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Octarine vs Apple Notes

A markdown knowledge base vs the notes app you already have

Apple Notes and Octarine are both free to start. The difference is what happens as your notes pile up.

Apple Notes is already on every Apple device, and it's great for quick capture: document scanning, handwriting with Apple Pencil, audio recordings with transcripts, and shared notes and folders. It syncs through iCloud with no setup, and you can reach it at iCloud.com.

Octarine is the step up when notes become a body of work: markdown files you own, backlinks and a graph to connect them, templates and daily notes, and code blocks and diagrams. It runs on Windows and Linux too, and the core app is free, so you can try it alongside Notes.

Moving from Apple Notes
Octarine
Apple Notes
Files
Plain markdown files
Yes
PartlyiCloud; markdown export one note at a time
Writing and organization
Links between notes
Yes
Yes
Backlinks and graph
Yes
No
Templates and daily notes
Yes
No
Code highlighting and diagrams
YesMermaid
NoMonospaced text only
Tables and checklists
Yes
Yes
Task managementTasks groups work into projects with statuses, priorities, labels, due dates, subtasks, saved filters, and optional cycles. Each task is a Markdown file in your workspace, and a checkbox in a note can become a task.
YesProjects, list or board, cycles (Pro)
PartlyChecklists in notes; Reminders is a separate app
Capture
Document scanning
No
Yes
Handwriting
No
YesApple Pencil
Audio transcription
YesMeeting transcription on iOS, on-device
Yes
Web clipper
YesChrome, Firefox, Safari
PartlyShare sheet
Sharing and AI
Shared notes and folders
PartlyPublish notes with reader comments
Yes
Built-in AIAsk Octarine searches, reads, and follows links across your notes to answer questions. The Writing Assistant edits inline. Indexing stays on your device.
YesYour own key or a local model (Pro)
YesApple Intelligence Writing Tools
Platforms
Desktop
macOS, Windows, Linux
macOS
iPhone and iPad
PartlyTestFlight for Pro users
YesPreinstalled
Web app
No
YesiCloud.com
Plans
Free
YesCore features, no time limit
YesEverything
Paid
Pro $79 one-time
None
Sources ยท Checked Nov 4, 2026

Compared against Apple's Notes and iCloud user guides. Markdown export in iOS 26 and macOS 26 is described from reporting, as Apple's guide has no dedicated page for it yet.

Product names and logos belong to their owners; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.

Something wrong or out of date, including if you work on Apple Notes? Suggest a correction

Start writing with Octarine.

A fast, private Markdown workspace for capturing ideas, shaping notes, and keeping your writing in files you control.

Download for macOSIncludes a 7-day Pro trial.
Apps
macOSDetectedWindowsLinuxiOS
Tools
Web ClipperCLI