Reflect

What Reflect is

Reflect is a note-taking app for daily notes, linked thinking, and work with private AI on your own files. Its Reflect Open version stores notes as plain Markdown in a folder you choose and keeps a local SQLite index that can be rebuilt. Daily notes, wiki-style links, backlinks, and full-text search support organizing and finding notes; optional semantic search runs on your device. Optional AI chat uses your own API key, and private notes are blocked from external AI calls. You can record audio memos and optionally transcribe them with a provider key you supply. Sync is available through iCloud Drive or Git, using files you own. A Chrome extension clips web content into notes. Reflect describes the app as open source and links to its source code on GitHub. Its App Store listing says it has no account, telemetry, or Reflect-hosted cloud service. Reflect is available on the web, macOS, iOS, and as a browser extension. Note sharing and integrations with Zapier, Readwise, Google Calendar, Outlook, Kindle, Chrome, and Safari are also listed. Reflect is made by an indie group of engineers distributed around the world, with headquarters in Austin, Texas. Reflect Open is a free download; the Reflect plan starts at $10 per user per month when billed annually and includes a 14-day trial.

Who it suits

Reflect suits people who want daily notes, linked thinking, and Markdown files stored in a folder they choose. It may also suit users who want optional on-device semantic search, note sharing, or syncing through iCloud Drive or Git.

Getting started

1. Visit https://reflect.app/.
2. Choose the free Reflect Open download or review the paid Reflect plan, which includes a 14-day trial.
3. Use the available web, macOS, iOS, or Chrome extension version.
4. For Reflect Open, choose a folder for Markdown notes and its local index.
5. Optionally set up iCloud Drive or Git syncing with files you own.

Verdict

Choose Reflect if you want linked notes stored as Markdown files you control, with optional on-device semantic search and syncing through iCloud Drive or Git. The free Reflect Open download is a starting point; look at another plan if you need the paid Reflect plan’s listed features, which start at $10 per user per month billed annually.