The MindForger Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about MindForger 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.
MindForger
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source Markdown notebook that links related notes for you
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from MindForger’s own pages.
Made by Martin Dvorak · 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 MindForger’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on MindForger’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
MindForger is a free, open-source desktop notebook and Markdown editor for Linux, macOS and Windows. It splits Markdown files into notes, shows related notes from the whole workspace while you read or write, and turns mentions of other notes into links automatically. Notes stay as plain Markdown files on disk, and an optional assistant called Wingman can run a language model locally through Ollama.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about MindForger, taken from its own pages and our grades.
On Linux and Windows it's a normal install and you're writing.
- 1
Best for Markdown notes that link themselves, on a desktop
Skip it if you want notes on your phone.
- 2
It is free
MindForger has no paid plan at all. Free, open-source software under the GNU GPL (version 2 on GitHub). The site says it costs nothing to download and use, with no account and no subscription.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Linux, macOS and Windows.
- 4
Associations
While a note is being read or written, MindForger lists related notes from the whole workspace. Associations are computed locally, with no cloud service or language model needed.
- 5
Autolinking
Names of notebooks and notes mentioned in the text become links in the preview automatically. Generated links are shown in green and hand-written ones in blue.
- 6
Wingman assistant
An optional assistant that summarizes, explains, translates, rewrites and fixes grammar. It runs open-weight models locally through Ollama, or sends text to OpenRouter or OpenAI.
- 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
MindForger is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
MindForger at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Martin Dvorak, since 2018
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for Markdown notes that link themselves, on a desktop
MindForger is a free, open-source desktop notes app that shows related notes while you write and turns mentions of other notes into links by itself, keeping everything as Markdown files. But it's desktop only with no sync, it reads like a tool for programmers, the Mac build is unsigned and Intel-only, and the Wingman assistant needs a language model set up first. Skip it if you want notes on your phone.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under the GNU GPL, with no account and no subscription, in a category whose middle plan is $6 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The full desktop app is free, Wingman assistant included, and Wingman can run a model on your own machine through Ollama. There's no paid tier to bump into. |
| Features | C | Related notes surfaced as you read or write, links made automatically from note names, a knowledge graph, Kanban and Eisenhower views, KaTeX math, Mermaid, and keyboard commands to clone, promote, move and extract notes. Sync is missing entirely, though: that's left to Git or a cloud drive. |
| Ease of use | B | On Linux and Windows it's a normal install and you're writing. No store rating is on record to go by. On a Mac the app isn't signed, so Gatekeeper blocks it after each install until you allow it by hand, and Wingman wants a language model set up first. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Linux, macOS and Windows, with packages for Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch, plus Ollama, OpenRouter and OpenAI for the assistant. Desktop and nothing else: no phone or web app, and the Mac build is Intel only, running through Rosetta 2. |
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 MindForger is for
- Fits if you've got years of Markdown notes and keep losing track of what's in them
- Works for keyboard-first people who want an AI helper running locally through Ollama
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want your notes on your phone, as there's no mobile or web app
- Not for you if you're on a Mac and don't want to override Gatekeeper after every install, for an Intel build run through Rosetta 2
- Skip it if you want sync handled for you, since that's left to Git or a cloud drive
- Watch out: Wingman with a remote model sends your text to a third party, and a local one means installing Ollama
- Watch out: the Windows installer is 64-bit x64 only, and the Mac app has left the official Homebrew cask repository
Good to know
Good for
- People who keep private notes as Markdown files on their own disk
- Keyboard-driven users who want IDE-style restructuring of notes
- Running an AI assistant over notes with a local Ollama model
- Linux users: packages cover Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch and more
Worth knowing
- Desktop only: the site lists Linux, macOS and Windows with no mobile or web app, and leaves syncing to Git or a cloud drive of your choice.
- The macOS app is not signed or notarized by Apple: after each .dmg install Gatekeeper blocks it until it is allowed by hand, and it has left the official Homebrew cask repository.
- The macOS .dmg is built for Intel and runs on Apple Silicon through Rosetta 2; the Windows installer is for 64-bit x64 only.
- Wingman needs a language model set up first: Ollama installed locally, or a remote provider, which the docs warn sends your text to a third party.
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
MindForger is free to use.
The full desktop app is free, Wingman assistant included, and Wingman can run a model on your own machine through Ollama.
MindForger
$0
The full desktop app for Linux, macOS and Windows, including the Wingman assistant, which uses a local Ollama model or a remote OpenRouter or OpenAI model.
The free plan
Free, open-source software under the GNU GPL (version 2 on GitHub). The site says it costs nothing to download and use, with no account and no subscription.
Read from mindforger.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
Open-source Markdown notebook that links related notes for you. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, local-first, AI features, keyboard-first, notes, Markdown, linked notes.
Sync is missing entirely, though: that's left to Git or a cloud drive.
- Associations
- While a note is being read or written, MindForger lists related notes from the whole workspace. Associations are computed locally, with no cloud service or language model needed.
- Autolinking
- Names of notebooks and notes mentioned in the text become links in the preview automatically. Generated links are shown in green and hand-written ones in blue.
- Wingman assistant
- An optional assistant that summarizes, explains, translates, rewrites and fixes grammar. It runs open-weight models locally through Ollama, or sends text to OpenRouter or OpenAI.
- Organizers and knowledge graph
- Kanban boards and Eisenhower matrix views sort notebooks and notes by their tags, and a force-directed graph shows notebooks, notes and tags with their relationships.
- Markdown editor with refactoring
- The editor has live preview, syntax highlighting, offline KaTeX math, Mermaid diagrams and spell check. Notes can be cloned, promoted, demoted, moved and extracted from the keyboard.
- Plain Markdown workspaces
- Notes are GitHub Flavored Markdown files on disk. MindForger opens its own workspace, any Markdown directory or a single file, and exports notebooks to HTML or Markdown.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Ollama
- OpenRouter
- OpenAI
MindForger is made by Martin Dvorak, and has been around since 2018.
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
MindForger'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).
MindForger 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. MindForger’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. MindForger 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
MindForger 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 linked notes: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. MindForger’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, Logseq, QOwnNotes, Zim and Joplin
The 5 tools MindForger 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.
- Only Obsidian lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
- MindForger is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
Logseq
Free plan · from $5/mo
Open-source outliner for linked notes stored as local files.
- Only Logseq lists a web app.
- Only Logseq lists iOS and Android apps.
- Logseq also covers whiteboard and daily notes.
- 3.0GPA
QOwnNotes
Free
Open-source Markdown notes app with Nextcloud and ownCloud support.
- Only QOwnNotes lists an Android app.
- Only QOwnNotes lists a browser extension.
- QOwnNotes also covers web clipper.
- 3.0GPA
Zim
Free
Desktop wiki that keeps linked pages as plain text files.
- MindForger also covers Markdown.
- Zim also covers wiki, daily notes and tasks.
- 3.6GPA
Joplin
Free plan · from €2.40/mo
Open source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose.
- Only Joplin lists a web app.
- Only Joplin lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Joplin lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
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 MindForger free?
Yes. MindForger is free to use.
How much does MindForger cost?
MindForger lists one plan. MindForger: $0.
What platforms does MindForger work on?
MindForger is available on Linux, macOS and Windows.
Does MindForger have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. MindForger is listed for Linux, macOS and Windows.
Does MindForger have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. MindForger is listed for Linux, macOS and Windows.
Is MindForger open source?
Yes. MindForger is open source, according to its own site.
What does MindForger integrate with?
MindForger's listing names Ollama, OpenRouter and OpenAI. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes MindForger?
MindForger is made by Martin Dvorak. It dates from 2018.
What are the alternatives to MindForger?
The closest alternatives to MindForger in our directory are Obsidian, Logseq, QOwnNotes, Zim and Joplin.
How does MindForger compare with other note-taking apps?
MindForger's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
Is MindForger good value for money?
ToolGPA grades MindForger A for value for money. MindForger has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of MindForger?
MindForger 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 MindForger’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 MindForger's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-05.
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 Martin Dvorak. Prices change, so check mindforger.com before you buy.
- mindforger.com/
- mindforger.com/docs/index.html
- mindforger.com/docs/installation.html
- mindforger.com/docs/user-documentation.html
- mindforger.com/docs/about.html
- mindforger.com/docs/history.html
- mindforger.com/docs/releases.html
- raw.githubusercontent.com/dvorka/mindforger/master/Changelog
- api.github.com/repos/dvorka/mindforger
- api.github.com/repos/dvorka/mindforger/releases/latest
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
- MindForger, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/mindforger
- 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, "MindForger: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/mindforger
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/mindforger/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after MindForger, 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 MindForger’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. MindForger is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Martin Dvorak. Prices and plans change: check mindforger.com before you buy.