# Zettel Notes

> Android Markdown note app built around the Zettelkasten method

Zettel Notes is an Android note app for Markdown files and the Zettelkasten method. Notes are kept as separate plain-text files in folders the app calls repositories, link to each other with wiki-style links and backlinks, and can optionally sync over Dropbox, Git, WebDAV or SFTP. The app itself is free and has no ads; its solo developer funds it through separate plugin apps, most of them paid.

- **Category:** Note-Taking Apps
- **Made by:** dax7 (Rohit Sharma)
- **Website:** https://www.zettelnotes.com
- **Runs on:** Android
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 9, 2026

## Pricing

Zettel Notes has a free plan. Paid plans start at $0.99 one-time for the cheapest paid plugin; most are $2.99 to $5.99.

- **Pricing model:** Free plan
- **Free plan:** The main app is free with no ads and includes Markdown notes, repositories, backlinks, encryption, templates and all four sync methods. The Location and Todo.txt plugins are free too.
- **Free trial:** None listed.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Zettel Notes | $0 | The full note app, which the developer says will stay free of charge and ad-free. The Location and Todo.txt plugins also cost nothing. |
| Latex Plugin | $0.99 one-time purchase (US Google Play) | A searchable list of LaTeX symbols that inserts the code for the chosen symbol into a note. |
| Publish plugin | $2.49 one-time purchase (US Google Play) | Publishes a Markdown note as a public page on Telegraph and returns a link to share. |
| $2.99 plugins | $2.99 one-time purchase per plugin (US Google Play) | Alarm, Anki, Speech2Text, SpeedRead, TextUtils and Translate plugins. Each is a separate app bought on its own. |
| Local AI Actions | $3.19 one-time purchase (US Google Play) | On-device AI actions such as summarize, rewrite and expand on selected text, with no API key or internet connection. |
| $5.99 plugins | $5.99 one-time purchase per plugin (US Google Play) | AI Chat, Scanner, OCR and Donation plugins, each bought separately. AI Chat also needs an OpenAI API key or a compatible server. |

Read from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes&hl=en_US&gl=US on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Zettel Notes before buying.

## Key features

- **Plain-text repositories:** Notes are saved as separate .md, .txt or .org files in one or more folders, called repositories, so an existing folder of notes can be opened by pointing the app at it.
- **Wiki links and backlinks:** Typing [[ inserts a link to another note, and each note's information dialog lists the notes that link to it. Tags, authors and note IDs taken from file names or YAML are supported.
- **Sync over Dropbox, Git, WebDAV and SFTP:** Each repository can sync with Dropbox, a Git remote, a WebDAV server such as Nextcloud, or SFTP, either manually or in the background at intervals from 15 minutes to 24 hours.
- **Per-repository encryption:** A repository can be encrypted with a password, an in-app PGP key, or a key held in an external OpenPGP app. The feature list also includes an app lock.
- **Note types and web capture:** Task, drawing, audio, bookmark and log notes are plain-text files with their own view. Sharing a web page from a browser converts it to Markdown and saves it as a note.
- **Plugin apps:** Separate plugin apps add OCR, document scanning, speech to text, translation, Anki cards, alarms, AI chat and on-device AI actions. Most are paid; two are free.

## Good for

- Android users who keep notes as Markdown files in their own folders
- People following the Zettelkasten method with linked notes
- Syncing notes through a Git repository, WebDAV server or SFTP

## Worth knowing

- The documentation covers an Android app only; it lists no iOS, desktop or web version.
- OCR, document scanning, speech to text, translation and AI features are separate plugin apps, priced from $0.99 to $5.99 each on Google Play.
- Sync runs through Dropbox, Git, WebDAV or SFTP that the user sets up; the developer does not run a sync service.
- With password-based encryption, notes cannot be decrypted if the password is forgotten or the app is uninstalled, which clears the salt.

## Works with

Dropbox, Git, WebDAV, SFTP, Nextcloud, Tasker, Anki, OpenKeychain

**Tags:** Notes, Markdown, Linked notes, Local-first, Works offline, Templates, Web clipper

## 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-zettel-notes)
- [Markor](https://toolgpa.com/tools/markor): Offline Android text editor for Markdown notes and todo.txt. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/markor-vs-zettel-notes)
- [GitJournal](https://toolgpa.com/tools/gitjournal): Mobile Markdown notes app that syncs through any Git repository. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/gitjournal-vs-zettel-notes)
- [Joplin](https://toolgpa.com/tools/joplin): Open source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/joplin-vs-zettel-notes)
- [Logseq](https://toolgpa.com/tools/logseq): Open-source outliner for linked notes stored as local files. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/logseq-vs-zettel-notes)

## Sources

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

- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/download/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/plugins/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/plugins/donation-plugin/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/plugins/ai-actions-plugin/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/plugins/chat-ai-plugin/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/plugins/latex-plugin/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/plugins/telegraph/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/repository/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/repository/synchronization/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/repository/encryption/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/note/editor/zettelkasten/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/note/note-types/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/web-clipper/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/templates/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/tasker/
- https://www.zettelnotes.com/frequently-asked-questions/
- https://thedoc.eu.org/zettel-notes/privacy/
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.latex&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.telegraph&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.plugins.alarm&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.anki&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.speech2text&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.speedread&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.textutils&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.translate&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.llm&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.chat&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.scanner&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.ocr&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.dummy&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.location&hl=en_US&gl=US
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.eu.thedoc.zettelnotes.buttons.todotxt&hl=en_US&gl=US

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/zettel-notes
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).