The Tangent Notes Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Tangent Notes 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.
Tangent Notes
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source Markdown notes app that maps the path between notes
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Tangent Notes’s own pages.
Made by Taylor Hadden · 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 Tangent Notes’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Tangent Notes’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
Tangent is a free, open-source notes app for Mac, Windows and Linux that reads and writes Markdown files directly on your computer. Notes are joined with wiki-style links, and the app keeps the trail you follow as sliding panels and as a map that builds itself while you write. It was inspired by Obsidian, is released under the Apache 2.0 license, and is distributed as an open alpha.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Tangent Notes, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, but you install it, point it at a folder and type.
- 1
Best for following links between Markdown notes without getting lost
If you need notes on a phone or finished software, look elsewhere.
- 2
It is free
Tangent Notes has no paid plan at all. The whole app is free. The site describes it as open source under the Apache 2.0 license and says it will always be free.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 4
Thread View
As you follow and create links, the notes behind you stay open as horizontally sliding panels, so you can move back and forth along the path you took.
- 5
Map View
A branching map of nodes and connections is built automatically from your writing and navigation, giving an overview of where you have been.
- 6
Markdown styled as you type
Markup is hidden once you move on and reappears when you return. Headers, highlights, lists, YAML front matter, LaTeX math, Mermaid diagrams and highlighted code blocks are supported.
- 7
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.
- 8
Keep it
Tangent Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Tangent Notes at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Taylor Hadden
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for following links between Markdown notes without getting lost
Tangent Notes is a free, open-source Markdown notes app for Mac, Windows and Linux that keeps the notes you've followed open as sliding panels. It's an open alpha still in active development, phones sit under "Much Later" on the roadmap, there's no sync or collaboration of its own, and HTML export isn't built yet. If you need notes on a phone or finished software, look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free, and the site says it always will be. Open source under the Apache 2.0 licence, with nothing to buy, in a category where the middle plan is $6 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole desktop app is free on Mac, Windows and Linux, with no account and no server. There's no paid tier holding anything back. |
| Features | C | Sliding panels keep your path, a map builds itself from where you've been, and you get Markdown styled as you type, wiki links, backlinks, nested tags and saved queries. The gaps are its own: no sync, no collaboration, HTML export still on the roadmap, and a download page that calls it an open alpha. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but you install it, point it at a folder and type. Nearly every action has a shortcut you can change, with a command palette for the rest. Just remember it's an alpha. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Computers only: Mac, Windows and Linux, with Linux builds on Flathub. No phone app, no integrations listed and no API. Syncing is your job too, with the site pointing you at Git, iCloud, Drive or Dropbox. |
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 Tangent Notes is for
- Fits if you want Markdown notes on a computer with no account and no server
- Works for Obsidian users who want another editor for the same linked files
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you need your notes on a phone, as mobile sits under "Much Later" on the roadmap
- Not for you if you want finished software, because it's still an open alpha in active development
- Too light for teams, since there's no built-in sync or collaboration
- Watch out: syncing is your job through Git, iCloud, Drive or Dropbox, and there are no integrations or API
- Tight if you need to export, as HTML and simplified Markdown export are still on the roadmap
Good to know
Good for
- Writers who follow links from note to note and want to keep their place
- Obsidian users who want another editor for the same linked files
- People who want Markdown notes with no account or server
Worth knowing
- Desktop only: iOS and Android support is listed under "Much Later" on the roadmap.
- The download page calls the app an open alpha, and the roadmap says it is still in active development.
- There is no built-in sync or collaboration; the site points to Git, iCloud, Drive or Dropbox for syncing the files.
- Export to HTML or simplified Markdown is still on the roadmap.
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
Tangent Notes is free to use.
Free, and the site says it always will be.
Tangent
$0
The full desktop app for Mac, Windows and Linux, offered as an open alpha. Linux builds are also on Flathub.
The free plan
The whole app is free. The site describes it as open source under the Apache 2.0 license and says it will always be free.
Read from tangentnotes.com on Oct 9, 2026.
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 Linux
Open-source Markdown notes app that maps the path between notes. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, works offline, local-first, keyboard-first, notes, Markdown, linked notes.
The gaps are its own: no sync, no collaboration, HTML export still on the roadmap, and a download page that calls it an open alpha.
- Thread View
- As you follow and create links, the notes behind you stay open as horizontally sliding panels, so you can move back and forth along the path you took.
- Map View
- A branching map of nodes and connections is built automatically from your writing and navigation, giving an overview of where you have been.
- Markdown styled as you type
- Markup is hidden once you move on and reappears when you return. Headers, highlights, lists, YAML front matter, LaTeX math, Mermaid diagrams and highlighted code blocks are supported.
- Wiki links and backlinks
- Double-bracket links connect notes by filename with autocomplete, and each note knows what links to it. Links in notes that come from Obsidian keep working.
- Tags, to-dos and queries
- Notes take nested tags and to-do checkboxes, and a custom query language finds notes by links, tags, to-dos or text. Queries can be saved and reused inside other queries.
- Keyboard control and focus mode
- Nearly every action has a customizable shortcut, with a command palette for the others. Focus mode narrows the view to one note, paragraph or sentence.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Tangent Notes is made by Taylor Hadden.
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
Tangent Notes'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 free plan and trial (A, above 100 of 147) and worst on features (C, above 2).
Tangent Notes has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 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. Tangent Notes’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 of 147
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 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. Tangent Notes 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
Tangent Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
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.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown and linked notes: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Tangent Notes’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, Logseq, Octarine, The Archive and Joplin
The 5 tools Tangent Notes 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 iOS and Android apps.
- Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
- Tangent Notes is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
Logseq
Free plan · from $5/mo
Open-source outliner for linked notes stored as local files.
- Only Logseq lists a web app.
- Only Logseq lists iOS and Android apps.
- Logseq also covers whiteboard and daily notes.
- 2.8GPA
Octarine
Free plan · from $79 one-time
Local Markdown notes app with daily notes, views and optional AI.
- Only Octarine lists a browser extension.
- Tangent Notes is open source, according to its own site.
- Octarine can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
The Archive
Free trial · from $19.99 one-time
Plain-text note-taking app for Mac built around Zettelkasten.
- Tangent Notes has a free plan. The Archive does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Tangent Notes lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Tangent Notes is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.6GPA
Joplin
Free plan · from €2.40/mo
Open source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose.
- Only Joplin lists a web app.
- Only Joplin lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Joplin lists a browser extension.
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 Tangent Notes free?
Yes. Tangent Notes is free to use.
How much does Tangent Notes cost?
Tangent Notes lists one plan. Tangent: $0.
What platforms does Tangent Notes work on?
Tangent Notes is available on macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Tangent Notes have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Tangent Notes is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does Tangent Notes have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Tangent Notes is listed for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is Tangent Notes open source?
Yes. Tangent Notes is open source, according to its own site.
Does Tangent Notes work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Who makes Tangent Notes?
Tangent Notes is made by Taylor Hadden.
What are the alternatives to Tangent Notes?
The closest alternatives to Tangent Notes in our directory are Obsidian, Logseq, Octarine, The Archive and Joplin.
How does Tangent Notes compare with other note-taking apps?
Tangent Notes's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
Is Tangent Notes good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Tangent Notes A for value for money. Tangent Notes has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Tangent Notes?
Tangent Notes is free, so making your own would save you nothing. 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.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Tangent Notes’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 Tangent's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-25.
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 Taylor Hadden. Prices change, so check tangentnotes.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
- Tangent Notes, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/tangent-notes
- 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, "Tangent Notes: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/tangent-notes
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/tangent-notes/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Tangent Notes, 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 Tangent Notes’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. Tangent Notes is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Taylor Hadden. Prices and plans change: check tangentnotes.com before you buy.