The NoteGen Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about NoteGen 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.
NoteGen
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source Markdown notes app that organizes captures with AI
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from NoteGen’s own pages.
Made by codexu and contributors · 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 NoteGen’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on NoteGen’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
3.2
GPA, above 129 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
NoteGen is a free, open-source Markdown notes app for desktop and mobile that separates capturing from organizing. Text, voice recordings, screenshots, links and files are saved as records first, and AI later turns the ones you select into structured Markdown notes. It also has a chat and agent mode that works over your notes, an infinite canvas, and sync through Git hosts, S3, WebDAV or a self-hosted server.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about NoteGen, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for dumping thoughts in now and letting AI tidy them later
NoteGen is for collecting scraps, like a voice memo, a screenshot, a link or half a sentence, then picking a few and having AI write them up as a Markdown note.
- 2
It is free
NoteGen has no paid plan at all. Free and open source under GPL-3.0, with no subscription or account. The site says all core features are free and that donations do not buy feature priority or private support.
- 3
It runs on 5 platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, with a browser extension too.
- 4
Records for quick capture
Text, voice recordings, screenshots, images, links, files and to-dos go into one stream and are filtered later by tag, time or type, so nothing has to be filed when it is captured.
- 5
AI organization into notes
Selected records are organized into a summary, report or article from a template or a prompt, and AI tools can continue, shorten, expand, rewrite or translate text in the editor.
- 6
Markdown editor
Notes are standard Markdown files in a workspace folder, edited visually or in source mode, with tables, task lists, code blocks, math, Mermaid diagrams, export and file history.
- 7
A 3.2 GPA, above 129 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
NoteGen is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
NoteGen at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- codexu and contributors
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for dumping thoughts in now and letting AI tidy them later
NoteGen is for collecting scraps, like a voice memo, a screenshot, a link or half a sentence, then picking a few and having AI write them up as a Markdown note. It's free and open source. But it's unfinished: the desktop apps are labeled Beta and the phone apps Alpha, the Mac app is unsigned, you wire up sync yourself, and the self-hosted sync server is marked experimental.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under GPL-3.0, with no subscription and no account, in a category whose middle plan is $6 a month. The site says all core features are free and that donating doesn't buy feature priority or private support. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The full app is free on every platform, with built-in free AI models or your own provider, and the sync server can be self-hosted at no charge. There's no paid tier to hit. |
| Features | B | Capture text, voice, screenshots, links and files as records, then have AI turn the ones you pick into a summary, report or article. Add a Markdown editor with math, Mermaid and file history, a chat and agent over your notes, and an infinite canvas. It's the finish that's missing, not the features. |
| Ease of use | C | The listing shows real setup: the Mac app isn't signed, so the download page hands you Terminal commands if macOS calls it damaged, sync means connecting GitHub, S3 or WebDAV yourself, and your own AI models need configuring. No store rating is on record to go by. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Windows, macOS and Linux apps, a web clipper, and sync through GitHub, GitLab, Gitee, Gitea, S3, WebDAV, OneDrive or iCloud Drive. The phone apps are Alpha, an ARM64 APK for Android and TestFlight for iPhone, and there's no web app. |
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 NoteGen is for
- Fits if you capture bits all day and want AI to turn the ones you pick into notes
- Works for people who already keep things in Git and want AI with the models and keys they choose
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want finished software, as the README labels desktop Beta and mobile Alpha
- Not for you if Terminal commands and sync settings sound like a chore, since the Mac app is unsigned and sync is yours to set up
- Skip it if it would be your only copy, since the self-hosted sync server is marked experimental and the site says so itself
- Watch out: notes sent to an online AI model leave your device, as the docs note
- Tight if you're on a phone, with an ARM64 APK on Android, TestFlight on iPhone, and no web app
Good to know
Good for
- People who capture fragments first and write them up later
- Using AI on notes with the models and API keys you choose
- Keeping notes as Markdown files synced through Git or your own storage
Worth knowing
- The README labels the desktop apps Beta and the mobile apps Alpha: Android is an ARM64 APK download and iOS is distributed through TestFlight.
- The macOS app is not signed, and the download page gives Terminal commands to run if macOS reports it as damaged.
- AI features rely on built-in free models or a provider you configure, and the docs note that data sent to an online model leaves the device.
- The self-hosted sync server is marked experimental, and the site warns against treating an instance as the only copy of important data.
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
NoteGen is free to use.
The site says all core features are free and that donating doesn't buy feature priority or private support.
NoteGen
$0
The full app on every platform, with built-in free models or your own AI provider. The sync server can be self-hosted at no charge.
The free plan
Free and open source under GPL-3.0, with no subscription or account. The site says all core features are free and that donations do not buy feature priority or private support.
Read from notegen.top on Oct 9, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
6
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android and Browser extension
Open-source Markdown notes app that organizes captures with AI. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, local-first, AI features, notes, Markdown, whiteboard, web clipper.
Capture text, voice, screenshots, links and files as records, then have AI turn the ones you pick into a summary, report or article.
- Records for quick capture
- Text, voice recordings, screenshots, images, links, files and to-dos go into one stream and are filtered later by tag, time or type, so nothing has to be filed when it is captured.
- AI organization into notes
- Selected records are organized into a summary, report or article from a template or a prompt, and AI tools can continue, shorten, expand, rewrite or translate text in the editor.
- Markdown editor
- Notes are standard Markdown files in a workspace folder, edited visually or in source mode, with tables, task lists, code blocks, math, Mermaid diagrams, export and file history.
- Chat and Agent
- Chat answers questions using notes, records and a knowledge base. Agent mode can read and change notes, folders and tags once you approve its tools, and supports MCP servers and Skills.
- Infinite canvas
- Notes, records, images, links, shapes and charts become nodes that can be connected and grouped, and AI can generate flowcharts, charts and Mermaid diagrams from note content.
- Sync to a place you choose
- Notes stay on the device by default and can sync through GitHub, GitLab, Gitee, Gitea, S3 or WebDAV. A self-hosted NoteGen Server adds realtime sync and collaboration.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Gitee
- Gitea
- S3
- WebDAV
- OneDrive
- iCloud Drive
NoteGen is made by codexu and contributors.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
129/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
NoteGen's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 129 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 100 of 147) and worst on ease of use (C, above 5).
NoteGen has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 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. NoteGen’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
- BFeaturesAbove 100 of 147
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 147
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 86 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. NoteGen 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
NoteGen is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 129 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown and web clipper: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- An endless canvas that stays smooth with hundreds of things on it.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, GitHub, GitLab and Gitee among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. NoteGen’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
Blinko, SiYuan, Obsidian, AFFiNE and Memos
The 5 tools NoteGen is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Blinko
Free plan · from $5.99/mo
AI-assisted card notes, self-hosted or on Blinko Cloud.
- Only NoteGen lists an iOS app.
- Only NoteGen lists a browser extension.
- Only Blinko lists a web app.
- 3.0GPA
SiYuan
Free plan · from $64 one-time
Open-source, local-first notes built on linked content blocks.
- Only SiYuan lists a web app.
- SiYuan is self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- NoteGen also covers Markdown, whiteboard and web clipper.
- 3.6GPA
Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.
- NoteGen is open source, according to its own site.
- Obsidian is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- NoteGen also covers web clipper.
- 2.6GPA
AFFiNE
Free plan · from $6.75/mo
Open-source workspace that merges docs, whiteboards and databases.
- Only AFFiNE lists a web app.
- AFFiNE is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- NoteGen also covers notes, Markdown and web clipper.
- 2.8GPA
Memos
Free
Open-source, self-hosted timeline of short Markdown notes.
- Only NoteGen lists Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS apps.
- Only Memos lists a web app.
- Memos is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
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 NoteGen free?
Yes. NoteGen is free to use.
How much does NoteGen cost?
NoteGen lists one plan. NoteGen: $0.
What platforms does NoteGen work on?
NoteGen is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. It also has a browser extension.
Is NoteGen open source?
Yes. NoteGen is open source, according to its own site.
What does NoteGen integrate with?
NoteGen's listing names GitHub, GitLab, Gitee, Gitea, S3, WebDAV, OneDrive and iCloud Drive.
Who makes NoteGen?
NoteGen is made by codexu and contributors.
What are the alternatives to NoteGen?
The closest alternatives to NoteGen in our directory are Blinko, SiYuan, Obsidian, AFFiNE and Memos.
How does NoteGen compare with other note-taking apps?
NoteGen's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 129 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 8.
Is NoteGen good value for money?
ToolGPA grades NoteGen A for value for money. NoteGen has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of NoteGen?
NoteGen 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 NoteGen’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 NoteGen's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-15.
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 codexu and contributors. Prices change, so check notegen.top 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
- NoteGen, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/notegen
- 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, "NoteGen: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/notegen
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/notegen/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after NoteGen, 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 NoteGen’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. NoteGen is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by codexu and contributors. Prices and plans change: check notegen.top before you buy.