Best of
Top 10 AI Tools for Productivity in 2026: Ranked by What Actually Saves You Time
Jun 28, 2026 · 17 min read
R
Reflect Notes
Open-source networked note-taking with daily notes, backlinks and local Markdown
Freemium reflect.app
Own Reflect Notes? Claim it, free to correct the facts and get the verified badge.
reflect.app
Pricing
Freemium
Open source
Yes
Company
Reflect App LLCUnited States
Platforms
macOSiOS
What is Reflect Notes?
Reflect Notes is a note-taking app built around daily notes and backlinks. Reflect Open, the current version, stores your notes as local Markdown files in a folder you choose and syncs them through iCloud Drive or Git.
You can capture ideas quickly, including web clips and audio memos, link notes together and search across everything you have written. An optional AI assistant answers questions with links back to your source notes, writes summaries, fixes grammar, runs custom prompts and transcribes audio. It uses your own API key, so requests go straight to your AI provider.
The Mac app is free and open source. The iPhone and iPad app, which works online or offline, needs a paid subscription. It suits writers, researchers and anyone who keeps a personal knowledge base and wants to own their files. The older Reflect Classic is still maintained.
Key features
- Daily notes with backlinked, networked notes
- Local Markdown files in a folder you choose
- Sync via iCloud Drive or Git
- Web clips and audio memo capture
- Search across past notes
- AI answers linked to source notes, using your own API key
- AI summaries, grammar fixes, custom prompts and transcription
- Import notes from Reflect Classic
Use cases
Who it's for
WritersResearchersStudentsKnowledge workersMac and iPhone users
Daily journaling
Write in a daily note and link entries to related topics over time.
Personal knowledge base
Connect ideas with backlinks and keep everything as local Markdown files you own.
Capturing on the go
Save web clips and audio memos, and transcribe them with the optional AI.
Asking questions of your notes
Use the AI assistant to get answers that link back to the notes they came from.
Reflect Notes pricing
From the vendor's site, checked Oct 26, 2026; we re-check prices monthly. Prices change — confirm on their pricing page.
Mac
Free
- No subscription required
- Open source
iPhone & iPad
subscription
Local pricing on the App Store
- Works online or offline
- Classic subscribers get one year free
What the free plan gets you
- Mac app is free, no subscription required
- iPhone and iPad app requires a paid subscription
- Optional AI requires your own API key; provider charges are separate
How Reflect Notes compares
- Reflect Notes has a free plan, like 3 of the 4 alternatives below.
- It is open source, the only one here.
| Tool | Starts at | Free plan | Free trial | API | Open source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RReflect Notes | — | — | — | |||
E Evernote | $14.99/mo | — | — | Reflect Notes vs Evernote | ||
N Notion AI | — | — | Reflect Notes vs Notion AI | |||
C Capacities | $9.99/mo | — | Reflect Notes vs Capacities | |||
M Microsoft Recall | — | — | — | — | — | Reflect Notes vs Microsoft Recall |
Compare 8 capabilities
| Capability | Reflect Notes | Evernote | Notion AI | Capacities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Markdown files | — | — | — | |
| Backlinks & graph | — | |||
| Meeting transcription | — | |||
| AI Q&A over notes | — | |||
| MCP connector | — | — | ||
| End-to-end encryption | — | — | — | |
| Web clipper | — | |||
| Shared workspaces | — | — |
Capabilities as stated on each vendor's own site; — means the site doesn't say. The closest alternatives in our directory by category. “Starts at” is the cheapest paid plan per month, as each vendor lists it.
Reflect Notes data and privacy
Trains AI on your content
Not stated
Data retention
Audio file deleted once transcription completes and syncs to note
“As soon as the transcription is complete it is synced to your note and the audio file is deleted.”
Where data is stored
Not stated
Security and compliance
GDPR
From Reflect Notes's own privacy and security pages , checked Oct 28, 2026. We only show what the vendor states in writing; “not stated” means the pages don't say.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- Mac app is free with no subscription
- Open source, with code on GitHub
- Notes stored as local Markdown files
- AI requests go directly to your own provider
Limitations
- No Windows, Android or web app listed
- iPhone and iPad app needs a paid subscription
- AI features need your own API key, and provider charges are billed separately
Reflect Notes FAQ
Is Reflect free?
The Mac app is free with no subscription. The iPhone and iPad app needs a paid subscription, and the App Store shows the price for your region.
Which platforms does it support?
Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Where are my notes stored?
As local files in a folder you choose. You can sync them through iCloud Drive or Git.
How does the AI work?
The AI is optional and uses your own API key. Requests go directly to your provider, which bills you separately.
What about Reflect Classic users?
Reflect Classic is still maintained. Classic users can import a copy of their notes, and Classic subscribers get one year of the iPhone and iPad app free.
User reviews
No reviews yet. Used Reflect Notes? Be the first.
Sign in to rate this tool and share how you use it.
Reflect Notes in our articles
Best of
Top 8 AI Tools for Personal Knowledge Management in 2026: Ranked by Actual Usefulness
May 4, 2026 · 17 min read
Guide
The AI Specialization Problem: Why Using Generic AI Tools for Everything Is Costing You More Than You Think
May 18, 2026 · 9 min read
Reflect Notes
Freemium
Tools similar to Reflect Notes
E
Evernote
Notes, tasks and calendar in one app, with AI search and transcription
N
Notion AI
AI agents, search and meeting notes built into the Notion workspace for teams
C
Capacities
Note-taking app that organizes ideas as linked objects instead of folders