# Reflect

> Open-source daily notes app with backlinks and local Markdown

Reflect is a note-taking app built around daily notes, wiki-style links and backlinks. Since July 2026 its current version, Reflect Open, is an open-source app that keeps notes as plain Markdown files in a folder you choose, with optional AI through your own API key. The Mac app is free, the iPhone and iPad app needs a subscription, and the earlier cloud app continues as Reflect Classic.

- **Category:** Note-Taking Apps
- **Made by:** Reflect App, LLC
- **Website:** https://reflect.app
- **Runs on:** macOS, iOS, Browser extension
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 4, 2026

## Pricing

Reflect has a free plan. Paid plans start at $9.99 per month, or $99 per year, for the iPhone and iPad app.

- **Pricing model:** Free plan
- **Free plan:** The Mac app is free and open source, with no subscription or account required. The iPhone and iPad app needs a paid subscription.
- **Free trial:** None listed.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mac app | $0 | Free and open source under the MIT license. No subscription and no account. |
| Reflect Pro (iPhone and iPad) | $9.99 per month, or $99 per year (US App Store) | Subscription for the iPhone and iPad app, bought in the App Store, where prices are set per country. |

Read from https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reflect-open/id6787385615 on Oct 4, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Reflect before buying.

## Ways to pay less

- **About 17% lower price with the yearly subscription** (Annual discount): On the US App Store, Reflect Pro is $99 per year versus $9.99 per month, which works out to about 17% less over a year. Source: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reflect-open/id6787385615
- **One year of the mobile app free for Classic subscribers** (Other savings): Reflect's site says paid Reflect Classic subscribers get one year of the iPhone and iPad app free. Source: https://reflect.app

## Key features

- **Local Markdown notes:** Notes are plain Markdown files in a folder you choose. There is no account, no telemetry and no Reflect-hosted cloud service.
- **Daily notes and calendar:** The app starts on today's note. Apple Calendar events appear beside the daily note and can be turned into meeting notes.
- **Wiki links and backlinks:** Double-bracket links connect notes into a graph, backlinks are tracked for each note, and one search covers notes, backlinks and tags.
- **Optional AI with your own key:** Add an OpenAI, Anthropic, Google or OpenRouter key to ask questions about your notes, pull out takeaways and fix grammar. Requests go directly to the provider.
- **Voice notes and transcription:** Record audio inside the app and transcribe it through the transcription provider you connect.
- **Capture and sync:** The Reflect Capture Chrome extension saves links, selected text and screenshots. Notes sync between devices through iCloud Drive or Git.

## Good for

- Mac users who want free, open-source notes kept as plain Markdown files
- People who work from a daily note and link ideas together
- Users who prefer to bring their own AI provider and API key

## Worth knowing

- Only the Mac app is free; the iPhone and iPad app requires a paid subscription.
- There is no web app, and the vendor says Windows and Android versions are not available and have no release dates.
- AI features need your own API key, and the AI provider bills that usage separately.
- Reflect Open adds no end-to-end encryption of its own; sync and encryption rely on iCloud Drive or Git.

## Works with

Apple Calendar, iCloud Drive, GitHub, OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter

**Tags:** Notes, Open source, Local-first, Markdown, Linked notes, Daily notes, AI features

## Alternatives

- [Obsidian](https://toolgpa.com/tools/obsidian): Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/obsidian-vs-reflect)
- [Logseq](https://toolgpa.com/tools/logseq): Open-source outliner for linked notes stored as local files. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/logseq-vs-reflect)
- [Roam Research](https://toolgpa.com/tools/roam-research): Outliner for networked notes with bidirectional links. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/reflect-vs-roam-research)
- [Capacities](https://toolgpa.com/tools/capacities): Object-based note-taking app with daily notes and backlinks. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/capacities-vs-reflect)
- [Bear](https://toolgpa.com/tools/bear): Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with tags and links. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/bear-vs-reflect)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 4, 2026:

- https://reflect.app
- https://reflect.app/download
- https://reflect.app/blog
- https://reflect.app/blog/reflect-open
- https://github.com/team-reflect/reflect-open
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reflect-open/id6787385615

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/reflect
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).