ZenNotes

Executive Summary

ZenNotes is a keyboard-first Markdown notes application with plain files as its source of truth. The desktop app combines Vim editing, split and preview modes, tasks, backlinks, diagrams, CSV database views, and a first-party MCP server.^[1] It belongs in the Markdown notes comparison as a cross-platform option for people who want both direct editing and agent access.

The June profile's biggest limitations need revision. As checked September 15, 2026, ZenNotes has public iOS and Android store listings, while its website advertises Cloud sync, backups, and publishing. The app remains free for local use, but “no mobile apps,” “no built-in sync,” and “no cloud service” no longer describe the advertised product.^[2][3][4]

This is a documentation and release review. It did not install the applications, test synchronization, or audit security.

Product and Availability

The website describes the apps as native across platforms, while the desktop repository explicitly identifies Electron. For someone choosing a notes app based on its Mac UI framework, that architectural distinction matters more than the marketing word.^[4][1]

What Has Changed

The latest stable desktop release checked was v2.50.4, published September 15. It updates asset references when files are renamed or moved, adds live last-modified template values, and fixes duplicated forwarded tasks on Kanban boards and a wikilink-picker issue inside code spans. The release notes distinguish checks performed live from paths covered only by automated tests.^[7]

These changes are useful evidence of ongoing maintenance. They do not establish that release frequency or GitHub stars make it more reliable than another notes app.

Mobile availability is a larger change to the adoption decision. The Android listing describes a local vault selected through the system folder picker or private app storage, with external folder-sync tools as another option. The iOS listing also confirms an actual distributed app rather than a future roadmap item.^[3][2]

Files, Features, and Agent Access

The manual documents linked notes, tasks, database views, templates, keyboard navigation, and agent tooling. This is more than a minimal scratchpad, even if its editing interface can be simplified. Evaluate whether those features support your workflow or add more structure than you want.^[6]

The first-party MCP server exposes operations including reading, creating, appending, moving, and searching notes. Giving an agent access is therefore a write-capable integration, not simply a document viewer. The local file format does not determine what a connected model provider receives.^[1]

Plain Markdown lowers the cost of moving the text elsewhere. It does not mean every application will render the same diagrams, task conventions, live template tokens, or database views. v2.50.4 explicitly notes that its live modified-date tokens remain as literal text on disk, so other tools may display the braces.^[7]

Pricing, Licensing, and Privacy

The GitHub desktop repository uses MIT. The website states that local vaults and iCloud continue working without a Cloud plan. Those are separate facts from the commercial terms of hosted synchronization and publishing.^[8][4]

This review found Cloud marketing and account registration but could not verify a public plan-price table, storage quotas, or billing terms on those pages. Do not carry forward the earlier conclusion that everything, including all future services, has no monetary cost.^[4][5]

There is also a documentation conflict. The public privacy page, dated July 16 and scoped to the iOS/iPadOS app, says there are no ZenNotes accounts or servers receiving notes. The current homepage advertises a Cloud account, synchronization, backups, and publishing. The older policy cannot establish the new service's handling of data. This review did not find a reconciled Cloud-specific explanation on those pages, and it does not infer encryption or zero collection from local-only statements.^[9][4]

What Users Report

On September 15, GitHub user uNyanda reported that v2.50.3 on Linux displayed a forwarded task multiple times across Kanban boards. The report gives reproduction steps and distinguishes the expected task from historical forwarded copies. The issue is closed, and v2.50.4 describes the fix.^[10][7]

That is specific first-hand evidence of a defect and response. It replaces the old unsupported statement that no substantive community discussion exists. A report from one user still does not measure broad satisfaction or long-term reliability.

Assessment

Good fit: people who want plain-file notes, substantial keyboard control, and direct agent access, and who are comfortable evaluating the desktop and mobile workflows they actually use.

Cautions: the desktop runtime is Electron; rich Markdown features can need adaptation in another app; and the Cloud offering needs clearer public cost and data-handling documentation.

The stronger adoption case is now broader platform coverage and practical maintenance of file workflows. Start with local files and a representative vault, then evaluate optional services on their own terms. Portability is valuable, but it is not a substitute for backups or checking how an agent can modify your notes.

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Research by Ry Walker • methodology