Heptabase

Overview

Heptabase centers on whiteboards and cards rather than a purely linear notebook. That approach can help when a project involves relationships among sources and ideas, though it will be less compelling for someone who mainly wants a simple place to capture notes.

It supports sharing and real-time collaboration, and integrates with Readwise and Zotero. The desktop app stores data locally for offline use; notes and files remain accessible without an internet connection.

Key features

Visual thinking and connected notes

Whiteboards let users arrange cards to clarify how ideas fit together. Bidirectional links connect related notes from either direction, while the block-based editor supports structured writing. Together, these tools suit exploratory work better than a workflow built only around folders or a chronological list.

Research and AI

Heptabase’s AI can explain sources, take notes, and organize a knowledge base, working with PDFs, YouTube, notes, and journals. PDF annotation and a web clipper help bring source material into the workspace. These features make it a more focused choice for research than a basic note repository, but AI access is one of the functions excluded from the free plan.

Journals and collaboration

Daily journals, tasks, highlights, and tag databases add structure for ongoing personal work. Note sharing and real-time collaboration support shared projects, although the free plan only gives collaborators access to editing shared whiteboards and cards; it excludes those personal knowledge tools.

Security and access

Heptabase says its AWS cloud storage is encrypted in transit and at rest, using server-side AES-256 encryption and SSL/TLS transfers. That is not end-to-end encryption, so users who require end-to-end protection should look elsewhere. It has no public REST API covering all app operations; integrations are supported through MCP or the desktop-app CLI.

Pricing

Heptabase has a free plan and a 7-day trial. The free plan is collaboration-oriented: users can edit shared whiteboards and cards, but personal libraries, journals, tag databases, tasks, highlights, and AI features are excluded. It is useful for participating in shared work, not for evaluating the full personal knowledge workflow.

The paid entry point is $8.99/user/mo (annual). The monthly plans are Pro at 11.99 USD per month, with 100 AI credits/month; Premium at 23.99 USD per month, with 1,800 AI credits/month; and Premium+ at 71.99 USD per month, with 8,100 AI credits/month. The larger tiers make sense for users whose work depends heavily on AI; Pro keeps the monthly commitment lower but has a much smaller credit allowance. After a subscription or trial ends, users can access and export content indefinitely, but must renew to create or edit notes.

Platforms

Heptabase supports web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, with a Chrome extension also supported. The desktop app's local data storage makes offline work a practical advantage for users who need access away from a reliable connection.

Who it's for

Choose Heptabase if you want a visual system for connecting research, notes, and source material, and expect to use its whiteboards, annotation, and AI tools. It is also a reasonable fit for collaborative work that centers on shared boards and cards. It is a weaker fit if you need a capable free personal notebook, end-to-end encryption, or a public API for broad app automation.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Whiteboards, cards, and bidirectional links support visual exploration of connected ideas.
• Pros: AI works with multiple research source types, including PDFs and YouTube.
• Pros: Desktop local storage and offline access keep notes and files usable without an internet connection.
• Pros: Sharing and real-time collaboration make boards and cards usable in shared work.
• Cons: The free plan excludes most personal knowledge features and all AI features.
• Cons: Cloud encryption is not end-to-end, which rules it out for users who require that security model.
• Cons: There is no public REST API covering all app operations, limiting conventional automation options.
• Cons: Expired subscribers can read and export but cannot create or edit notes without renewing.

Alternatives

Notion is worth considering for an individual who wants a free workspace organized around pages, blocks, databases, and basic collaboration. Microsoft OneNote is another freemium option if broad note-taking across Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows matters more than Heptabase’s visual research approach.

Fabric may suit someone who wants a freemium alternative with 50GB storage, 50MB file uploads, 100 spaces, and light AI usage on its Plus plan, billed yearly at $96/yr. Snow is an option for users prioritizing voice capture, AI summaries, tags, connections, and search.

Supernotes is an alternative centered on cards, with an Unlimited plan at 6.00 GBP per month, billed £72 billed annually. Zoho Notebook offers a free Essential plan with 500 MB cloud storage, 20 note versions, a 3 MB maximum notecard size, and 10 MB file uploads. Capacities has a free Basic plan with 5 GB total media uploads and 100 MB of media uploads per month afterwards. Craft has a free plan with 1,500 blocks, 1 GB storage, and a 25 MB media upload limit.

For broader category browsing, see AI Note-Taking Apps, Personal Knowledge Management Software, and Note-taking apps.

Verdict

Heptabase is a strong choice for learners and researchers who want to build an interconnected, visual knowledge base and use AI on source material. Its offline access and research toolkit give it a clear purpose, but the free plan is only useful for shared-board participation, and the lack of end-to-end encryption or a broad public API will send some users elsewhere.