Acres is our first recommendation for visual local-first notes. It stores cards as Markdown and boards as readable JSON in a folder you choose, works offline on Mac or Windows, and supplies tools for AI agents to work in the same collection. The app costs $59 once at its current early-adopter price.
We publish this guide and make Acres. That recommendation weights the things we built it for: spatial thinking, files you can read without the app, and agent access. If you mostly write linked text notes, want an open-source app or need your phone, the alternatives below deserve a close look.
Three questions hidden inside “local-first”
The Ink & Switch essay describes a broader ambition than an offline cache: responsive work on your own device, usable data over time, and control over what you create.
For a note app, turn that into three checks:
- Can you work offline? Open, edit and search a real project with the network disconnected.
- Can another program read the working notes? A Markdown folder and a local database are both local, but they have different exit paths.
- What leaves the device when you use sync or AI? A local notebook doesn’t automatically make every connected service local.
None of those questions settles the others. A database can support excellent offline work. Plain files can still be uploaded to a cloud model. Encrypted sync can protect data in transit without encrypting the notes sitting on your unlocked computer.
Six local-first options
| App | Best fit | Working storage | Cost model |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Acres | Visual notes and agents | Markdown cards and JSON boards in your folder | $59 lifetime local use or $9/month with Sync and Publish; trial |
| 2. Obsidian | A flexible linked Markdown vault | Markdown files | Free app; optional paid Sync and Publish |
| 3. Joplin | Open-source notebooks with encrypted sync | Local SQLite database | Free app; optional paid cloud service |
| 4. Noteey | Local PDF, video and audio projects | Projects stored on your device | Free tier; paid desktop lifetime licenses and Premium plans |
| 5. iA Writer | Focused writing | Plain text and Markdown files | Paid, per-platform purchase |
| 6. Zettlr | Academic writing and citations | Writing files on your computer | Free and open source |
This shortlist compares documented storage and workflows. It doesn’t assign speed scores or assume that plain files make an app better at every task.
1. Acres: a local folder with a visual workspace
In Acres, a card can hold a claim, a quote or a task. Place it beside a PDF, connect it to another card and group related material into sections. The arrangement gives you a way back into the project; the Markdown gives you a way to keep the writing outside the app.
The built-in assistant and bundled MCP server can search and work with that material. You choose the model provider, or use Ollama or LM Studio locally. Activity records external agent changes for review. See Acres for agents for the differences between file access, MCP tools and undo.
There are limits worth deciding on before you buy: Acres is a newer proprietary desktop app, with no mobile or Linux version and no real-time team editing. Its 14-day trial is the right place to test your current notes, not just a sample board. Recent releases document the improvements already available.
2. Obsidian: a strong free home for Markdown
Obsidian stores notes as Markdown in a local vault and refreshes when files change outside the app. You can manage the same text with another editor. Its storage documentation describes the folder model.
Choose it for an existing Markdown collection, a large plugin ecosystem, or notes that need to travel between desktop and mobile. The app is free including commercial use; official Sync is optional and starts at $4 per month with annual billing. Obsidian’s pricing makes that distinction clear. If the visual board is the deciding feature, read Acres vs Obsidian Canvas.
3. Joplin: a database can still be local-first
Joplin’s desktop, mobile and terminal applications use a local SQLite database. That is a working local copy, even though you won’t find each note as a ready-to-edit Markdown file. The architecture documentation explains the design.
Joplin is a good choice for an open-source notebook with flexible sync targets. End-to-end encryption must be enabled; the official instructions explain how devices acquire the keys. It now also documents an MCP server with individually enabled tools. Database storage doesn’t prevent agent support when the app provides a useful interface.
4. Noteey: local projects for studying media
Noteey keeps projects on your device and emphasizes PDF, video and audio study. Its product page describes offline storage and local project copies. That makes it a relevant alternative if you want a canvas but don’t need a Markdown working folder.
Its free plan is limited; paid desktop and Premium plans cover different features. Our three-way buying guide separates those plans from Acres and Heptabase, including what the prices do and don’t include.
5. iA Writer and 6. Zettlr: choose for the writing
iA Writer focuses on plain text, Markdown and a quiet editing environment. Choose it when the main job is producing a piece of writing. Its focus and style tools may help you more than another view over a knowledge graph. Check platform-specific prices before purchasing.
Zettlr is free and open source on Mac, Windows and Linux, with files kept on your computer. Its citation and publication tools suit academic writing. The feature overview explains that emphasis. It is worth considering when references and manuscript exports dominate the workflow.
Test ownership before moving a whole library
Create a small project with two linked notes and an attachment. Close the app, open or export the notes elsewhere, and check whether the links and attachment still make sense. Then try a backup and restore. If you plan to use sync, test a conflicting edit on two devices.
For AI, ask which exact notes the agent retrieved. A note can be stored locally and still leave the machine through a remote model request. That decision deserves its own check; the local MCP guide walks through a limited first task.
If you want the built-in assistant to use a model on your computer, follow the Ollama and LM Studio setup guide. Moving an existing collection? The Obsidian import guide and Heptabase import guide explain how to prepare the source and check the result.
Acres is our first choice when visual notes, plain files and agents belong together. Obsidian is a strong free alternative for a general Markdown vault. Joplin, Noteey, iA Writer and Zettlr solve different jobs well enough that the storage format should be the start of your decision, not the whole of it.