simply notes
simply yours

A local-first notes app. Private by default, works fully offline, free and open source.
No account, no tracking, no noise.

Alpha Coming Soon View on GitHub →

Mac, Windows, and Linux. MIT licensed. No sign-up.

The Lychee app showing a 'Tokyo Trip' note: a cherry-blossom checklist, a photograph, and a sidebar of notes.

A note, in Lychee.

In use

Everything you need.
Nothing you don't.

A fast, focused writing surface.
Here's how it feels in motion.

Your Notes, Your Focus

Lychee is designed to help you focus.
No distractions.

The sidebar collapsing to leave a clean, full-bleed writing surface.

Expressive Formatting

Bold, italic, code, links. For notes that read clearer.

Bold, italic, and other formatting being applied with keyboard shortcuts while typing.

Slash on Command

Build notes without leaving the keyboard.

The slash menu listing block types to insert.

Markdown Support

Write Markdown if you'd like. Lychee speaks it.

Markdown shortcuts converting to formatted blocks as the user types.

Ergonomic Search

A search experience that guides you without standing in the way.

The search overlay returning results as the user types a query.

Effortless Navigation

Navigating long notes shouldn't feel like an endless scroll.

Clicking a heading inside a long note to jump to that section.

Natural Grouping

No tags, no forced hierarchy. Your notes, your structure.

A note being dragged in the sidebar to reorder and nest under another note.

Comparison

A desktop notes app,
and proud of it.

Already keeping notes somewhere else?
Here's the honest case for making the switch.

See the full comparison
Lychee Notion Obsidian Apple Notes
Local-first storage data on your machine one file (SQLite) proprietary cloud vault iCloud
Works fully offline pre-opened only
Free forever all core features 5 MB cap full app
Open source community-auditable MIT License freeware
No account required Apple ID
No tracking no analytics, no telemetry opt-in only Apple telemetry
Markdown export move your notes out anytime lossy native .md basic
Native markdown editor shortcuts only export only
Mac · Windows · Linux desktop all three no Linux Mac only
Mobile companion iOS & Android desktop only iOS only
Real-time collaboration iCloud
Built-in AI Business+ via plugins Apple Intelligence

Creator's Note

Apps today feel like they want something from you.

  • Your attention.
  • Your data.
  • Your time.

I built Lychee because I missed how software used to feel: useful, quiet, and yours.

  • No tracking.
  • No hidden agenda.
  • No paywalls.

Just a beautiful place to write, and a promise to keep it that way.

Let's Love Lychee

Taste Lychee.

Made to stay free and yours.
On Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Alpha Coming Soon Browse the source →