Openote
What Openote is
Openote is a free, open-source alternative to Microsoft OneNote for Windows, macOS and Linux, with offline access. Its freeform canvas supports placing content anywhere, panning and zooming, while notebooks, section groups, sections, pages and subpages organize material. Pressure-sensitive handwriting and typed mathematics are supported. Openote imports OneNote .one notebooks, including pages, images, ink, tables and tags. Notes remain on the machine in a documented, versioned format intended to stay readable without Openote, and no account is required. Folder-based syncing can use Dropbox, OneDrive, Drive, Syncthing or a NAS. Tagged lines can become spaced-repetition flashcards, and a planner covers exams, deadlines, reminders and university timetables. The project is AGPL-3.0 licensed and under active development. Updates may temporarily break features, macOS is largely untested, and the app is not code-signed.
Who it suits
Openote suits students and note-takers seeking a free, local, OneNote-style canvas with handwriting, maths and study tools. It also fits users who prefer folder-based syncing without an app account.
What it does well
- Free and open-source
- Works offline without an account
- Imports OneNote .one notebooks
- Supports handwriting and typed mathematics
- Includes flashcards and an academic planner
What to know first
- Real-time collaboration is unavailable
- Updates may temporarily break features
- macOS is described as largely untested
- Not code-signed, so installation warnings may appear
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Openote | Free, open-source app; no account required | Free |
As openote.org lists them, read 13 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Openote provides a broad offline notebook system with import, study and folder-sync options at no cost. Its active-development status and platform caveats deserve attention before relying on it.
Facts from Openote's own pages
- Canvas
- Its canvas lets users place content anywhere and pan and zoom in every direction. · openote.org, 13 Oct 2026
- Canvas and notes
- It offers a freeform canvas with a notebook, section, page and subpage hierarchy. · openote.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Development status
- Openote is under active development, updates may temporarily break features, and the maker says macOS is largely untested. · openote.org, 12 Oct 2026
- File format
- Its documented, versioned file format is designed to remain readable without Openote. · openote.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Flashcards
- It can turn tagged lines in notes into flashcards scheduled for spaced repetition. · openote.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Handwriting and maths
- It supports pressure-sensitive handwriting and maths that builds into notation as users type. · openote.org, 13 Oct 2026
- Licensing
- The project repository identifies the app as AGPL-3.0 licensed. · github.com, 13 Oct 2026
- Linux support
- The site offers .deb packages for Ubuntu, Debian, and Mint and .rpm packages for Fedora and openSUSE. · openote.org, 13 Oct 2026
- Local storage and account
- The maker says notes stay on the user's machine and no account is required. · openote.org, 12 Oct 2026
- macOS support
- The macOS download is a universal disk image for Apple Silicon and Intel, and the site describes this build as the least tested. · openote.org, 13 Oct 2026
- Maker identity
- The linked public source repository is owned by the GitHub account icmric. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Maturity
- Openote is under active development, and the homepage warns that an update may break a feature until a later update fixes it. · openote.org, 13 Oct 2026
- Offline access
- Yes · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- OneNote import
- It imports OneNote notebooks from .one files, including pages, images, ink, tables, and tags. · openote.org, 13 Oct 2026
- Organization
- It supports notebooks, section groups, sections, pages, and subpages. · openote.org, 13 Oct 2026
- Planner
- It includes a planner for exam dates, deadlines, reminders and university timetables. · openote.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Supported platforms
- Windows,macOS,Linux · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Privacy and storage
- The homepage says notes stay on the user's machine in an open, documented format. · openote.org, 13 Oct 2026
- Product
- Openote is an open-source alternative to Microsoft OneNote with a freeform canvas, handwriting, maths, and a documented file format. · openote.org, 13 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Openote is an open-source alternative to Microsoft OneNote. · openote.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Real-time collaboration
- No · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Release security
- The maker says Openote is not code-signed and that downloads are built by a public workflow from a tagged commit. · openote.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Security caveat
- Openote is not code-signed, and the site explains that operating systems may show warnings when it is installed. · openote.org, 13 Oct 2026
- Study tools
- It can turn tagged lines from notes into spaced-repetition flashcards and includes a planner for exam dates, deadlines, reminders, and university timetables. · openote.org, 13 Oct 2026
Where Openote stands on Freedom251
- Note-taking apps#67 of 216