Dev tools · alternatives · 2026
24 alternatives to HelixNotes
Hi HN. I tested literally dozens of note-taking apps over the years — free, paid, everything. They all sucked except UpNote. Great UX, clean, fast, just works. But your data lives in Google Firebase. Dealbreaker. So I tried Obsidian. Local files, markdown, own your data — great philosophy. But the app itself? Even with everything disabled, as a plain markdown editor it was painful. I actually stopped taking notes entirely. So I built what I wanted: inspired by UpNote's clean design but taken further; less clutter, more polished, with Obsidian's local-first ideology. Your notes are standard…
Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes.
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Thank you for your comments, just some context: - The app is available for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Apple Vision Pro, and the Web. - The Web version is implemented as a Progressive Web Application that is very responsive, local first, offline first, can be installed, and is entirely free to use. - Native (hybrid) versions do not require subscription fees and have small one-time payment. - You can store your notes in Git using any Git provider such as GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. However, it has the best built-in integration with GitHub. Self-hosted scenarios like Gitea are also…
2024 · about.noteshub.app · its alternatives →
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🌱 Private, quiet space for thinking. Simple app for .md files. - zakirullin/files.md
May 2026 · github.com · its alternatives →
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Obsidian Mobile brings the power of our desktop app to your mobile devices.
2021 · obsidian.md · its alternatives →
- 4EN
I took a small break from coding SumatraPDF and wrote a note taking application that is perfect for me: https://edna.arslexis.io/ Edna is a note taking app for developers and power users. A cross between Obsidian and Notational Velocity. Markdown, plain text, code, works in browser so no installation required, private (notes are stored in your browser or disk) and secure (can encrypt notes with a password). The story so far. I was always attracted to editors with minimalistic UI, like https://mak.ink/, simplenote, Notational Velocity. I like having most of the…
2024 · edna.arslexis.io · its alternatives →
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SideNotes▲311A beautiful note taking app with superpowers. It shows and hides on the side of your monitor to manage your notes distraction-free. Keep your notes organised, personalised and always at your fingertips. Markdown, tasks, pictures, colors, folders included.
2025 · apptorium.com · its alternatives →
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NotesHub▲95Fully cross-platform, markdown based note-taking app
2021 · about.noteshub.app · its alternatives →
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NotePlan 3▲264Native (Mac & iOS) note-taking based on local Markdown files
2020 · noteplan.co · its alternatives →
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NotesHub 3.3▲135Fully cross-platform, Markdown-based note-taking app
2024 · about.noteshub.app · its alternatives →
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NotesHub 3.0▲87Fully cross-platform, markdown-based note-taking app
2023 · about.noteshub.app · its alternatives →
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Dumbnote▲141Offline-first Markdown note app. No lock-in. Just write.
2025 · dumbnote.app · its alternatives →
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Material Notes▲169Simple no hassle notes app in a beautiful material design
2017 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
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An open source, markdown-based, self-hosted note taking webapp. - batnoter/batnoter
2022 · github.com · its alternatives →
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Notea▲288Free self-hosted open source note taking app, like Notion
2021 · cinwell.com · its alternatives →
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Hi HN – we first launched Supernotes[1] to HN in April 2020, and since then Tobias and I (it's just the two of us) have put in the work to make what we hope is an amazing note-taking app. Although the note-taking / personal knowledge management landscape is incredibly competitive at the moment (with lots of great apps adding great new features every day), we think that with the newly released Supernotes 2 we're keeping pace and delivering a unique and satisfying knowledge management experience. Here's the combination of features that make us stand out: - a powerful markdown-based…
2022 · supernotes.app · its alternatives →
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Burner Note▲222In 2021 after getting thoroughly sick of Privnote, i built "Burner Note". Even though i didn't promote it in anyway other than a post here and a post on reddit, it ended up getting about 7000(ish) unique users per month. I kinda let it die about 18 months ago but i've resurrected it with some big upgrades. Most botable the app is now truly end to end encrypted (previously was just server side), and I've added dark mode as well as a few other bells and whistles. Feedback welcomed.
Jan 2026 · burnernote.com · its alternatives →
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Import your Obsidian Vault to Apple Notes
2025 · obsidiantonotes.com · its alternatives →
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MinkNote▲157Private macOS notes app built on plain Markdown files. No databases, no lock-in. Native, keyboard-first, and designed for knowledge organization.
Jul 2026 · muse23.com · its alternatives →
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NotesHub 2.x▲74Markdown based note-taking app with git sync & kanban boards
2023 · about.noteshub.app · its alternatives →
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Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →