Is HelixNotes free and open source?
Yes. HelixNotes is completely free, with no paid tier, no trial, and no account. It is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license, and the full code is on Codeberg for anyone to read or audit.
How does HelixNotes differ from Obsidian?
HelixNotes is built on Rust and Tauri, so it is fast and lightweight, free, and open source. Features like Mermaid diagrams and math are supported natively, rather than through plugins you have to find and configure. The aim is effective note-taking that works well out of the box, without compromising on simplicity.
Which platforms does it run on? Is there an iOS app?
HelixNotes runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, and Android today. An iOS version is in progress.
Where are my notes stored, and is my data private?
Your notes are plain Markdown (.md)
files in a folder you choose, on your own device. No
cloud, no account, no telemetry. You can open, edit,
back up, or move them with any other tool. Nothing
leaves your machine unless you turn on an optional
feature like sync or AI.
How do I sync between devices?
Two options. HelixNotes includes optional WebDAV sync to your own server (Nextcloud, ownCloud, a NAS, or any WebDAV endpoint): set it up in Settings > Sync, manual or automatic, with keep-both conflict copies. There is still no HelixNotes cloud and no account.
If you prefer, your notes are just files in a folder, so Syncthing, Dropbox, rsync, or Git work too. HelixNotes watches the filesystem for external changes and picks them up automatically, so when another device edits a file the editor updates itself.
Can I import my existing notes?
Yes. HelixNotes reads standard Markdown, so an
existing folder of .md files works
as-is. There is also a built-in Obsidian import that
converts wiki links and image embeds.
I'm not a fan of AI features. Can I disable them?
AI features are disabled by default. You can toggle them on or off with a single click in Settings, so if you never want them, you never see them.
In what capacity has AI been used in the creation of HelixNotes?
AI is used carefully and deliberately. Its output is reviewed at every step and can be corrected at any moment. This keeps development efficient and frees the team to focus on the decisions that matter: architecture, features, and the overall direction of HelixNotes.
My virus scanner flags HelixNotes as possibly malicious. Why should I trust it?
False positives on app bundles are common, and reputable scanners sometimes flag well-known tools like 7-Zip the same way. HelixNotes is open source, so the code can be audited by anyone, and you can build it yourself from source if you prefer.
Do you have plans to add views like a Kanban board?
It is a view we would love to add, though not right away. In the meantime, the Tasks view already offers list and calendar layouts.
Is this the same project as Helix, the text editor?
No. HelixNotes is a completely separate project, with no affiliation to Helix the text editor.
Still have a question?
Ask in the community, or read the full documentation.