The NotePlus Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about NotePlus 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.
NotePlus
The Insider’s Guide
Native Markdown notes app with kanban boards and AI chat
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from NotePlus’s own pages.
Made by TablePlus Inc. · 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 NotePlus’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on NotePlus’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
NotePlus is a Markdown notes app for Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad from the team behind TablePlus. Notes are plain Markdown files kept in a folder you choose, such as iCloud Drive, Google Drive or Dropbox, and are formatted in place as you type, with no account to create. Kanban boards, an AI chat that runs on your own API key and Hub, an inbox for messages posted by scripts and services, sit beside the notes.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about NotePlus, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for Markdown notes in your own cloud folder, bought once
There's no sync of its own, the AI chat needs your own API key, and there's no Android, Linux or web version.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $29 one-time purchase (Basic license, 1 computer).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free to download and use without a license. The pricing FAQ says the unlicensed app has no limits at present and that some functions will be limited in future releases. Hub is part of a license.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and iOS.
- 5
WYSIWYG Markdown editor
Markdown is formatted in place as you type, with no separate preview pane. Headings, checklists, tables, code blocks and images are covered, and the file stays plain Markdown.
- 6
Files in your own cloud folder
Notes are kept in iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox or any folder that syncs, and that service does the syncing. No NotePlus account is involved.
- 7
Linked notes and secret notes
Typing two brackets and a name links to another note. A note can be locked with a password, which encrypts it in its file, and unlocked with Touch ID or Face ID.
- 8
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.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of NotePlus you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes and kanban boards. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
NotePlus at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $29 one-time purchase (Basic license, 1 computer)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, iOS
- Made by
- TablePlus Inc.
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for Markdown notes in your own cloud folder, bought once
NotePlus is a Markdown notes app from the TablePlus team, with kanban boards and an AI chat beside your notes, saved in your own iCloud Drive, Google Drive or Dropbox folder with no account. A license is $29 once with a year of updates, then $19 a seat for newer versions. There's no sync of its own, the AI chat needs your own API key, and there's no Android, Linux or web version.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Basic is $29 once for 1 Mac or PC plus 2 iPhones or iPads. A year of the middle note app here, at $6 a month, is $72, so you're paying under half a year of that and then it's yours. Updates run out after a year and newer versions need $19 a seat, but the app keeps working. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free to download and use with no license, and the pricing FAQ says there are no limits at present, so one person could live on it. Not an A, because the same FAQ promises some functions will be limited in future releases without saying which, and Hub already needs a license. |
| Features | C | Markdown that formats in place, [[links]] between notes, locked notes, kanban boards and Hub for messages from scripts. But the gap the listing names is a big one for a notes app: no sync of its own, so notes only reach another device if the cloud folder carries them. The AI chat needs your own API key too. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, so we go by the listing: there's no account to create, you point it at a folder and type, and Markdown formats in place with no preview pane to manage. There's nothing to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad, with notes carried by iCloud Drive, Google Drive or Dropbox and AI from OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, DeepSeek or Ollama. No Android, Linux or web version, and an A wants a desktop app plus the browser and both phones. |
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 NotePlus is for
- Fits if you want plain Markdown files in a cloud folder you already pay for
- Works for buying a license once instead of paying monthly, on a Mac or PC plus an iPhone or iPad
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you have an Android phone or a Linux machine, as neither is covered, and there's no web version
- Not for you if you want sync handled for you, because there isn't any of its own
- Tight if you want AI without any setup, since the chat needs an API key from a provider
- Watch out: a license includes 1 year of updates, and newer versions after that cost $19 a seat
- Watch out: the FAQ says the free download will have some functions limited in future releases, without saying which
Good to know
Good for
- People who want Markdown notes as plain files in their own cloud folder
- Mac, Windows and iPhone users who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
- Developers who want messages from scripts and CI jobs delivered next to their notes
Worth knowing
- No Android, Linux or web version: the site lists macOS 12, iOS 15 and Windows 10 (64-bit) or later.
- A license includes 1 year of updates. The app keeps working after that, but moving to newer versions needs a renewal at $19 per seat.
- There is no sync service of its own: notes reach other devices through the cloud folder they are stored in.
- AI chat needs your own API key from a provider, and the site describes themes for Mac, iPhone and iPad only.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$29 one-time
To start. There is a free plan too
NotePlus has a free plan. Paid plans start at $29 one-time purchase (Basic license, 1 computer).
Free to download and use with no license, and the pricing FAQ says there are no limits at present, so one person could live on it.
Free download
$0
The app without a license. The vendor calls this a free trial and says it has no limits at present, though some functions will be limited in future releases.
Basic
$29
per license, one-time purchase
For individuals: 1 Mac or Windows PC plus 2 iPhones or iPads, all premium features including Hub, and 1 year of updates and support.
Pro
$39
per license, one-time purchase
2 Macs or Windows PCs plus 4 iPhones or iPads, with the same premium features and 1 year of updates and support.
Custom
$29
per seat, one-time purchase, from 3 seats
For teams and companies. Each seat covers 1 Mac or Windows PC plus 2 iPhones or iPads, with 1 year of updates and support.
The free plan
Free to download and use without a license. The pricing FAQ says the unlicensed app has no limits at present and that some functions will be limited in future releases. Hub is part of a license.
Read from noteplus.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
Pro license covers two computers for $39
The pricing page marks the Pro license "Save 35%": it covers 2 Macs or Windows PCs and 4 iPhones or iPads for $39, where a Basic license for one computer costs $29.
Stated on noteplus.comEducation
50% education discount on request
The site's Education link goes to the TablePlus team's education plan, which gives students and teachers 50% off on request by email with proof of status. That page was written for TablePlus.
Stated on tableplus.com
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 iOS
Native Markdown notes app with kanban boards and AI chat. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: local-first, one-time purchase, AI features, notes, Markdown, linked notes, kanban boards.
Markdown that formats in place, [[links]] between notes, locked notes, kanban boards and Hub for messages from scripts.
- WYSIWYG Markdown editor
- Markdown is formatted in place as you type, with no separate preview pane. Headings, checklists, tables, code blocks and images are covered, and the file stays plain Markdown.
- Files in your own cloud folder
- Notes are kept in iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox or any folder that syncs, and that service does the syncing. No NotePlus account is involved.
- Linked notes and secret notes
- Typing two brackets and a name links to another note. A note can be locked with a password, which encrypts it in its file, and unlocked with Touch ID or Face ID.
- Kanban boards
- Boards with columns, cards and colors are saved in the same folder as the notes, and a card is dragged to another column as the work moves along.
- AI chat with your own API key
- A chat window and a sidebar assistant work with OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, DeepSeek, Ollama and others. Chats are saved as files, and the assistant can read and update NotePlus items.
- Hub
- Works like an incoming webhook: a script, CI job or service posts text to a hook URL and it arrives in NotePlus with a notification on Mac and iPhone. Hub needs a license.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
What it works with
- iCloud Drive
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- OpenAI
- Anthropic
- Gemini
- DeepSeek
- Ollama
NotePlus is made by TablePlus Inc.
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
NotePlus'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 value for money (A, above 62 of 147) and worst on features (C, above 2).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. NotePlus’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- BFree plan and trialAbove 71 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 of 147
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 86 of 147
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
The plain part of NotePlus you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes and kanban boards. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
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. It costs $29, paid once.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown, linked notes and kanban boards: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, iCloud Drive, Google Drive and Dropbox among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. NotePlus’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, Bear, FSNotes, Octarine and MiaoYan
The 5 tools NotePlus 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 Linux and Android apps.
- Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
- NotePlus can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.6GPA
Bear
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with tags and links.
- Only NotePlus lists a Windows app.
- Only Bear lists a browser extension.
- NotePlus 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 NotePlus lists a Windows app.
- FSNotes is open source, according to its own site.
- NotePlus also covers linked notes and kanban boards.
- 2.8GPA
Octarine
Free plan · from $79 one-time
Local Markdown notes app with daily notes, views and optional AI.
- Only NotePlus lists an iOS app.
- Only Octarine lists a Linux app.
- Only Octarine lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
MiaoYan
Free plan · from $14.99 one-time
Native Mac Markdown notes app with a split editor and preview.
- Only NotePlus lists a Windows app.
- MiaoYan is open source, according to its own site.
- NotePlus also covers kanban boards.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 NotePlus free?
NotePlus has a free plan. Free to download and use without a license.
How much does NotePlus cost?
NotePlus lists 4 plans. Free download: $0.
What platforms does NotePlus work on?
NotePlus is available on macOS, Windows and iOS.
Does NotePlus offer any discounts?
NotePlus publicly lists the following: Pro license covers two computers for $39; 50% education discount on request.
Does NotePlus have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. NotePlus is listed for macOS, Windows and iOS.
Does NotePlus have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. NotePlus is listed for macOS, Windows and iOS.
Is NotePlus open source?
NotePlus is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
What does NotePlus integrate with?
NotePlus's listing names iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, DeepSeek and Ollama.
Does NotePlus have a student discount?
50% education discount on request. The site's Education link goes to the TablePlus team's education plan, which gives students and teachers 50% off on request by email with proof of status.
Who makes NotePlus?
NotePlus is made by TablePlus Inc.
What are the alternatives to NotePlus?
The closest alternatives to NotePlus in our directory are Obsidian, Bear, FSNotes, Octarine and MiaoYan.
How does NotePlus compare with other note-taking apps?
NotePlus's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
Could I make my own version of NotePlus?
The plain part of NotePlus you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes and kanban boards.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from NotePlus’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 NotePlus's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-16.
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 TablePlus Inc. Prices change, so check noteplus.com 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
- NotePlus, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/noteplus
- 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, "NotePlus: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/noteplus
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/noteplus/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after NotePlus, 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 NotePlus’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. NotePlus is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by TablePlus Inc. Prices and plans change: check noteplus.com before you buy.