The MarginNote Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about MarginNote 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.
MarginNote
The Insider’s Guide
Study reader that turns highlights into mind maps and cards
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from MarginNote’s own pages.
Made by MarginSoft Technology (Hong Kong) Limited · checked Oct 6, 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 MarginNote’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on MarginNote’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 22 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about MarginNote, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Buying it is the muddle: five licenses, and the App Store and direct Mac ones are separate systems, so one doesn't give you the other.
- 1
Best for turning textbook highlights into mind maps
MarginNote is a study reader for Apple devices: highlight a line in a PDF and it becomes a card, a mind-map node and a flashcard at once, linked to the page it came from.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $12.99 one-time (Pro Lifetime, iPhone and iPad only).
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial with no auto-charge; the Max Annual trial runs 1 month and auto-renews
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
iOS and macOS.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 22 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 MarginNote you could make: notes, highlights, mind mapping and linked notes. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
MarginNote at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $12.99 one-time (Pro Lifetime, iPhone and iPad only)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial with no auto-charge; the Max Annual trial runs 1 month and auto-renews
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- MarginSoft Technology (Hong Kong) Limited, since 2013
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.5 on the App Store, 731 ratings
The report card
Best for turning textbook highlights into mind maps
MarginNote is a study reader for Apple devices: highlight a line in a PDF and it becomes a card, a mind-map node and a flashcard at once, linked to the page it came from. Pro Lifetime is $12.99 once, but it leaves out the Mac. There's no free plan, the Max Annual trial renews itself at $16.99 a year, the AI runs on credits, and App Store and direct Mac licenses don't carry over to each other.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Pro Lifetime is $12.99 once for iPhone and iPad, and Max is $16.99 a year or $51.99 once. Notes apps here run about $6 a month in the middle, so a year of Max costs less than three months of that, and the lifetime license less than a year. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. The 14-day trial has no auto-charge, so it simply stops. Watch the Max Annual trial instead: that one runs a month and renews itself at $16.99 a year unless you cancel first. |
| Features | C | Every excerpt from a PDF, EPUB, web page or video is a card, a mind-map node and a flashcard at once, with ten map styles, FSRS review, OCR and AI summaries. It does study reading fully, and that's a narrower job than notes: advanced OCR is Max only, and the AI runs on credits. |
| Ease of use | C | 4.48 from about 730 App Store ratings, under the 4.5 a B asks for. Buying it is the muddle: five licenses, and the App Store and direct Mac ones are separate systems, so one doesn't give you the other. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | iPhone, iPad and Mac: one family of devices, with no Windows, Android or web. It does hook into Zotero, iCloud, Google Drive, YouTube and Bilibili, but the cheapest license leaves the Mac app out. |
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 MarginNote is for
- Fits if you're revising from textbooks and PDFs and want flashcards without retyping
- Works for reading a stack of papers on an iPad or Mac and mapping how they connect
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, as it's Apple devices only
- Not for you if you want a free plan, because after the 14-day trial you have to buy
- Tight if you lean on the AI, since Pro gets 500 credits once and Max Lifetime's monthly 500 stop after 3 years
- Watch out: the $12.99 Pro Lifetime license doesn't include the Mac, and App Store and DMG licenses are separate systems
- Watch out: the Max Annual trial runs a month and renews at $16.99 a year unless you cancel first
Good to know
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$12.99 one-time
To start
MarginNote is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $12.99 one-time (Pro Lifetime, iPhone and iPad only).
Pro Lifetime
$12.99
one-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
$16.99
per year
iPhone, iPad and Mac, adding advanced OCR, AI OCR templates, AI translation, the Database channel and 500 AI credits a month.
DMG Standard
$35
one-time purchase
Direct Mac download activated with a Paddle code. Mac only, equivalent to App Store Pro, with no monthly AI credits.
DMG Premium
+ $10
one-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
$51.99
one-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.
Trying it first
14-day free trial with no auto-charge; the Max Annual trial runs 1 month and auto-renews
Read from marginnote.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Lifetime license
Lifetime 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.comEducation
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.
Stated on marginnote.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Upgrade to PRO from MN3(iOS)”, against $4.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philippines | ₱ 299.00 | $4.76 | about the same |
| Canada | $6.99 | $4.91 | about the same |
| Turkey | ₺249,99 | $5.08 | about the same |
| India | ₹ 499 | $5.16 | about the same |
| Brazil | R$ 29,90 | $5.97 | 20% more |
| South Africa | R99.99 | $6.05 | 21% more |
| United Kingdom | £4.99 | $6.60 | 32% more |
| Germany | 5,99 € | $6.71 | 35% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
Study reader that turns highlights into mind maps and cards. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, one-time purchase, AI features, notes, linked notes, mind mapping, highlights.
It does study reading fully, and that's a narrower job than notes: advanced OCR is Max only, and the AI runs on credits.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- Zotero
- iCloud
- Google Drive
- Baidu NetDisk
- YouTube
- Bilibili
MarginNote is made by MarginSoft Technology (Hong Kong) Limited, and has been around since 2013.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
22/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
MarginNote's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 22 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 62 of 147) and worst on features (C, above 2).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. MarginNote’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- CFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 147
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 147
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 MarginNote you could make: notes, highlights, mind mapping and linked notes. 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: 98 of the 147 other note-taking apps grade higher. It costs $12.99, paid once.
What you could make
- Notes, highlights, mind mapping and linked notes: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Zotero, iCloud and Google Drive among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- Hooks into the device itself: handwriting.
What this rests on. MarginNote’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
LiquidText, RemNote, Flexcil, Goodnotes and Heptabase
The 5 tools MarginNote is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
LiquidText
Free plan · from $8.99/mo
Document review workspace that links excerpts to notes.
- LiquidText has a free plan. MarginNote does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only LiquidText lists a Windows app.
- MarginNote also covers linked notes.
- 3.2GPA
RemNote
Free plan · from $8/mo
Note-taking app with built-in flashcards and spaced repetition.
- RemNote has a free plan. MarginNote does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only RemNote lists a web app.
- Only RemNote lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- 2.2GPA
Flexcil
Free plan · from $8.99
PDF reader and handwriting notebook built around pen gestures.
- Flexcil has a free plan. MarginNote does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only MarginNote lists a macOS app.
- Only Flexcil lists an Android app.
- 3.6GPA
Goodnotes
Free plan · from $11.99/yr
Handwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant.
- Goodnotes has a free plan. MarginNote does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Goodnotes lists a web app.
- Only Goodnotes lists Android and Windows apps.
- 2.4GPA
Heptabase
Free trial · from $8.99/mo
Visual notes app that arranges linked cards on whiteboards.
- Only Heptabase lists a web app.
- Only Heptabase lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Only Heptabase lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How does MarginNote compare with other note-taking apps?
MarginNote's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 22 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 27.
Could I make my own version of MarginNote?
The plain part of MarginNote you could make: notes, highlights, mind mapping and linked notes.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from MarginNote’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from MarginNote's own pages on 6 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-24.
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 MarginSoft Technology (Hong Kong) Limited. Prices change, so check marginnote.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
- MarginNote, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/marginnote
- 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, "MarginNote: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/marginnote
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/marginnote/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after MarginNote, 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 MarginNote’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. MarginNote is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by MarginSoft Technology (Hong Kong) Limited. Prices and plans change: check marginnote.com before you buy.