The Notenik Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Notenik 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.
Notenik
The Insider’s Guide
Free Mac notes app with Markdown, custom fields and outlining
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Notenik’s own pages.
Made by Herb Bowie · 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 Notenik’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Notenik’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
2.6
GPA, above 50 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
Notenik is a free, open-source note-taking app for the Mac, written by Herb Bowie. Each note is a plain text file with a Markdown body and a set of fields, such as tags, links, dates and sequence numbers, that every collection of notes defines for itself. The same collections can serve as to-do lists, outlines, bookmark lists or the source for a generated website.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Notenik, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No App Store rating is on record to go by.
- 1
Best for plain-text notes with your own fields, on a Mac
But it runs on the Mac only, has no sync of its own, takes reading to learn, and is supported by one developer on a forum.
- 2
It is free
Notenik has no paid plan at all. The whole app is free and open source under the MIT license. The site says there is no upfront cost and there are no in-app purchases, subscriptions or advertising.
- 3
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 4
Plain text notes in collections
Each note is its own plain text file and a folder of notes is a collection. Collections can be stored anywhere, including iCloud Drive or a Dropbox folder, and open in any text editor.
- 5
Custom fields per collection
Beyond a Title and a Body, a collection can add fields such as Tags, Link, Date, Status, Seq and Author, each with its own type, and notes can be sorted by any of them.
- 6
Markdown with extras
The body is formatted in Markdown with footnotes, citations, definition lists and MathJax. Double-bracket wiki links connect notes, and a table of contents can be generated.
- 7
A 2.6 GPA, above 50 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
Notenik is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Notenik at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Herb Bowie
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for plain-text notes with your own fields, on a Mac
Notenik is a free Mac notes app where every note is a plain text file and each folder can have its own fields, such as a status, a date or a link, so it works as a to-do list, an outline or a bookmark list, and it can turn a folder into a website. But it runs on the Mac only, has no sync of its own, takes reading to learn, and is supported by one developer on a forum.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under the MIT license, in a category whose middle plan is $6 a month. The site says no upfront cost, no in-app purchases, no subscriptions and no advertising. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole app is free from the Mac App Store with every feature on from the first launch, and there's no paid tier anywhere to run into. |
| Features | C | Each collection picks its own fields, such as Tags, Link, Date, Status and Seq, and sorts by any of them, with Markdown that does footnotes, citations, MathJax and wiki links, plus merge templates and scripts that write a whole website out. The gap the listing names is sync: there is none. |
| Ease of use | C | Plain notes are plain enough, but the fields, merge templates and scripts take real reading, and support is one developer on a Discourse forum. No App Store rating is on record to go by. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | The Mac alone, on macOS 13.5 or later, and only through the Mac App Store. No iPhone, iPad, Windows or web version. On the Mac it has a URL scheme, Shortcuts actions and Hookmark support; anywhere else your notes are just text files. |
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 Notenik is for
- Fits if you want notes as plain text files that any text editor can open
- Works for structured lists like quotations, bookmarks or tasks with a status, or a website built from a folder
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want the app on your iPhone, iPad or PC, as it's Mac only
- Not for you if you want sync built in, because that's left to iCloud Drive or Dropbox
- Skip it if you just want to jot things down, since the fields and templates are the point
- Watch out: one developer writes and supports it, with help only on a Discourse forum
- Tight if your Mac runs anything older than macOS 13.5, which the store listing requires
Good to know
Good for
- Mac users who want notes kept as plain text files they control
- Structured collections such as quotations, bookmarks or to-do lists
- Publishing a website or web book from a folder of notes
Worth knowing
- Mac only: the developer says Notenik runs solely on the Mac and is available exclusively through the Mac App Store.
- There is no iPhone, iPad, Windows or web version. On other devices the notes are plain text files to open in another editor.
- The app has no sync service of its own. The store listing suggests keeping collections in iCloud Drive or a Dropbox folder.
- Notenik is written and supported by a single developer, with questions and requests handled on a Discourse forum.
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
Notenik is free to use.
The site says no upfront cost, no in-app purchases, no subscriptions and no advertising.
Notenik
$0
The full app with all features enabled, downloaded from the Mac App Store. The store listing requires macOS 13.5 or later.
The free plan
The whole app is free and open source under the MIT license. The site says there is no upfront cost and there are no in-app purchases, subscriptions or advertising.
Read from notenik.app on Oct 9, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Free Mac notes app with Markdown, custom fields and outlining. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, local-first, notes, Markdown, linked notes, tasks.
The gap the listing names is sync: there is none.
- Plain text notes in collections
- Each note is its own plain text file and a folder of notes is a collection. Collections can be stored anywhere, including iCloud Drive or a Dropbox folder, and open in any text editor.
- Custom fields per collection
- Beyond a Title and a Body, a collection can add fields such as Tags, Link, Date, Status, Seq and Author, each with its own type, and notes can be sorted by any of them.
- Markdown with extras
- The body is formatted in Markdown with footnotes, citations, definition lists and MathJax. Double-bracket wiki links connect notes, and a table of contents can be generated.
- To-do lists, outlines and bookmarks
- Date, Status and Recurs fields turn a collection into a to-do list, Seq and Level fields make it an outline, and a Link field makes it a set of bookmarks.
- Merge templates and scripts
- Merge templates write note fields out as HTML, XML, JSON or other text. Script files select, sort and filter the notes first, which lets Notenik act as a static website generator.
- Hooks for other Mac apps
- A custom URL scheme, custom actions for Apple's Shortcuts app and APIs for Hookmark let other apps link to notes, add notes from text and run script files.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- iCloud Drive
- Dropbox
- Shortcuts
- Hookmark
- Medium
Notenik is made by Herb Bowie.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
50/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Notenik's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 50 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 platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Notenik has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 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. Notenik’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 147
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 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. Notenik 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
Notenik is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown, linked notes and tasks: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, iCloud Drive, Dropbox and Shortcuts among them.
- Hooks into the device itself: Shortcuts.
What this rests on. Notenik’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
The Archive, FSNotes, Obsidian, Tinderbox and Bike Outliner
The 5 tools Notenik is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
The Archive
Free trial · from $19.99 one-time
Plain-text note-taking app for Mac built around Zettelkasten.
- Notenik has a free plan. The Archive does not, though it has a free trial.
- Notenik is open source, according to its own site.
- The Archive can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 3.0GPA
FSNotes
Free plan · from $4.99 one-time
Open-source Markdown notes app for Mac and iPhone.
- Only FSNotes lists an iOS app.
- FSNotes can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Notenik also covers linked notes and tasks.
- 3.6GPA
Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.
- Only Obsidian lists Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
- Notenik is open source, according to its own site.
- 1.8GPA
Tinderbox
Free trial · from $289 one-time
Mac tool for mapping, analyzing and sharing notes.
- Notenik has a free plan. Tinderbox does not, though it has a free trial.
- Notenik is open source, according to its own site.
- Tinderbox can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
Bike Outliner
Free plan · from $29.99 one-time
Fast outliner and structured writing app for Mac.
- Notenik is open source, according to its own site.
- Bike Outliner can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Notenik also covers Markdown, linked notes and tasks.
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 Notenik free?
Yes. Notenik is free to use.
How much does Notenik cost?
Notenik lists one plan. Notenik: $0.
What platforms does Notenik work on?
Notenik is available on macOS.
Does Notenik have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Notenik is listed for macOS.
Does Notenik have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Notenik is listed for macOS.
Is Notenik open source?
Yes. Notenik is open source, according to its own site.
What does Notenik integrate with?
Notenik's listing names iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Shortcuts, Hookmark and Medium.
Who makes Notenik?
Notenik is made by Herb Bowie.
What are the alternatives to Notenik?
The closest alternatives to Notenik in our directory are The Archive, FSNotes, Obsidian, Tinderbox and Bike Outliner.
How does Notenik compare with other note-taking apps?
Notenik's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 50 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
Is Notenik good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Notenik A for value for money. Notenik has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Notenik?
Notenik is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: A real app for macOS.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Notenik’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 Notenik's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-22.
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 Herb Bowie. Prices change, so check notenik.app 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
- Notenik, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/notenik
- 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, "Notenik: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/notenik
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/notenik/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Notenik, 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 Notenik’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. Notenik is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Herb Bowie. Prices and plans change: check notenik.app before you buy.