Why TagSpaces for Note‑Taking?
- Offline-First & Reliable - Your data lives on your device, always accessible.
- Rich Editing - Markdown (with WYSIWYG, tables, checklists, math expressions), HTML, plain text.
- Your Notes Are Just Files - future proof, portable and easy to backup
- Tag & Organize - Tag notes to filter, group, or structure note collections visually.
- Full-Text & Tag Search - Instantly find notes via keywords, tags, and saved queries.
Common Use Cases
Used by researchers, legal professionals, writers, and creatives.
- Personal Journaling & To-Do Lists - Build checklists, daily reflections, and project logs with embedded media.
- Academic & Research Notes – - Tag and categorize PDF articles, lecture transcripts, and bibliographic references.
- Project Documentation - Create modular, structured docs for dev, marketing, or operations teams.
- Content Drafts & Blogging -Draft Markdown articles with live preview; ready for export.
- Creative Writing & Brainstorming - Capture ideas with full styling, checklists, and rich-media inclusion.
- Field Notes & Reports - Add geo-tags and media on research trips or real-world projects.
TagSpaces as Local-First Alternative to Evernote and Cloud-Dependent Note Apps
TagSpaces stores your notes as standard files (Markdown, HTML, or TXT) directly on your device—no cloud, no vendor lock-in. Unlike Evernote, OneNote, or Bear, you keep full control of your data with no accounts or subscriptions required.
Sync your notes across devices using services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Nextcloud—or work fully offline. You can even manage notes stored on S3-compatible cloud storage like AWS, Minio, or Wasabi.
Your notes stay private, portable, and accessible—on your terms.
| Feature / App | TagSpaces | Evernote | Obsidian | Notion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storage Location | Local-first / Offline (optional S3 support) | Cloud-based | Local-first | Cloud-only |
| Privacy / Tracking | ✅ No tracking, no account | ❌ Tracking & telemetry | ⚠️ Some plugins track | ❌ Cloud + analytics |
| Account Required | ❌ No account needed | ✅ Required | ❌ Optional | ✅ Required |
| Offline Access | ✅ Full offline access | ⚠️ Limited in free plan | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Desktop only |
| Open File Format | ✅ Markdown / HTML / TXT | ❌ Proprietary | ✅ Markdown | ❌ Proprietary |
| Built-in Tagging System | ✅ Tag-centric design | ⚠️ Limited | ⚠️ Plugin-based | ✅ Basic |
| Note Types Supported | Markdown, HTML, Plain Text | Rich text, checklist | Markdown only | Rich blocks |
| Embedded Images & Media | ✅ Local images | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Kanban Board Integration | ✅ Built-in (Pro only) | ❌ No native support | ⚠️ Plugin needed | ✅ Built-in |
| Map & Geo-tagging Support | ✅ Yes (Pro feature) | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| PDF / eBook Viewing | ✅ Built-in | ⚠️ Viewer only | ⚠️ Plugin required | ⚠️ Limited support |
| Media Player Support | ✅ Audio & video files | ⚠️ Limited | ❌ No | ⚠️ Limited |
| License / Cost Model | ✅ Free / One-time payment / Subscription | ❌ Subscription | ✅ Free + optional | ❌ Subscription |
Live Demo
In this section, you can experiment with notes created in both Markdown and HTML formats using TagSpaces. To test the WYSIWYG Markdown editor, double-click on the document below or click the EDIT button in the top right corner of the app.
Below, you can launch a read-only demo of TagSpaces. It can be opened in a in a separate tab for a full-width browser experience.
Click to load the demo application.