FSNotes

Executive Summary

FSNotes is a free, open source notes manager for macOS and iOS created by Ukrainian developer Oleksandr Hlushchenko. Inspired by Notational Velocity and nvAlt, FSNotes emphasizes blazing fast search, keyboard-centric operation, and open file formats (GitHub Flavored Markdown). Unlike subscription-based alternatives like Bear, FSNotes is completely free with optional App Store purchases to support continued development. As of June 2026 the project is actively maintained: FSNotes 7 shipped in January 2026 as a major release, the latest version (7.2.1) landed June 7, 2026, and the repository has roughly 7,400 GitHub stars and 560 forks.

---

Product Overview

FSNotes fills the void left by discontinued notes apps like nvAlt, providing a modern, Swift-native equivalent with additional features. The two-pane interface enables instant search-or-create workflows: type to search, press enter to create if nothing matches. Notes are stored as plain markdown files, synced via iCloud Drive.

Key Capabilities

Recent Development (FSNotes 7, 2026)

FSNotes 7.0 (January 2026) added search in preview mode, in-note search on iOS, match counts in results, a frosted-glass sidebar, swipe-to-delete on macOS, context-aware word autocomplete, and keyboard shortcuts to move lines. Rapid point releases through 7.2.1 (June 2026) added JSON/XML syntax highlighting and Traditional Chinese localization, and fixed crashes and note-persistence bugs reported against the 7.0 release.

Product Surfaces / Editions

---

Technical Architecture

FSNotes is written entirely in Swift 5, making it truly native on Apple platforms with excellent performance. Notes are stored as plain markdown files that can be synced via iCloud Drive or managed manually.

Key Technical Details

---

Strengths

• Free and open source — No cost, MIT license, community can fork if needed
• Native Swift — Not Electron; truly fast and lightweight on Apple devices
• Plain files — Standard markdown files compatible with any editor
• Active development — Solo developer has maintained consistent updates since 2017, including the major FSNotes 7 release in January 2026
• Feature-rich — Git versioning, encryption, wiki links, Mermaid/MathJax support

---

Cautions

• Solo developer — Long-term maintenance depends on one person's continued commitment
• No subfolders on iOS — Mobile app explicitly does not support nested folders
• iCloud only — No Dropbox, WebDAV, or Google Drive sync support
• Less polished UI — Functional but not as refined as Bear or iA Writer
• Limited documentation — Smaller community means fewer tutorials and guides
• Occasional instability — Some users report recurring bugs; early 7.x point releases fixed crashes and note-persistence issues

---

Pricing & Licensing

Licensing model: MIT open source; App Store versions support development. No subscriptions or in-app purchases.

Hidden costs: None—completely free if you use the GitHub releases instead of the App Store

Prices as of June 2026.

---

Competitive Positioning

Direct Competitors

When to Choose FSNotes Over Alternatives

• Choose FSNotes when: You want free, open source notes with plain markdown files
• Choose Bear when: You want beautiful UI and don't mind subscription
• Choose Obsidian when: You want knowledge graphs, plugins, and advanced features

---

Ideal Customer Profile

Best fit:

• Users who loved nvAlt and want a modern equivalent
• People who value open source and plain file storage
• Mac/iOS users who don't want to pay subscriptions

Poor fit:

• Users wanting nested folders on iOS
• People who need Dropbox or Google Drive sync
• Users prioritizing UI polish over functionality

---

What Users Say

• "I use FSNotes today on macOS and iOS. Both apps are open source" — ambivalence, Hacker News, February 2025
• "It's free and open source. If you want to try it on macOS, you can get it here." — al_borland, Hacker News, on the FSNotes 7 release, January 2026
• "FS Notes (very unstable; come across a bug every other day that it's tiring)" — shelled, Hacker News, March 2025

Sentiment skews positive on openness, speed, and plain-file storage, with stability the most common complaint—an issue the rapid 7.1.x bug-fix releases in early 2026 appear aimed at.

---

Viability Assessment

Despite being maintained by a solo developer, FSNotes has shown remarkable longevity with consistent updates—as of June 2026 the repository is not archived, the latest release (7.2.1) is days old, and seven releases have shipped in 2026 alone. The MIT license ensures the code remains available regardless of the developer's continued involvement.

---

Bottom Line

FSNotes is the spiritual successor to nvAlt—a fast, keyboard-centric notes app that respects open formats and costs nothing. It's not as polished as Bear or as powerful as Obsidian, but it's free, open source, and does exactly what it promises.

Recommended for: nvAlt refugees, open source advocates, and users who want plain markdown notes without subscription fees.

Not recommended for: Users wanting polish over function, or those needing sync beyond iCloud.

Outlook: Healthy niche position—FSNotes 7 (January 2026) and steady point releases through June 2026 show the project is in one of its most active stretches; the open source license provides insurance against abandonment.

---

Research by Ry Walker Research • methodology