Compare software

Denote vs nb: catalog facts
Denote	nb
Free Free and available from GNU ELPA.	Free Free and open source.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Plain-text notes with predictable file names No database or lock-in	Plain text notes with Git-backed versioning and sync Bookmarking and archiving alongside notes
Requires Emacs and some familiarity with it No mobile app	Terminal-first workflow; the web interface runs locally Windows needs WSL, MSYS or Cygwin
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: AGPL-3.0
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.