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Best Free Note-Taking Apps of 2026

Updated · 5 picks · live pricing · affiliate disclosure

AGPL-licensed outliner with full source on GitHub at around 33k stars; free forever Open Source self-host.

BEST OVERALL6.5/10

Logseq

AGPL-licensed outliner with full source on GitHub at around 33k stars; free forever Open Source self-host.

Open Source free forever; cancel Sync anytime
Try LogseqSee full review

How it stacks up

  • Open Source AGPL free

    vs Obsidian Personal free

  • Sync $5/mo annual

    vs Notion Free 10-guest cap

  • ~33k GitHub stars

    vs Anytype Free P2P

#2
Obsidian5.3/10

From $8/mo

View
#3
Notion5.1/10

From $10/mo

View

All picks at a glance

#PickBest forStartingScore
1LogseqBest free overall, AGPL OSS forever$5.00/mo6.5/10
2ObsidianBest free local-first Markdown$8.00/mo5.3/10
3NotionBest free mainstream, brand reference$10.00/mo5.1/10
4AnytypeBest free zero-knowledge P2P$8.25/mo5.0/10
5TanaBest free supertags AI, structured data primary$10.00/mo4.8/10

Quick pick by use case

If you only have thirty seconds, find your situation below and skip to that pick.

If I want the cleanest free-forever path with auditable AGPL sourceLogseqLogseq Open Source AGPL free forever; Sync optional at five dollars a month annual; around 33k GitHub stars.If I want plain Markdown files on disk with the broadest plugin ecosystemObsidianObsidian Personal free for personal use with more than 1,500 community plugins; Sync optional.If I want zero-knowledge encryption with no centralized server on a free tierAnytypeAnytype Personal Free with P2P sync; AGPL OSS core; Switzerland-based foundation since 2019.If I want the brand reference free PKM with collaboration up to ten guestsNotionNotion Free unlimited blocks with ten external guests; around 30 million users since 2013.If I want AI auto-classification on a free tier with supertagsTanaTana Free up to 1,000 nodes with Tana AI Make Me bundled; Norway-based since 2022.

Compare all 5 picks

Top spec
#1Logseq6.5/10$5.00/mo$60.00/yr—Open Source AGPL free
#2Obsidian5.3/10$16.00/mo$120.00/yr$132/yr morePersonal free + plugins
#3Notion5.1/10$10.00/mo$96.00/yr$60/yr moreFree unlimited blocks
#4Anytype5.0/10$8.25/mo$99.00/yr$39/yr morePersonal Free P2P
#5Tana4.8/10$10.00/mo$120.00/yr$60/yr moreFree up to 1,000 nodes
#1

Logseq

6.5/10

Best free overall, AGPL OSS forever

Try LogseqSee Logseq alternatives

AGPL-licensed outliner with full source on GitHub at around 33k stars; free forever Open Source self-host.

PlanMonthlyAnnualWhat you get
Open SourceFree—AGPL-licensed open-source outliner free forever with local Markdown plus Org-mode files, bidirectional links, and graph view
Sync$5.00/mo$60.00/yr$5 per month annual ($8 monthly) for end-to-end encrypted sync across devices; the only paid tier

Logseq is the AGPL-licensed open-source pick and the cleanest free-forever option in this lineup. Founded 2020 by Tienson Qin with a distributed team, Open Source is genuinely free with no paid features hidden behind a wall and the full source code on GitHub at around 33,000 stars. For a reader who wants a defensible free-forever posture with auditable source and self-host capability, Logseq is the honest answer.

Open Source covers AGPL self-host with local Markdown plus Org-mode files, bidirectional links, graph view, and no accounts required. Sync is the only paid tier at five dollars a month annual, with end-to-end encrypted multi-device sync and 5GB storage. There are only two tiers, which makes the free-forever promise straightforward to verify against the vendor site rather than buried under tier-comparison clauses.

The trade-off versus Obsidian Personal is plugin breadth (around 150 community plugins versus more than 1,500 on Obsidian) and UX polish in the early-2026 builds. The trade-off versus Notion Free is collaboration; Logseq is single-user-first and is rough for shared workspaces. For solo budget-conscious readers who want auditable source and a free-forever posture, Logseq leads.

Pros

  • AGPL OSS with full source on GitHub at around 33k stars
  • Open Source tier free forever with bidirectional links and graph view
  • Sync at five dollars a month annual with E2EE and 5GB storage
  • Self-hostable; community-driven AGPL development
  • Outliner-style block tree with daily journal pages baked in

Cons

  • Plugin ecosystem smaller than Obsidian (around 150 versus more than 1,500)
  • Single-user-first; rough fit for shared workspaces
Open Source AGPL freeSync $5/mo annual~33k GitHub starsOpen Source free forever; cancel Sync anytime

Best for: Solo budget-conscious readers who want auditable AGPL source and a defensible free-forever posture with self-host capability.

Sync
10
Linking
8
Workflow
7
Value
10
Support
6
Try Logseq
#2

Obsidian

5.3/10$132/yr more

Best free local-first Markdown

Try ObsidianSee Obsidian alternatives

Plain Markdown files on disk readable by any text editor; Personal free with more than 1,500 plugins.

PlanMonthlyWhat you get
PersonalFreeFree for personal use with local Markdown files on your disk, 1,500+ community plugins, and full feature access
Sync$8.00/mo$5 per month annual ($8 monthly) for 10GB sync across devices with 1-year version history and end-to-end encryption
Publish$16.00/mo$10 per month annual ($16 monthly) for public-website hosting from notes with custom domain and theming
Catalyst$25.00/mo$25 one-time payment for early features, insider builds, and optional support badge; not a recurring subscription

Obsidian is the local-first-Markdown pick and the broadest plugin ecosystem among free-tier modern note-taking apps. Founded 2020 by Erica Xu and Shida Li, bootstrapped indie with no VC funding and around one million users by 2024. The wedge is uniquely-true: plain Markdown files stored on the user's own disk, readable by any text editor even if Obsidian disappears tomorrow. For a free reader who wants the most permissive data-portability posture in the lineup, this is the answer.

Personal is free for personal use with the full plugin marketplace (more than 1,500 community plugins covering Excalidraw, Dataview, Tasks, and Canvas) and Bases launched 2026 as the table-and-list-view answer to Notion databases. Sync is an optional paid tier at five dollars a month annual with 10GB and 1-year version history. Catalyst is a one-time twenty-five dollar payment for early-feature builds. Personal users do not need either to start.

The trade-off versus Logseq is the closed-source application; Obsidian's source is proprietary even though the Markdown vault is portable. The trade-off versus Notion is real-time collaboration; Obsidian is single-vault-first and pairs poorly with shared editing. For free readers who care about plugin breadth and files-on-disk portability, Obsidian is the strongest second pick.

Pros

  • Plain Markdown files on disk; the most permissive data portability free
  • Personal free with the full plugin marketplace (more than 1,500 plugins)
  • Bases launched 2026 as the table-and-list answer to Notion databases
  • Bootstrapped indie since 2020; no VC pressure to raise prices
  • Optional Sync at five dollars a month annual with E2EE and 10GB

Cons

  • Application source is closed even though the Markdown vault is portable
  • No real-time multi-user collaboration on a vault
Personal free + pluginsSync $5/mo optionalBases 2026 launchPersonal free forever; Sync optional

Best for: Free readers who care about plugin breadth and files-on-disk portability without paying for sync at the start.

Sync
10
Linking
9
Workflow
8
Value
9
Support
7
Try Obsidian
#3

Notion

5.1/10$60/yr more

Best free mainstream, brand reference

Try NotionSee Notion alternatives

Around 30 million users since 2013 with Notion AI trial; Free unlimited blocks; the mainstream PKM default.

PlanMonthlyAnnualWhat you get
FreeFree—Free for individuals with unlimited blocks, 10 external guests, and basic Notion AI trial
Plus$10.00/mo$96.00/yr$10 per member a month for small teams with unlimited guests and Notion AI trial; the realistic small-team paid entry
Business$18.00/mo$180.00/yr$18 per member a month for growing teams with full Notion AI, Meeting Notes, Enterprise Search, Notion Agent, SAML SSO, and private teamspaces
EnterpriseCustomCustomCustom pricing with audit logs, zero data retention, customer success manager, and advanced security controls

Notion is the brand-recognition default for free modern note-taking and the largest community among the free-tier picks. Founded 2013 in San Francisco, around 30 million users by 2024 per company reports. Free covers individuals with unlimited blocks, ten external guests, and a Notion AI trial. The reader who searches 'best free note-taking app' and lands on Notion by reflex finds a mainstream pick that scales until a small team forms around it.

Free includes unlimited blocks, unlimited pages, ten external guests, and a Notion AI limited trial. Plus is the upgrade tier at ten dollars a member a month annual with unlimited external guests and a longer Notion AI trial. Business adds full Notion AI plus Meeting Notes plus Enterprise Search at eighteen dollars a member a month annual. Solo readers stay on Free indefinitely; the cap bites when external collaboration grows past ten guests.

The trade-off versus Logseq is closed-source posture; Notion stores everything on Notion servers and source is proprietary. The trade-off versus Obsidian is portability; Notion exports to Markdown but the application is server-side rather than files-on-disk. For mainstream readers who want a polished free SaaS with the largest community, Notion is the conventional pick.

Pros

  • Around 30 million users since 2013; the brand reference for modern PKM
  • Free unlimited blocks and pages with ten external guests
  • Database blocks are the load-bearing feature for relational PKM
  • Notion AI limited trial bundled with Free for evaluation
  • SOC 2 Type 2 audited; mature support and ecosystem

Cons

  • Closed-source; data portability is export-only versus Logseq or Obsidian files
  • Free caps at ten external guests; team collaboration triggers Plus upgrade
Free unlimited blocks10 external guestsPlus $10/member upgradeFree for individuals; cancel anytime

Best for: Mainstream solo readers who want a polished free SaaS with the largest community before any small team forms around them.

Sync
7
Linking
9
Workflow
9
Value
8
Support
9
Try Notion
#4

Anytype

5.0/10$39/yr more

Best free zero-knowledge P2P

Try AnytypeSee Anytype alternatives

Zero-knowledge architecture with peer-to-peer sync; AGPL OSS core; Personal Free unlimited objects.

PlanMonthlyAnnualWhat you get
Personal FreeFree—Free for personal use with local-first storage, P2P sync, no accounts needed, and zero-knowledge encryption
Builder$8.25/mo$99.00/yr$99 a year ($8.25 a month) with unlimited objects, encrypted backup, multi-device sync, and email support
Co-creatorFree$0.00/yrCustom lifetime pricing with early features access, direct dev community, and standard support

Anytype is the local-first-P2P-encrypted pick and the only free-tier app in the lineup that runs zero-knowledge architecture with no centralized server. Founded 2019 by the Anytype Foundation in Switzerland, AGPL OSS core with full source code. The wedge: encryption keys live on user devices, not Anytype servers, so even the foundation cannot read user data. For a free reader who wants the strongest privacy posture without paying, Anytype is the right call.

Personal Free is free for personal use with local-first storage, peer-to-peer sync, no accounts required, and zero-knowledge encryption. Builder is the optional upgrade at ninety-nine dollars a year with unlimited objects, encrypted backup, and email support. Co-creator is custom lifetime pricing for early features and direct dev community access. The free tier covers individuals indefinitely; Builder adds cloud-backup convenience without changing the privacy posture.

The trade-off versus Obsidian is initial-sync speed; P2P sync on a fresh device is slower than client-server sync because the new device has to receive data peer-to-peer rather than pull from a server. Mobile UX is functional but less polished than Notion or Obsidian. For privacy-first free readers who want zero-knowledge by default, the trade-offs are reasonable.

Pros

  • Zero-knowledge architecture with P2P sync; no centralized servers
  • AGPL OSS core with full source code; community-driven development
  • Personal Free for personal use with no accounts and full feature access
  • Switzerland-based foundation; privacy-first regulatory jurisdiction
  • Optional Builder at ninety-nine dollars a year for encrypted backup

Cons

  • P2P sync slower than client-server on initial setup of a new device
  • Mobile UX less polished than Notion or Obsidian
Personal Free P2PBuilder $99/yr optionalZero-knowledge AGPLPersonal Free forever; Builder optional

Best for: Privacy-first free readers who want zero-knowledge by default with no centralized server dependency on a free tier.

Sync
10
Linking
7
Workflow
7
Value
9
Support
6
Try Anytype
#5

Tana

4.8/10$60/yr more

Best free supertags AI, structured data primary

Try TanaSee Tana alternatives

AI-powered supertags auto-classify content; Free up to 1,000 nodes with Tana AI Make Me; Norway since 2022.

PlanMonthlyAnnualWhat you get
FreeFree—Free up to 1,000 nodes with supertags, Tana AI Make Me, 1 workspace, and community support
Plus$10.00/mo$120.00/yr$10 per month annual with unlimited nodes, unlimited workspaces, Tana AI included, and email support
Pro$24.00/mo$288.00/yr$24 per month annual with advanced supertags, automations, priority AI access, and standard support
TeamsFree$0.00/yrCustom contract for team workspaces, admin controls, SSO, audit logs, and priority support

Tana is the supertags-AI-database pick and the only free-tier app in the lineup with bundled AI on the free plan. Founded 2022 in Norway. The wedge: structured data is primary and AI supertags create automatic relations between notes that Notion requires manual property setup for. A meeting note tagged with #meeting auto-populates attendees, action items, and date relations.

Free covers up to 1,000 nodes with supertags, Tana AI Make Me, and one workspace. Plus is the upgrade tier at ten dollars a month annual with unlimited nodes and full Tana AI. Pro adds advanced supertags and priority AI access. The 1,000-node ceiling is generous for evaluation but most knowledge workers exceed it within roughly a month of daily use.

The trade-off versus Notion Free is UX density; Tana's supertag model has a steeper learning curve than database blocks. The trade-off versus Logseq is closed-source posture and AGPL absence. For free readers who want AI auto-classification and structured data primary, Tana is the only fit in this lineup.

Pros

  • AI-powered supertags create automatic relations on the free tier
  • Free up to 1,000 nodes with Tana AI Make Me bundled at no cost
  • Bidirectional links plus graph view plus block references on Free
  • Norway-based since 2022 with active EU data residency
  • Plus upgrade at ten dollars a month annual unlocks unlimited nodes

Cons

  • UX denser than Notion; steeper learning curve for the supertag model
  • 1,000-node ceiling exceeded within a month of daily use for most workers
Free up to 1,000 nodesTana AI Make Me bundledPlus $10/mo upgradeFree up to 1,000 nodes; cancel anytime

Best for: Free readers who want AI auto-classification and structured data primary, with the supertag learning curve as an accepted trade-off.

Sync
7
Linking
9
Workflow
7
Value
8
Support
7
Try Tana

How we picked

Each pick gets a transparent composite score from price, features, free-tier availability, and editor fit. Pricing flows from our live database, so when a vendor changes prices the score updates here too.

We weight price at 40 percent, the category feature checklist at 30 percent, free-tier availability at 15 percent, and editorial fit at 15 percent. Logseq leads the math because the Open Source tier is genuinely free forever with full feature access. See the parent /best/note-taking-modern guide for paid-only picks like Roam Research and trial-only picks like Reflect.

We don't claim "30,000 hours of testing." Our methodology is the formula above plus the editor's published verdict for each pick. Verifiable, auditable, and updated when the underlying data changes.

Why trust Subrupt

We're a subscription tracker first, a buying guide second. Every claim on this page is something you can check.

By use case

Best free overall

Logseq

Read the full review →

Try Logseq

Best free mainstream

Notion

Read the full review →

Try Notion

Best free local-first Markdown

Obsidian

Read the full review →

Try Obsidian

Best free zero-knowledge

Anytype

Read the full review →

Try Anytype

Best free supertags AI

Tana

Read the full review →

Try Tana

How to choose your Free Note-Taking App

Perpetually-free vs free-tier-with-cap is the only question that matters

Most 'best free note-taking' lists conflate two different things. Perpetually-free covers Logseq Open Source under AGPL, Obsidian Personal for personal use, and Anytype Personal Free with peer-to-peer sync. None of these have a node cap, a guest cap, or a usage limit; they stay free forever for individual readers. Free-tier-with-cap covers Notion Free (the cap is ten external guests on collaboration) and Tana Free (the cap is 1,000 nodes total). The reader who searches 'best free note-taking app' typically wants perpetually-free; the reader who searches 'free note-taking app for teams' typically lands on Notion Free until the guest cap bites. Both audiences land on this page; the right pick depends on which cap matters first.

AGPL OSS posture is the audit-ready free path

AGPL is the only license among free-tier modern note-taking apps that lets a reader fork the application source and run a private build. Logseq is AGPL OSS with around 33,000 GitHub stars and a community-driven team. Anytype core is AGPL OSS with the Switzerland-based foundation behind it. Obsidian is closed-source freemium even though the Markdown vault is portable; the application source is proprietary. Notion and Tana are closed-source SaaS. For regulated industries where source-audit is part of procurement, only Logseq and Anytype meet the bar. For everyone else, the closed-source picks remain useful daily drivers; just understand the difference between portable data and auditable source.

When the free tier ends and what the upgrade tier actually costs

Each pick has a different upgrade prompt. Logseq's only paid tier is Sync at five dollars a month annual; the Open Source tier never expires. Obsidian's only mainstream paid tier is Sync at five dollars a month annual; Personal stays free for personal use. Anytype's optional Builder is ninety-nine dollars a year for cloud backup, but Personal Free covers daily use indefinitely. Notion's upgrade is Plus at ten dollars a member a month annual once a small team passes the ten-guest cap. Tana's upgrade is Plus at ten dollars a month annual once node count passes 1,000. The realistic five-year free-to-paid total for a solo reader: zero on Logseq or Obsidian Personal; about $500 if Anytype Builder is added; about $600 on Notion Plus once a team forms; similar on Tana Plus once nodes accumulate.

Free tier comparison: collaboration, mobile, and AI on zero-cost plans

Collaboration is the most uneven dimension across free tiers. Notion Free supports up to ten external guests with real-time collaboration, the most generous free collaboration of the five. Tana Free is single-workspace only on the free plan. Logseq is single-user-first and not designed for collaborative editing. Obsidian Personal is single-vault-first; collaboration requires Sync or third-party plugins. Anytype Personal Free is single-user with optional P2P sharing, less polished than Notion. Mobile coverage is full across Notion, Obsidian, Tana, Anytype; Logseq's mobile is functional but trails the others. AI is a Free-tier feature only on Notion (limited trial) and Tana (Make Me bundled); Obsidian and Logseq have no native AI. The right pick depends on which dimension is load-bearing for the reader.

When NOT to invest in any free PKM tool

Free PKM tools are the right tool for some readers and the wrong tool for others. Skip a dedicated PKM when these patterns apply. First, you mostly capture short reminders; Apple Notes, Google Keep, or Things 3 cover the use case more cheaply. Second, you write long-form drafts that need version history more than linking; Google Docs serves better. Third, your work happens entirely inside email and Slack; the PKM tool becomes a graveyard of one-off notes you never revisit. Fourth, you have not committed to a daily review practice; PKM tools turn into infinite-capture inboxes without periodic review. Pre-commit to a weekly review habit before signing up. Fifth, your industry has strict no-cloud policies; only Logseq self-host or Obsidian local-only meet that bar. Skip the tool if any pattern applies rather than evaluating five free options and not using them.

Frequently asked questions

Are these prices guaranteed not to change?

Vendor pricing changes regularly. Rates here are what each vendor advertises in May 2026. Notion Plus repriced from eight to ten dollars monthly Q2 2025 and Notion AI moved into Business tier 2025. Tana Pro launched at twenty-four dollars annual with priority AI access in 2025. Anytype completed AGPL OSS migration with peer-to-peer sync in 2025. Logseq Sync has been stable at five dollars a month since the paid beta launched. Verify the current rate on the vendor site before signing up.

Does Subrupt earn a commission from these free picks?

On a few. We disclose this on every /best page. Logseq, Obsidian Personal, and Anytype Personal Free have no affiliate path because the free tier has no transaction. Notion and Tana have paid plans where we earn commission only on conversion to Plus or higher. The composite ranking weights price at 40 percent, features at 30, free tier at 15, fit at 15; none tuned by affiliate rate. Logseq leads because the free Open Source tier is the strongest free-forever posture.

Which free pick is genuinely free forever versus free trial?

Logseq Open Source is genuinely free forever under AGPL. Obsidian Personal is free forever for personal use. Anytype Personal Free is free forever for personal use with peer-to-peer sync. Notion Free is free forever for individuals with a ten-guest cap on collaboration. Tana Free is free forever up to 1,000 nodes. Reflect is the only modern PKM in our catalog with a 7-day trial only and is excluded from this lineup.

What is the best free note-taking app for a small team?

Notion Free with up to ten external guests covers small teams cleanest. Logseq is single-user-first and rough for shared workspaces. Obsidian Personal is single-vault-first and pairs poorly with shared editing without Sync. Anytype Personal Free supports basic P2P sharing but is less polished. Tana Free is single-workspace only on the free tier. For a five-person team that wants a free path, Notion Free is the only option that scales without immediate upgrade pressure.

How do I switch from Notion Free to Logseq or Obsidian without losing data?

Notion exports to Markdown with media files via Settings > Workspace > Export. Download the zip, then drop the unzipped folder into a new Logseq graph or Obsidian vault. Bidirectional links convert as [[wiki-links]] automatically in both. Database blocks export as CSVs; manually re-create relations as Logseq queries or Obsidian Dataview front-matter. Expect roughly two to four hours for a power user with six months of Notion history and 100-plus pages.

Is Apple Notes free? Why is it not in this lineup?

Apple Notes is free and bundled with macOS and iOS. It is excluded from this lineup because the catalog covers modern PKM tools with bidirectional links, graph view, and database primitives, where Apple Notes is a simpler short-note tool. Readers who want short reminders and quick capture without linking are better served by Apple Notes or Google Keep than by any of the five picks here. The catalog scope is intentional; modern PKM is a different category from short-note capture.

EU data residency: which free picks store notes in the EU?

Anytype is Switzerland-based with P2P architecture and no centralized server, so residency is user-controlled. Logseq self-host gives full control of where notes live. Obsidian Personal stores files on user disk with no cloud until Sync is added. Tana is Norway-based with EU residency. Notion has an EU residency option only on Enterprise; Free and Plus route through US infrastructure. For EU-resident free use, Anytype, Logseq, Obsidian Personal, and Tana all qualify.

Bidirectional links: which free picks have the smoothest [[wiki-link]] flow?

Logseq and Obsidian Personal tie for fastest [[wiki-link]] autocomplete on the free tier. Anytype Personal Free supports bidirectional links with smaller community resources. Tana Free has wiki-links plus AI supertags. Notion Free has bidirectional links but the integration is weaker because the data model is database-blocks-first rather than block-graph-first. For readers whose work flows through bidirectional investigation, Logseq and Obsidian are the strongest free picks.

How often is this guide updated?

We re-review pricing and feature changes annually at minimum, with mid-year refreshes when major vendor announcements happen. Notion Plus reprice and Notion AI Business migration each triggered same-week catalog updates. Tana Pro launch and Anytype AGPL migration triggered same-week catalog updates. The lastReviewed date reflects the most recent editorial pass. Pricing changes trigger same-week updates; new entrants trigger same-day catalog updates so the free-vs-paid line stays accurate.

Subrupt Editorial

The team behind subrupt.com. We track subscriptions, surface cheaper alternatives, and publish buying guides where the score formula is on the page so you can recompute it yourself. We do not claim 30,000 hours of testing. What we claim is live pricing from our database, a transparent composite score, and honest savings math against a category baseline.

Last reviewed

Citations

Affiliate disclosure: Subrupt earns a commission when you switch to a service through our recommendation links. This never changes the price you pay. We only recommend services where there's a real cost or feature advantage for you, and our picks are based on the data on this page, not on which programs pay the most.

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