Guest mode
You can use Notate without an account. This is Guest mode: your notes are plain markdown files on your device, and everything works offline. Guest is the default on desktop and mobile, so you can start writing the moment you install the app.
What Guest mode is
In Guest mode Notate points at folders on your disk and reads and writes ordinary .md files. There is no sign-in, nothing is uploaded anywhere, and your notes never leave your device. It is the same files-first model described in How Notate stores your files, just without an account attached.
Guest keeps its own preferences (appearance, editor, and folder settings) separate from any account you later sign into, so switching between them does not disturb either one.
What is free, and what a plan adds
Everything you need to write and organize notes locally is free, whether you stay in Guest mode or create a free account:
- Create, edit, and organize notes in folders you control
- Live preview, wiki-links, tags, favorites, and search
- Version history and trash
- Plugins
A free account on its own gives you the same local experience as Guest. The features that reach beyond your own device come with a paid plan.
The Sync plan adds:
- Sync across desktop, mobile, and the web app
- End-to-end encryption for your synced notes
- Cloud image storage and the Image Manager
- The command-line tool for scripting and automation
- MCP access for Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI clients
- Your own AI keys — bring an Anthropic and/or OpenAI key and the AI features they power turn on, billed to you by that provider
The AI plan includes everything in the Sync plan, plus:
- AI and transcription — the writing assistant, audio transcription, and semantic search, fully managed, with no provider accounts or keys to set up
Moving from Guest to an account
When you are ready to sync, create an account and turn on a plan, and Notate offers to bring your existing Guest notes in for you. Your files stay on disk exactly where they are. See Bring your notes into your account.