A local-first, markdown-native workspace that captures your work in AI-native formats.
Hillnote is where you think.
A local-first, markdown-native workspace that captures your work in AI-native formats - notes, plans, drafts, ideas, decisions. Built on plain markdown, stored on your device, paired with your desktop, and ready for the AI tools you already use.
Built for builders, makers, writers, and small teams who think on the move and want their workspace to come with them.
Write as you think, the way you think. A clean markdown editor designed for capture, not arrangement. A floating toolbar above the keyboard handles formatting; standard markdown shortcuts work out of the box.
Quicknotes for everything in between. Tap + to capture an idea the moment it lands. Save and it's in your workspace; keep typing if you want to expand it. No friction between a thought and a file.
Your thinking stays on your device. Every file lives locally as plain markdown. No rented database, no required account, no lock-in. Your work is yours from day one, and yours if you cancel.
Free sync across iPhone, iPad, and desktop. The first 100MB syncs free -more than enough for years of notes. Capture on your phone, expand on your desktop, review anywhere.
Talk to your knowledge base. Built-in chat reads your own files, edits them, creates new ones, and pulls context from your workspace. Upload images and have them read aloud. Auto mode picks the right model; switch manually when you want to.
Supercharge your writing with Apple Intelligence. Native integration with Apple Intelligence writing tools - proofread, rewrite, reformat -via the AI button or text selection.
Workspaces with all the context AI models need. Hillnote automatically generates context files (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, document registries) so any AI tool you connect can navigate your workspace immediately - no setup, no plugins.
Pairs with the agents you already work with. Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, Cowork, Claude Code - connect via local or cloud MCP, or point them at the workspace folder directly. Plain markdown means no exports, no conversions. They read and edit the same files you do.
Carry your tools, not just your notes. Build small HTML tools - pomodoro timers, day counters, focus checklists, anything else - that travel inside your workspace. Pin them as widgets. Your tools live next to the work they support.
A different model. We separate what's a service from what's yours. You subscribe to the workspace and pay for cloud features (expanded sync, frontier AI, publishing, routines, BYO key) only when you need them. Free accounts include limited premium model usage. Your data stays on your device as plain markdown, always canonical, always portable.
Start free. Sync free. Stay local. Add cloud when you outgrow it.
Download Hillnote and bring your thinking with you.
Ratings & Reviews
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This version adds downloadable Offline AI models, whole-workspace sharing and a link browser that keeps you in your notes.
NEW
- Pick your own offline model: besides the built-in model, you can now download Gemma 3 or Qwen3 from Settings › Offline AI (iOS 26 or later).
- Chat and ask your library without internet. Your downloaded model answers when you pick it and steps in automatically when you lose connection.
- Tap Check eligibility to see if your phone has the memory, storage and speed for a model before you download it.
- Share a whole workspace: open a workspace card's menu, choose Share workspace… and add people by email as an Editor or Admin.
- Web links in your documents now open in a sheet over the page. Swipe it down or tap close to get straight back to writing.
IMPROVED
- Template icons in the template gallery now show in full instead of being cropped.
FIXED
- The app no longer flashes white when it opens with a dark theme.
- The Tasks tab keeps your pinned database after an app update.
- Taking a photo no longer crashes the app on a device without an available camera.
Version 0.33.46
The developer, Rajath Bail, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Linked to You
The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:
Contact Info
Data Not Linked to You
The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:
Location
Contact Info
User Content
Identifiers
Usage Data
Diagnostics
Privacy practices may vary based, for example, on the features you use or your age. Learn More
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
Provider
Rajath Bail
Size
Up to 229.8 MB
Category
Productivity
Compatibility
Requires iOS 16.0 or later.
iPhone Requires iOS 16.0 or later.
iPad Requires iPadOS 16.0 or later.
Mac Requires macOS 13.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.