major platform.
- Only Simplenote lists a web app.
- Only Simplenote lists iOS and Android apps.
- Simplenote is open source, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 Heynote free?
Yes. Heynote is free to use.
How much does Heynote cost?
Heynote lists one plan. Heynote: $0.
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.
How does Heynote compare with other note-taking apps?
Heynote's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
Is Heynote good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Heynote A for value for money. Heynote has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Heynote?
Heynote 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 Heynote’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 Heynote's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-31.
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 Jonatan Heyman. Prices change, so check heynote.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
- Heynote, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/heynote
- 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, "Heynote: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/heynote
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/heynote/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Heynote, 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 Heynote’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. Heynote is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Jonatan Heyman. Prices and plans change: check heynote.com before you buy.