The Notable Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Notable 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.
Notable
The Insider’s Guide
Desktop Markdown notes app that stores notes as plain files on disk
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Notable’s own pages.
Made by Notable · 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 Notable’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Notable’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
3.0
GPA, above 127 of the 169 other note-taking apps we grade
Notable is a desktop note-taking app built around Markdown. Notes and attachments are stored as individual files on your own disk, so other editors, Dropbox or Git can work with them. It has nestable tags, linking between notes, a split editor and a zen mode.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Notable, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It is free, but it only runs on a computer, and sync, version control and plugins are still marked as future features on its site.
- 1
Best for Markdown notes kept as plain files on your computer
Notable is a desktop Markdown notes app that stores each note as a file on your disk.
- 2
It is free
Notable has no paid plan at all. The desktop app is free to use, with cloud sync and end-to-end encryption listed as opt-in features.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 4
Markdown editor
Notes are written in Markdown with KaTeX math and Mermaid diagrams, in an editor with multi-cursors and a minimap.
- 5
Notes stored as files
Notes and attachments sit on your disk as ordinary files, so Dropbox, Git or a third-party editor can work with them.
- 6
Nestable tags and links
Tags can be nested without limit, and notes can link to other notes and to attachments.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 127 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
Notable is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Notable at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Notable
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for Markdown notes kept as plain files on your computer
Notable is a desktop Markdown notes app that stores each note as a file on your disk. It is free, but it only runs on a computer, and sync, version control and plugins are still marked as future features on its site.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | The desktop app costs nothing, and the pages we read list no paid plan. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright, with no cap on notes. Cloud sync and encryption are described as opt-in extras to come. |
| Features | C | Markdown editor, nestable tags, note links, split editor and zen mode. The listing's own gaps: built-in sync, version control and plugins are all marked as coming. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record. It installs like any desktop app and opens onto a Markdown editor. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Windows, macOS and Linux only. The mobile apps and web app are listed as work in progress and will need a subscription. |
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 Notable is for
- Fits if you want your notes as plain Markdown files you can open in other editors
- Works for people who sync a notes folder through Dropbox or Git themselves
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you need your notes on a phone, as there is no mobile app yet
- Not for you if you want sync built in: today it means Dropbox or Git over the folder
- Watch out: the site says the mobile and web versions, when they come, will need a paid subscription
- Too light for a team, since nothing in the pages read covers sharing
Good to know
Good for
- People who want notes kept as plain Markdown files they control
- Desktop-only note-taking with keyboard-driven navigation
Worth knowing
- Desktop only: the site lists mobile apps and a web app as work in progress that will need a paid subscription.
- Built-in sync, version control and plugins are marked as future features on the site.
- Sync today means using a third-party service such as Dropbox or Git over the notes folder.
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
Notable is free to use.
The desktop app costs nothing, and the pages we read list no paid plan.
Desktop app
$0
Free desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux; notes are stored as files on your disk.
The free plan
The desktop app is free to use, with cloud sync and end-to-end encryption listed as opt-in features.
Read from notable.app 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
Desktop Markdown notes app that stores notes as plain files on disk. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: local-first, keyboard-first, notes, Markdown.
Markdown editor, nestable tags, note links, split editor and zen mode.
- Markdown editor
- Notes are written in Markdown with KaTeX math and Mermaid diagrams, in an editor with multi-cursors and a minimap.
- Notes stored as files
- Notes and attachments sit on your disk as ordinary files, so Dropbox, Git or a third-party editor can work with them.
- Nestable tags and links
- Tags can be nested without limit, and notes can link to other notes and to attachments.
- Split editor and zen mode
- A split view shows the rendered note while you edit, and zen mode hides everything but the text.
- Import and export
- Import notes from Evernote or Boostnote, and export to Markdown, HTML or PDF.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Evernote
- Boostnote
Notable is made by Notable.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
127/169
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Notable's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 127 of the 169 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 23.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 114 of 169) and worst on features (C, above 4).
Notable 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 170 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Notable’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 72 of 169
- AFree plan and trialAbove 114 of 169
- CFeaturesAbove 4 of 169
- BEase of useAbove 61 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. Notable 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
Notable 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 127 of the 169 other note-taking apps we grade.
What you could make
- Notes and Markdown: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Notable’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, Joplin, Inkdrop, FSNotes and Simplenote
The 5 tools Notable 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.
- Obsidian 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.
- Only Joplin lists a web app.
- Only Joplin lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Joplin lists a browser extension.
- 2.0GPA
Inkdrop
Free trial · from $8.31/mo
Markdown note app for developers with encrypted sync.
- Notable has a free plan. Inkdrop does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Inkdrop lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Inkdrop lists a browser extension.
- 3.0GPA
FSNotes
Free plan · from $4.99 one-time
Open-source Markdown notes app for Mac and iPhone.
- Only Notable lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Only FSNotes lists an iOS app.
- FSNotes is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.4GPA
Simplenote
Free
Free plain-text notes that sync across every major platform.
- Only Simplenote lists a web app.
- Only Simplenote lists iOS and Android apps.
- Simplenote is open source, according to its own site.
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 Notable free?
Yes. Notable is free to use.
How much does Notable cost?
Notable lists one plan. Desktop app: $0.
What platforms does Notable work on?
Notable is available on macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Notable have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Notable is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Notable have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Notable is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is Notable open source?
Notable is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does Notable integrate with?
Notable's listing names Evernote and Boostnote. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Notable?
Notable is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Notable?
The closest alternatives to Notable in our directory are Obsidian, Joplin, Inkdrop, FSNotes and Simplenote.
How does Notable compare with other note-taking apps?
Notable's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 127 of the 169 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 23.
Is Notable good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Notable A for value for money. Notable has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Notable?
Notable 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 127 of the 169 other note-taking apps we grade.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Notable’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 Notable'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 Notable. Prices change, so check notable.app 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
- Notable, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/notable
- 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, "Notable: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/notable
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/notable/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Notable, 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 Notable’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. Notable is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Notable. Prices and plans change: check notable.app before you buy.