Alternatives to Heptabase
Visual note-taking app that organizes research as cards on whiteboards. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Heptabase
Visual note-taking app that organizes research as cards on whiteboards.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Heptabase.
AFFiNE Community
Combine notes, tables and a drawing canvas in a local-first workspace.
AFFiNE Community is free and open source under MIT, combining notes and tables with a drawing canvas, and adds Linux and self-hosting.
Capacities
Object-based note app that organizes ideas as typed, tagged objects.
Capacities is freemium with apps on Linux and mobile, organizing ideas as typed objects rather than cards on whiteboards.
Obsidian
A notes app that works on a folder of plain Markdown files on your own disk, with links between them.
Obsidian is free and works on plain Markdown files with links, backlinks and a graph view across all major platforms, though visual layouts rely on plugins.
Anytype
An encrypted, offline-first workspace for notes, tasks and databases that syncs peer to peer.
Anytype is freemium with local encrypted storage and graph and board views of objects, but it is source-available and still labelled beta.
Scrintal
A visual note-taking web app that places linked notes on boards for research and study.
Scrintal is a paid, web-only visual note app that places linked notes on boards for research and study, with notes stored on the service and no desktop app listed.
Supernotes
A collaborative note-taking app that stores ideas as linked notecards with Markdown and LaTeX.
Supernotes stores ideas as linked notecards with Markdown, LaTeX and a 2D or 3D graph view, runs on iOS and web, and has a free tier with paid features.
TriliumNext Notes
A hierarchical note app where one note can live in several places at once, with a server you can host.
TriliumNext Notes is free and open source with canvases and relation maps inside a hierarchical, self-hostable note database, though its interface is dense and there is no official mobile app.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Heptabase as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Allume
A canvas app for thinking with nested boards of text, ink, images and PDFs, formerly Muse.
Heptabase organises research as cards on whiteboards on Windows, macOS and the web, dropping Apple pencil ink but requiring a paid subscription instead of a freemium plan.
Kinopio
A spatial note-taking canvas for collecting cards and connecting ideas, alone or with others.
Heptabase organises research as cards on whiteboards with Windows, macOS and web apps, but requires a paid subscription rather than a free tier.
Milanote
A visual board tool for arranging notes, images, links and files for creative projects.
Heptabase arranges research as cards on whiteboards across Windows, macOS and the web, requiring a paid subscription and focused on research rather than creative projects.
Tinderbox
A Mac app for making, visualizing and analyzing notes, with map views and automation.
Heptabase is a paid visual note app that arranges research as cards on whiteboards, running on Windows, macOS and the web rather than Mac only.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Freeplane
Mind mapping and knowledge management that goes far beyond drawing bubbles, with scripting, conditional styles and attributes.
Xmind
A mind mapping and brainstorming app for web, desktop and mobile with AI and Gantt planning.
RemNote
Note-taking app that pairs outlining with built-in spaced-repetition flashcards.
Logseq
An outliner that stores notes as plain Markdown files, built around a daily journal and linked blocks.
LiquidText
An active-reading app for annotating PDFs and pulling excerpts into a flexible workspace.
MarginNote
A study app for Mac and iPad that links PDF highlights, mind maps and flashcards.
