GitNotēs is a mobile notes, todos, and infinite canvas app that uses your GitHub repositories as durable, versioned storage. It supports Markdown, Neorg, and Org-mode with an AI assistant, offline-first design, and Git-powered sync.

How is GitNotēs different from GitJournal?

GitNotēs includes an infinite canvas, smart todos with due dates and reminders, an AI assistant, and supports Neorg and Org-mode natively. It offers a more polished mobile-first UX with a Pro subscription model at $3.99/month, $29.99/year, or $39.99 lifetime.

Is GitNotēs open source?

Parts of GitNotēs are open source under the Mozilla Public License 2.0. The app is developed by Vidwa De Seram in collaboration with Xaventra (Pvt) Ltd in Sri Lanka.

Does GitNotēs work offline?

Yes, GitNotēs is fully offline-first. Your notes are stored locally on your device and sync with your GitHub repository when online. Changes are committed and pushed automatically.

What AI models does GitNotēs support?

GitNotēs AI supports Apple Foundation Models (on-device), Llama, and OpenAI. You can choose which provider to use for AI-powered note creation, editing, and search.

September 9, 2026·8 min read

GitJournal vs GitNotēs (2026): Which Git-Backed Notes App Wins?

Two apps promise to store your notes in Git. But after years of development, they've taken very different paths. Here's everything you need to know to choose.

What is GitJournal?

GitJournal is an open-source mobile notes app launched in 2019 by Vishesh Handa. It stores notes as Markdown files (with optional YAML frontmatter) inside any Git repository you own. The app syncs via SSH and supports GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, and self-hosted Git servers. GitJournal is free to download with a $3.99/month subscription for additional features.

GitJournal's core philosophy is data portability: your notes are plain text files you control. You can clone your repo and use it with Obsidian, VS Code, or any other tool. This is genuinely compelling if you value owning your data.

What is GitNotēs?

GitNotēs is a newer mobile notes app developed by Vidwa De Seram and Xaventra (Pvt) Ltd. Like GitJournal, it stores notes in your GitHub repositories. But GitNotēs goes further: it includes an AI assistant, an infinite canvas, smart todos with due dates and reminders, and native support for Neorg and Org-mode file formats.

GitNotēs is built mobile-first with a modern design language and a Pro subscription model ($3.99/month, $29.99/year, or $39.99 lifetime). It is actively developed in 2026 with regular updates.

Head-to-Head Comparison

AI Assistant

GitNotēs wins. GitNotēs has a built-in AI assistant powered by Apple Foundation Models (on-device, private), Llama, or OpenAI. You can chat with your notes, generate new content, and search using natural language. GitJournal has no AI features and no roadmap for them.

Infinite Canvas

GitNotēs wins. GitNotēs includes a freeform drawing canvas with pinch-zoom and pan. Sketch diagrams, brainstorm visually, and combine drawings with text. GitJournal is text-only with no canvas or drawing support.

Smart Todos

GitNotēs wins. GitNotēs treats todos as a first-class feature: checkboxes, due dates, reminders, and project-style lists — all synced to your GitHub repo as Markdown task lists. GitJournal supports basic Markdown checkbox syntax but lacks due dates, reminders, or any todo management UI.

Editor Support

GitNotēs wins on variety. GitJournal supports standard Markdown with YAML frontmatter. GitNotēs supports Markdown, Neorg, and Org-mode — making it the better choice for users of Doom Emacs, Neovim with org-mode, or the Neorg note-taking system.

Sync & Conflict Resolution

Tie. Both apps sync notes to your Git repository. GitJournal uses SSH and requires manual configuration. GitNotēs integrates directly with GitHub OAuth for simpler setup. GitJournal offers a three-way merge UI for conflicts; GitNotēs handles conflicts automatically.

Offline Support

Tie. Both apps are fully offline-first. Notes are stored locally and synced when connectivity returns.

Open Source

GitJournal wins. GitJournal is fully open source under AGPL + Apache 2.0. GitNotēs has some components under MPL-2.0 but is not fully open source. If open source purity is your priority, GitJournal takes this round.

Mobile UX

GitNotēs wins.GitNotēs has a modern, polished mobile UI. GitJournal's interface has remained largely unchanged since 2020 and shows its age. GitNotēs also has better dark mode support and smoother animations.

Active Development

GitNotēs wins.GitNotēs is actively developed in 2026 with regular updates. GitJournal's last major release was in 2022, and the project has slowed significantly. For a productivity tool you rely on daily, active development matters.

Pricing

Tie on value.GitJournal charges $3.99/month for Pro. GitNotēs offers three tiers: $3.99/month, $29.99/year (equivalent to $2.50/month), or $39.99 lifetime. GitNotēs' yearly and lifetime options offer better long-term value.

The Verdict

For most people in 2026, GitNotēs is the better choice. It offers more features, better mobile UX, active development, and genuinely useful additions like AI and an infinite canvas that GitJournal simply doesn't have.

GitJournal remains compelling if you need a fully open source solution and don't need AI or visual features. But for a modern, mobile-first note-taking experience that happens to use Git as a backend, GitNotēs is the stronger product.

Ready to switch? See our full comparison with a migration guide.

Considering other options? If you're considering switching, see how GitNotēs compares to other note-taking apps including Notion and Obsidian. Compare GitNotēs →