The nb Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about nb 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.
nb
The Insider’s Guide
Command-line note, bookmark and knowledge base tool in one script
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from nb’s own pages.
Made by xwmx · checked Nov 13, 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 nb’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on nb’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 88 of the 169 other note-taking apps we grade
nb is a note-taking, bookmarking and archiving tool that runs in the terminal and in a local web view. Items are plain text files in formats such as Markdown and Org, with tags, wiki-style links, todos and Git-backed versioning and sync. The whole program is one shell script.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about nb, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It is free and open source, but it needs a Unix-like shell, and there is no phone app or hosted service.
- 1
Best for plain-text notes and bookmarks in a terminal
nb is a command-line tool for notes, bookmarks and todos that keeps everything as plain files with Git behind it.
- 2
It is free
nb has no paid plan at all. No price is listed; the project's GitHub page shows an AGPL-3.0 license.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Linux and Windows.
- 4
Plain-text storage
Notes are text files in Markdown, Org, LaTeX, AsciiDoc or any other format, written in the editor you choose.
- 5
Git versioning and sync
Notebooks are Git-backed, giving revision history and syncing through a Git remote.
- 6
Bookmarks with cached pages
Saved pages are stored as Markdown for local full-text search, with Wayback Machine lookup for broken links.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 88 of 169
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
nb is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
nb at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- xwmx
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for plain-text notes and bookmarks in a terminal
nb is a command-line tool for notes, bookmarks and todos that keeps everything as plain files with Git behind it. It is free and open source, but it needs a Unix-like shell, and there is no phone app or hosted service.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Open source and free, installed from a package manager or as one script. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright, with no paid tier listed. |
| Features | B | Notes, bookmarks with cached pages, todos, tags, wiki links, encryption, Git sync and a local web view, all from one script. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in that job. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. It runs in a terminal, and some features need Pandoc or a Chrome browser. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | macOS and Linux programs, and on Windows only through WSL, MSYS or Cygwin. Works with Git, Vim, Emacs and VS Code. |
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 nb is for
- Fits if you live in a terminal and want your notes as files under Git
- Works for people who also save bookmarks and todos in the same place
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you want a window to click in, as it is command line and a local web view
- Skip it if you are on Windows without WSL, MSYS or Cygwin
- Watch out: some features need Pandoc, Chromium or Chrome installed
- Too light for sharing, as there is no phone app or hosted service
Good to know
Good for
- Terminal users who want notes and bookmarks in version-controlled plain text
- People who want to write in Vim, Emacs, VS Code or any other editor
Worth knowing
- It needs a Unix-like shell; on Windows it runs through WSL, MSYS or Cygwin.
- Some features rely on optional tools such as Pandoc and Chromium or Chrome.
- There is no mobile app or hosted service on its site.
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
nb is free to use.
Open source and free, installed from a package manager or as one script.
nb
$0
Open-source command-line tool installed from a package manager or as a script; no paid tier is listed.
The free plan
No price is listed; the project's GitHub page shows an AGPL-3.0 license.
Read from xwmx.github.io on Nov 13, 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
Command-line note, bookmark and knowledge base tool in one script. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, notes, Markdown, linked notes, tasks, bookmarks.
Notes, bookmarks with cached pages, todos, tags, wiki links, encryption, Git sync and a local web view, all from one script.
- Plain-text storage
- Notes are text files in Markdown, Org, LaTeX, AsciiDoc or any other format, written in the editor you choose.
- Git versioning and sync
- Notebooks are Git-backed, giving revision history and syncing through a Git remote.
- Bookmarks with cached pages
- Saved pages are stored as Markdown for local full-text search, with Wayback Machine lookup for broken links.
- Encryption
- Notes and bookmarks can be password-protected.
- Wiki links, tags and todos
- Items link with [[wiki-style]] links, take #tags, and can hold todos with tasks.
- Local web browsing
- A locally served web view lets you read notes and bookmarks in a terminal or GUI browser.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Git
- Pandoc
- Vim
- Emacs
- VS Code
- Homebrew
nb is made by xwmx.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
88/169
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
nb's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 88 of the 169 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 38.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 114 of 169) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
nb has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 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 170 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. nb’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 72 of 169
- AFree plan and trialAbove 114 of 169
- BFeaturesAbove 121 of 169
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 169
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 34 of 169
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 118 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. nb 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
nb is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown, bookmarks, linked notes and tasks: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Git, Pandoc and Vim among them.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. nb’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
Dnote, Notenik, Joplin, QOwnNotes and Zim
The 5 tools nb is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Dnote
Free
Free, open-source terminal notebook with optional self-hosted sync.
- Dnote is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- nb also covers Markdown, linked notes, tasks and bookmarks.
- 2.6GPA
Notenik
Free
Free Mac notes app with Markdown, custom fields and outlining.
- Only nb lists Linux and Windows apps.
- nb also covers bookmarks.
- 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.
- 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.
- nb also covers tasks and bookmarks.
- 3.0GPA
Zim
Free
Desktop wiki that keeps linked pages as plain text files.
- nb also covers Markdown and bookmarks.
- Zim also covers wiki and daily notes.
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 nb free?
Yes. nb is free to use. No price is listed; the project's GitHub page shows an AGPL-3.0 license.
How much does nb cost?
nb lists one plan. nb: $0. Prices were read from xwmx.github.io on Nov 13, 2026.
What platforms does nb work on?
nb is available on macOS, Linux and Windows.
Does nb have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. nb is listed for macOS, Linux and Windows.
Does nb have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. nb is listed for macOS, Linux and Windows.
Is nb open source?
Yes. nb is open source, according to its own site.
What does nb integrate with?
nb's listing names Git, Pandoc, Vim, Emacs, VS Code and Homebrew. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes nb?
nb is made by xwmx.
What are the alternatives to nb?
The closest alternatives to nb in our directory are Dnote, Notenik, Joplin, QOwnNotes and Zim.
How does nb compare with other note-taking apps?
nb's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 88 of the 169 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 38.
Is nb good value for money?
ToolGPA grades nb A for value for money. nb has no paid plan. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4.
Could I make my own version of nb?
nb is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from nb’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from nb's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 xwmx. Prices change, so check xwmx.github.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- nb, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/nb
- 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, "nb: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/nb
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/nb/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after nb, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 170 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 nb’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. nb is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by xwmx. Prices and plans change: check xwmx.github.io before you buy.