MarginNote
Study reader that turns highlights into mind maps and cards
What is MarginNote?
MarginNote is a reading and study app for iPhone, iPad and Mac in which every excerpt from a PDF, EPUB, web page or video becomes a card that also appears as a mind-map node and a flashcard. Cards stay linked to their source page and are reviewed with FSRS spaced repetition. The current version, MarginNote 4, is sold as lifetime licenses or an annual subscription through the App Store, or as a direct Mac download.
MarginNote is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $12.99 one-time (Pro Lifetime, iPhone and iPad only). See every plan
Good for
- Students preparing for exams from textbooks and PDFs
- Researchers working through many papers for a literature review
- Readers who want highlights to become flashcards without retyping
Worth knowing
- Apple devices only, and the $12.99 Pro Lifetime license does not include the Mac app.
- AI runs on credits: Pro gets 500 once, Max Lifetime gets 500 a month for 3 years only, and add-on packs start at $1.39 for 500.
- App Store and DMG licenses are separate systems; buying one does not produce a license for the other.
- The Max Annual trial auto-renews at $16.99 a year unless it is cancelled before the month ends.
Key features
- One card, three views
- Each highlight becomes a card that is at once an excerpt on the page, a node in a mind map and a flashcard, with a link back to its source page.
- PDF, EPUB, web and video sources
- Annotates PDF and EPUB files, web pages and video, with OCR for equations, tables and handwriting. Advanced OCR is limited to the Max tier.
- Mind maps and outline
- Ten mind-map styles, including tree, fishbone, timeline, concept map and matrix, and an outline view that shows the same map as plain text.
- FSRS spaced repetition
- Flashcards are scheduled with the Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler, which sets the next review date for each card individually.
- Title Link
- Card titles work as keywords: when a term from earlier notes appears in a new document, the earlier annotation is surfaced on the page automatically.
- MarginNote AI
- Summarizes chapters, answers questions and generates cards, drawing on a credit allowance. The vendor offers no way to use your own API key.
MarginNote pricing
- Starts at
- $12.99 one-time (Pro Lifetime, iPhone and iPad only)
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial with no auto-charge; the Max Annual trial runs 1 month and auto-renews
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Pro Lifetime | $12.99one-time purchase | App Store license for iPhone and iPad only: reading, annotation, mind maps and review, with a one-time gift of 500 AI credits. No Mac access. |
| Max Annual Subscription | $16.99per year | iPhone, iPad and Mac, adding advanced OCR, AI OCR templates, AI translation, the Database channel and 500 AI credits a month. |
| DMG Standard | $35one-time purchase | Direct Mac download activated with a Paddle code. Mac only, equivalent to App Store Pro, with no monthly AI credits. |
| DMG Premium | + $10one-time upgrade pack on top of DMG Standard | Adds the Max-level features to the Mac download. No iPhone or iPad coverage and no monthly AI credits. |
| Max Lifetime | $51.99one-time purchase | Same features as Max Annual on iPhone, iPad and Mac. The 500 monthly AI credits are included for the first 3 years only. |
Read from marginnote.com on Oct 6, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with MarginNote before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Lifetime licenseLifetime licenses from $12.99
Pro Lifetime ($12.99, iPhone and iPad) and Max Lifetime ($51.99, all platforms) are one-time App Store purchases, and the Mac DMG Standard license is $35 one-time.
Stated on marginnote.com - EducationStudent and faculty discount
The pricing page says students and faculty can apply for an education discount through an application guide, and schools arrange bulk purchases by email. No rate is given.
Stated on marginnote.com
How people rate the MarginNote app
4.5
out of 5 for the iPhone and iPad app
- 5 stars79%
- 4 stars7%
- 3 stars4%
- 2 stars2%
- 1 star8%
731 ratings on the App Store in the United States, read Oct 6, 2026. It rates the app, not everything the product does. See the listing
Works with
- Zotero
- iCloud
- Google Drive
- Baidu NetDisk
- YouTube
- Bilibili
MarginNote alternatives
- MarginNote vs LiquidText
Free plan · from $8.99/mo
- MarginNote vs RemNote
Free plan · from $8/mo
- MarginNote vs Flexcil
Free plan · from $8.99
- MarginNote vs Goodnotes
Free plan · from $11.99/yr
- MarginNote vs Heptabase
Free trial · from $8.99/mo
Common questions
Is MarginNote free?
No, MarginNote is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial with no auto-charge; the Max Annual trial runs 1 month and auto-renews.
How much does MarginNote cost?
MarginNote lists 5 plans. Pro Lifetime: $12.99 one-time purchase. Max Annual Subscription: $16.99 per year. DMG Standard: $35 one-time purchase. DMG Premium: + $10 one-time upgrade pack on top of DMG Standard. Max Lifetime: $51.99 one-time purchase. Prices were read from marginnote.com on Oct 6, 2026.
What platforms does MarginNote work on?
MarginNote is available on iOS and macOS.
Does MarginNote offer any discounts?
MarginNote publicly lists the following: Lifetime licenses from $12.99; Student and faculty discount.
How is MarginNote rated?
MarginNote's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.5 out of 5 from 731 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 6, 2026. That is the store's rating of the app, not a score from us.
Does MarginNote have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. MarginNote is listed for iOS and macOS.
Does MarginNote have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. MarginNote is listed for iOS and macOS.
Is MarginNote open source?
MarginNote is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does MarginNote 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 MarginNote integrate with?
MarginNote's listing names Zotero, iCloud, Google Drive, Baidu NetDisk, YouTube and Bilibili. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does MarginNote have a student discount?
Student and faculty discount. The pricing page says students and faculty can apply for an education discount through an application guide, and schools arrange bulk purchases by email. No rate is given.
Who makes MarginNote?
MarginNote is made by MarginSoft Technology (Hong Kong) Limited. It dates from 2013.
What are the alternatives to MarginNote?
The closest alternatives to MarginNote in our directory are LiquidText, RemNote, Flexcil, Goodnotes and Heptabase. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with MarginNote.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 6, 2026. What people say is linked where it appears.