# Saber

> Open-source handwritten notes app for phones, tablets and PCs

Saber is a free, open-source app for taking handwritten notes on Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and Linux. It is known for a highlighter that stays one even color where strokes overlap and for a dark mode that inverts the notes themselves, including images and PDFs. Notes are encrypted on the device and sync through a Nextcloud server: the developer's own, another provider's, or one you host. Extra storage on the official server is paid for through sponsorship.

- **Category:** Note-Taking Apps
- **Made by:** Adil Hanney
- **Website:** https://saber.adil.hanney.org
- **Runs on:** Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 9, 2026

## Pricing

Saber has a free plan. Paid plans start at Any amount per month for 10 GB of sync storage; $5 per month for 50 GB.

- **Pricing model:** Free plan
- **Free plan:** The app is free on every platform, and each account on the official Saber Nextcloud server gets 5 GB of storage by default.
- **Free trial:** None listed.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free | $0 | The full app, plus 5 GB of storage for every account on the official Saber Nextcloud server. |
| Standard | Any amount per month, as a GitHub Sponsors sponsorship | 10 GB of storage on the Saber server for a monthly sponsorship of any size. Free for students who email proof of status. |
| Premium | $5 or more per month, as a GitHub Sponsors sponsorship | 50 GB of storage on the Saber server. |
| Hoarder | $7 or more per month, as a GitHub Sponsors sponsorship | 100 GB of storage on the Saber server. |

Read from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/saber-notes/saber/main/pricing.md on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Saber before buying.

## Ways to pay less

- **Standard storage plan free for students** (Education): The pricing page gives students the 10 GB Standard plan free. They email the developer their Nextcloud username and proof of student status, such as a UNiDAYS ID. Source: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/saber-notes/saber/main/pricing.md

## Key features

- **Highlighter that keeps its color:** The highlighter does not darken where a stroke crosses itself, and it is drawn underneath the ink, so the writing below stays clear.
- **Dark mode that inverts notes:** Dark mode darkens the notes as well as the interface, giving light ink on a dark page. Images and PDFs are inverted too, so printouts and textbooks match.
- **Nested folders:** Notes are organized in folders that can be nested without limit, and the most recent notes are listed on the home screen.
- **Encrypted sync:** Notes are encrypted with a randomly generated key before upload, so the server owner cannot read them. The key stays in secure storage on the device.
- **Choice of Nextcloud server:** Sync runs on Nextcloud: the official Saber server hosted in the Netherlands, another Nextcloud provider, or a server you host yourself.
- **Apps on five platforms:** Saber is on Google Play and F-Droid for Android, the App Store for iPhone, iPad and Mac, Flathub or an AppImage for Linux, and has a Windows installer.

## Good for

- Students and others who take notes by hand on a tablet
- Marking up PDFs and printouts in a dark room
- People who want an open-source handwriting app on every device

## Worth knowing

- Syncing needs an account on a Nextcloud server: the official Saber one, another provider's, or your own.
- Extra storage is bought by sponsoring the developer on GitHub Sponsors, then emailing him to have the account upgraded by hand.
- The server owner cannot read notes but can see sign-up details, connecting devices and metadata such as the size of each note.
- On Linux the developer recommends the Flatpak, since the AppImage does not work on all systems.

## Works with

Nextcloud

**Tags:** Open source, Self-hostable, Notes

## Alternatives

- [Rnote](https://toolgpa.com/tools/rnote): Open-source app for sketching and handwritten notes with a stylus. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/rnote-vs-saber)
- [Xournal++](https://toolgpa.com/tools/xournalpp): Open-source handwriting notes and PDF annotation for desktop. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/saber-vs-xournalpp)
- [Linwood Butterfly](https://toolgpa.com/tools/linwood-butterfly): Open-source handwriting and sketching app with an infinite canvas. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/linwood-butterfly-vs-saber)
- [Squid](https://toolgpa.com/tools/squid): Handwritten notes and PDF markup for Android and Chromebooks. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/saber-vs-squid)
- [Goodnotes](https://toolgpa.com/tools/goodnotes): Handwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/goodnotes-vs-saber)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026:

- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/saber-notes/saber/main/pricing.md
- https://saber.adil.hanney.org/
- https://saber.adil.hanney.org/privacy-policy/
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/saber-notes/saber/main/README.md
- https://github.com/saber-notes/saber/wiki/install
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/saber-handwritten-notes/id1671523739

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