A local-first note-taking app with 100% data sovereignty
NoteBrain Desktop stores your notes as plain files on your own machine. No telemetry. No vendor lock-in. GDPR-friendly by design. Optional cloud sync is opt-in.
Two flavours, one promise: your data, your control. The free Desktop app writes plain files to a folder you pick. The free Web app stays inside your browser (IndexedDB) - nothing leaves the device unless you opt into the Cloud plan (from 4€/mo, hosted on Google Cloud).
What "local-first" actually means here
- On desktop, your notes live on your disk. One file per note. Open them with any text editor, back them up however you like, sync them with iCloud / Dropbox / Syncthing if you want. (The free web app keeps notes in your browser’s IndexedDB.)
- Works fully offline. The app boots, edits, searches, runs AI (via Ollama) and indexes for RAG without any network connection.
- No telemetry. The app doesn’t phone home with your usage. Errors only get reported with explicit opt-in.
- No account required. The free desktop and web apps don’t ask for one.
- Desktop builds distributed on GitHub: signed binaries, public release notes, transparent update channel.
GDPR & data sovereignty
- Operated by StarObject S.A., a Luxembourg company.
- Optional managed cloud (sync + AI) runs on Google Cloud.
- Payments handled by Stripe / Polar.sh: we don’t store cards.
- Right to access / delete your data - export the entire workspace as a single ZIP anytime, no support ticket needed.
- Encryption at rest, TLS in transit, JWT-based auth with short-lived access tokens.
Full details on the Privacy Policy and company information pages.
Who this is for
- People who don’t want their notes living in a US cloud database they can’t see.
- European companies and freelancers with GDPR obligations.
- Researchers, lawyers, journalists, doctors - anyone handling sensitive material.
- Anyone tired of subscription creep on tools they use daily.
Privacy comparison
| Property | NoteBrain Desktop (free) | NoteBrain Web (free) | Typical cloud note app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notes on your disk | Yes - plain files | In-browser (IndexedDB) | No (server-side) |
| Works offline | Yes (fully) | Yes (after first load) | Limited |
| Account required | No | No | Yes |
| Telemetry by default | No | No | Often yes |
| Optional managed cloud | Opt-in (Cloud plan) | Opt-in (Cloud plan) | Always on |
| Export everything as a ZIP | Yes | Yes | Varies |
FAQ
Is NoteBrain GDPR compliant?
The app is local-first, so for personal use no personal data leaves your device. If you opt into the Cloud plan, data is processed on Google Cloud by an EU data controller (StarObject S.A., Luxembourg). See the Privacy Policy.
Where exactly are my files?
On desktop, in the folder you pick (default: ~/NoteBrain). Each note is one file. Attachments go in a sibling assets/ folder.
Can I self-host the sync?
Sync to a folder you control (iCloud, Dropbox, Syncthing, a NAS over SMB) and you’re self-hosted. A first-party self-hosted sync server is on the roadmap.
What happens if NoteBrain disappears tomorrow?
On desktop, your notes are markdown files on your disk - readable forever, with or without us. On the web app, export everything to a ZIP of markdown files anytime - same outcome, just one click away.