The Inkdrop Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Inkdrop 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.
Inkdrop
The Insider’s Guide
Markdown note app for developers with encrypted sync
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Inkdrop’s own pages.
Made by Takuya Matsuyama · 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 Inkdrop’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Inkdrop’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
2.0
GPA, above 4 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
Inkdrop is a plain-text Markdown note app aimed at developers, with nested notebooks, tags and note statuses for organizing technical notes. Notes sync between desktop and mobile apps with end-to-end encryption, and an MCP server lets coding agents search and read them. It is built by a single independent developer and sold as one subscription plan with no free tier.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Inkdrop, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No App Store rating is on record to go by.
- 1
Best for a developer's Markdown notes with encrypted sync
It's plain-text only, only images can be attached, the AI needs your own API key, and canceling means deleting the account.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8.31 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $8.31 per month, billed annually ($99.80 per year).
- 3
You can try it first
30-day free trial; charging starts once the trial has ended
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 5
Markdown editor
Plain-text Markdown editing with slash commands, a floating format toolbar, code-block autocompletion and link pasting that fetches the page title.
- 6
Rendering for technical notes
The preview renders syntax-highlighted code blocks, Mermaid diagrams and KaTeX math for inline and block equations.
- 7
Notebooks, statuses and tags
Notebooks nest inside one another, and each note can carry tags and a status of active, on hold, completed or dropped that the note list filters by.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 4 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Inkdrop you could make: notes, Markdown and web clipper. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Inkdrop at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $8.31 per month, billed annually ($99.80 per year)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial; charging starts once the trial has ended
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- Takuya Matsuyama, since 2016
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a developer's Markdown notes with encrypted sync
Inkdrop is a Markdown notes app for developers, built by one developer, with end-to-end encrypted sync and an MCP server that lets coding agents read your notes. There's no free plan, just one subscription at $8.31 a month billed annually after a 30-day trial. It's plain-text only, only images can be attached, the AI needs your own API key, and canceling means deleting the account.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | One plan, $8.31 a month billed annually ($99.80), or $9.98 month to month. Notes apps here sit around $6 in the middle and $8.25 in the dearer quarter, so everything Inkdrop does sits on a plan above that, with nothing free underneath it. The AI features want your own API key on top. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. You get 30 days, and if the trial ends without payment the account is deactivated and your local notes turn read-only. No card is mentioned for the trial, but after a month it's pay or lose editing. |
| Features | C | Markdown with code blocks, Mermaid diagrams and KaTeX maths, nested notebooks, tags, note statuses, encrypted sync and an MCP server for agents. Two gaps the listing names itself, though: it's plain-text Markdown with no rich-text mode, and only images can be attached, so PDFs and other files have nowhere to go. |
| Ease of use | C | Plain-text Markdown with no rich-text mode, a command palette and per-context keymaps: comfortable if you already write this way, a curve if you don't. No App Store rating is on record to go by. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser clipper, plus Claude Code, Alfred, Raycast, a TypeScript plugin API and the option of your own CouchDB-compatible server. There's no web app, which is the one thing keeping it off the top mark. |
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 Inkdrop is for
- Fits if you're a developer who writes technical notes in Markdown all day
- Works for giving coding agents such as Claude Code a way to search and read your notes
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a free notes app, as there's no free plan and an unpaid trial leaves your local notes read-only
- Not for you if you attach PDFs and other files, because only images can be attached
- Tight if you think you might leave, since canceling means deleting the account and its notes on the server
- Watch out: the inline AI and next edit suggestions run only on your own Anthropic or OpenAI-compatible key
- Too light for rich-text writers, as the editor is plain-text Markdown with no rich-text mode, and there's no web app
Good to know
Good for
- Developers keeping technical notes in Markdown
- People who want encrypted sync across desktop and mobile
- Giving coding agents access to notes through MCP
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan; when the 30-day trial ends without payment the account is deactivated and local notes become read-only.
- Cancelling means deleting the account, which permanently removes the notes and images stored on Inkdrop's server.
- The built-in AI features need your own API key for Anthropic or an OpenAI-compatible provider.
- The editor is plain-text Markdown with no rich-text mode, and only images can be attached to notes.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8.31
A month to start
Inkdrop is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $8.31 per month, billed annually ($99.80 per year).
The AI features want your own API key on top.
Basic
$8.31
per month, billed annually ($99.80); $9.98 billed monthly
The only plan, with everything included: cloud sync, an unlimited number of notes and 30 GB of storage.
Trying it first
30-day free trial; charging starts once the trial has ended
Read from inkdrop.app on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
About 17% less with annual billing
Annual billing is $99.80 a year, shown as $8.31 a month, against $9.98 a month on monthly billing, which totals $119.76 over a year.
Stated on inkdrop.app
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
6
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android and Browser extension
Markdown note app for developers with encrypted sync. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, end-to-end encrypted, AI features, keyboard-first, notes, Markdown, web clipper.
There's no web app, which is the one thing keeping it off the top mark.
- Markdown editor
- Plain-text Markdown editing with slash commands, a floating format toolbar, code-block autocompletion and link pasting that fetches the page title.
- Rendering for technical notes
- The preview renders syntax-highlighted code blocks, Mermaid diagrams and KaTeX math for inline and block equations.
- Notebooks, statuses and tags
- Notebooks nest inside one another, and each note can carry tags and a status of active, on hold, completed or dropped that the note list filters by.
- End-to-end encrypted sync
- Sync between devices is end-to-end encrypted and notes stay available offline. A self-run CouchDB-compatible server can be used instead of Inkdrop's.
- MCP server and AI assistant
- An MCP server lets agents such as Claude Code search and read notes. The inline assistant and next edit suggestions run on an API key you supply.
- Keyboard control and plugins
- A command palette, per-context keymaps and a Vim plugin cover keyboard use, and plugins are written against a TypeScript API.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
- Claude Code
- Alfred
- Raycast
- Anthropic
- Ollama
- OpenRouter
Inkdrop is made by Takuya Matsuyama, and has been around since 2016.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
4/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Inkdrop's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 4 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 7.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 86 of 147) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $8.31 a month, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 53 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 40 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Inkdrop’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 147
- CFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 147
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 86 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. Inkdrop 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
The plain part of Inkdrop you could make: notes, Markdown and web clipper. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 136 of the 147 other note-taking apps grade higher. It costs $99.72 a year.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown and web clipper: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Claude Code, Alfred and Raycast among them.
- End-to-end encryption done properly.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Inkdrop’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
Obsidian, Bear, Joplin, Notesnook and Standard Notes
The 5 tools Inkdrop is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.6GPA
Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.
- Obsidian has a free plan. Inkdrop does not, though it has a free trial.
- Inkdrop also covers web clipper.
- Obsidian also covers linked notes and whiteboard.
- 2.6GPA
Bear
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with tags and links.
- Bear has a free plan. Inkdrop does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Inkdrop lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Inkdrop is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 3.6GPA
Joplin
Free plan · from €2.40/mo
Open source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose.
- Joplin has a free plan. Inkdrop does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Joplin lists a web app.
- Joplin is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
Notesnook
Free plan · from $1.99/mo
Open source, end-to-end encrypted notes on every platform.
- Notesnook has a free plan. Inkdrop does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Notesnook lists a web app.
- Notesnook is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Standard Notes
Free plan · from $90/yr
End-to-end encrypted notes app with open source clients.
- Standard Notes has a free plan. Inkdrop does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Standard Notes lists a web app.
- Standard Notes is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
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 Inkdrop free?
No, Inkdrop is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day free trial; charging starts once the trial has ended.
How much does Inkdrop cost?
Inkdrop lists one plan. Basic: $8.31 per month, billed annually ($99.80); $9.98 billed monthly.
What platforms does Inkdrop work on?
Inkdrop is available on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
Does Inkdrop offer any discounts?
Inkdrop publicly lists the following: About 17% less with annual billing.
Is Inkdrop open source?
Inkdrop is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Is Inkdrop end-to-end encrypted?
Inkdrop describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.
Does Inkdrop work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does Inkdrop integrate with?
Inkdrop's listing names Claude Code, Alfred, Raycast, Anthropic, Ollama and OpenRouter.
Who makes Inkdrop?
Inkdrop is made by Takuya Matsuyama. It dates from 2016.
What are the alternatives to Inkdrop?
The closest alternatives to Inkdrop in our directory are Obsidian, Bear, Joplin, Notesnook and Standard Notes.
How does Inkdrop compare with other note-taking apps?
Inkdrop's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 4 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 7.
Is Inkdrop good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Inkdrop D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8.31 a month, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 53 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Inkdrop?
The plain part of Inkdrop you could make: notes, Markdown and web clipper.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Inkdrop’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 Inkdrop's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-16.
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 Takuya Matsuyama. Prices change, so check inkdrop.app 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
- Inkdrop, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/inkdrop
- 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, "Inkdrop: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/inkdrop
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/inkdrop/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Inkdrop, 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 Inkdrop’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. Inkdrop is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Takuya Matsuyama. Prices and plans change: check inkdrop.app before you buy.