# Raven - Markdown Notes — Plain text files you control > Fast markdown note-taking app using plain .md files on iPhone and Mac. (iPhone/iPad app by Thomas Sivilay.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raven-markdown-notes/id6761693183 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Thomas Sivilay](https://appshunter.io/developer/936509766) - Category: Productivity - Price: $12.99 - Rating: 5.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 3 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 26.0 · 76 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-04-25 - Data updated: 2026-08-28 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raven-markdown-notes/id6761693183/reviews.md ## What is Raven? Beautiful notes. Never locked in. Raven is a native Markdown notes app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Write, journal, capture articles, and turn checkboxes into reminders—without putting your work in a proprietary note format. WRITE WITH CONTEXT Create notes with tables, images, checklists, code blocks, wiki links, and backlinks. Organize them with folders and tags, pin what matters, and find anything with full-text search. TURN NOTES INTO ACTION A checkbox can become a task with a due date and time. Raven gathers open tasks from across your notes, keeps each one linked to its source, and can send a local reminder when it is due. Complete or snooze it from the notification. JOURNAL WITHOUT ANOTHER SILO Daily and weekly journals live beside the rest of your writing. Save articles to Read Later, or capture a thought from widgets, Shortcuts, and the share sheet. MARKDOWN YOU CAN KEEP Raven works offline without an account. On Mac, choose the folder where your Markdown files live. On iPhone and iPad, Raven stores them locally and lets you share them as Markdown. Sign in with Apple only when you want Raven sync between devices. No proprietary note format. No forced account. One purchase, with no subscription. ## Key features - Plain .md file storage - Under a second launch time - Native iPhone and Mac app - Full-text search - Nested folders and pinned notes - Syncs between Mac and iPhone ## Recent user reviews (3 of 3) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raven-markdown-notes/id6761693183/reviews.md ### 2/5 — Mac and iPhone are different, no support *2026-07-27* On Mac, notes are available as files in a folder of your choosing; on iOS however, your notes are not stored in the Files app in an accessible way. This unfortunately defeated the scenario I imagined, where I could have one matching folder of notes available on my devices. The only way to access the Markdown files on iOS is to export the note and “Save to Files.” Normally this would be a minor issue which I would not use to give a critical review, my first instinct is to contact the developer. However, I found that the developer’s support email bounced back twice. This lack of support availability leaves me with no other way to contact them than this review. ### 5/5 — Really want to like this app… but - *2026-05-22* Update 2: giving all 5 stars following an aggressive update cadence and exceptional dev response. Update: Really impressed by the responsiveness of the dev. They reached out to me almost immediately following my review to outline their intentions as far as the roadmap goes. Very excited to see how it evolves. I’ll likely update this review again following releases! ————- original review————— The promise is convincing and the potential is there, I know it’s new and development is handled by a single person, but current state is not ready for production yet. I was hoping to save my files to a custom location, but it’s only the default iCloud location. Journaling (daily notes) requires sync to be enabled which makes using this as a capture layer impossible, no dark mode, and every time I try to create a journal page it crashes and throws conflict warnings. Additionally the formatting for markdown should function without issue however the syntax is not recognized and callouts cannot be colored as the settings imply. Right now it’s just missing some base level necessities and needs a strong functional testing before I try this again. I will give it a couple of weeks before I seek a refund from Apple to give the dev the chance for subsequent updates. **Developer response:** Hello, thank you so much for this feedback. Working hard on addressing all those, and appreciate your patience. I've push another update that address some of those issues, but will continue in the next couple days to fully address all your concerns. Don't hesitate to email me at raven@matoya.co ### 4/5 — Really want to like this app… but - *2026-05-11* Update: Really impressed by the responsiveness of the dev. They reached out to me almost immediately following my review to outline their intentions as far as the roadmap goes. Very excited to see how it evolves. I’ll likely update this review again following releases! ————- original review————— The promise is convincing and the potential is there, I know it’s new and development is handled by a single person, but current state is not ready for production yet. I was hoping to save my files to a custom location, but it’s only the default iCloud location. Journaling (daily notes) requires sync to be enabled which makes using this as a capture layer impossible, no dark mode, and every time I try to create a journal page it crashes and throws conflict warnings. Additionally the formatting for markdown should function without issue however the syntax is not recognized and callouts cannot be colored as the settings imply. Right now it’s just missing some base level necessities and needs a strong functional testing before I try this again. I will give it a couple of weeks before I seek a refund from Apple to give the dev the chance for subsequent updates. **Developer response:** Hello, thank you so much for this feedback. Working hard on addressing all those, and appreciate your patience. I've push another update that address some of those issues, but will continue in the next couple days to fully address all your concerns. Don't hesitate to email me at raven@matoya.co ## Frequently asked questions about Raven ### What is Raven's pricing? Raven is a paid application, priced at $12.99. This one-time purchase grants you access to all its features without additional costs or subscription fees. ### Does Raven have ads? No, Raven is ad-free. As a paid application, it does not contain any advertisements, ensuring an uninterrupted note-taking experience. ### How often is Raven updated? Raven was last updated on June 22, 2026, with version 1.38.1. The developer, MATOYA CO., focuses on details, suggesting regular improvements and maintenance. ### What devices does Raven support? Raven is built natively for iPhone and iPad, offering a seamless experience across these iOS devices. It also has a native Mac application. ### Is Raven suitable for young children? Raven has an age rating of 4+, making it appropriate for users of all ages. Its straightforward interface and focus on plain text are easily understandable. ### How does Raven sync notes? Raven syncs between Mac and iPhone using optional Sign in with Apple for cloud sync. Your local Markdown files remain yours and are not locked into a proprietary database. ### Can I use my notes with other apps? Yes, since notes are stored as plain .md files, you can easily open them in other applications like Claude, Codex, and Cursor, or manage them directly from your file system. ### What makes Raven's performance special? Raven is built in SwiftUI for native iPhone and Mac performance, launching in under a second. Users can feel the difference in scrolling and input response compared to ported or web-view apps. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.61.15 — 2026-08-26 Raven can now keep your notes in iCloud Drive. - Choose iCloud Drive and your Markdown files live in a folder you can open in Files or Finder, on every device. - Reinstalling picks up the vault that is already in iCloud, and you can bring this device's notes into it. - Settings is simpler: storage in one place, clearer help, and app details where you expect to find them. - Dark mode reads better throughout, and every switch now clearly shows whether it is on. ### 1.54.1 — 2026-08-06 Raven 1.54.1 makes writing feel steadier and more focused. - Formatting controls now stay ready as you move between notes, so you can keep writing without interruption. - Organize folders without being pulled away from the workspace you are already in. - Clearer navigation on Mac makes it easier to move between notes and daily journals. - Polished details across iPhone, iPad, and Mac make long writing sessions feel calmer. ### 1.53.0 — 2026-08-04 Raven 1.53 keeps your notes moving. - Edit quickly with steadier selections, cursor placement, and toolbar formatting—even in complex Markdown. - Keep nested lists, quotes, inline markup, and code blocks intact as you work. - Enjoy smoother widgets and more dependable task and journal updates across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. ### 1.51.1 — 2026-07-31 This update fixes a few rough edges in voice capture and makes section controls easier to use on iPhone. ### 1.51.0 — 2026-07-30 Raven 1.51.0 makes long notes easier to shape, scan, and write in. - Collapse sections you are not working on, then open them again without losing your place. - See Markdown highlighting more clearly as you write and format notes. - Keep the cursor comfortably in view while typing through longer notes. - Enjoy steadier navigation, journals, tasks, and system actions across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. ## More apps by Thomas Sivilay - [Deer Journal: AI Summary](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deer-journal-ai-summary/id1620947497) - [Rest Track: Workout Timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rest-track-workout-timer/id6445870076) - [Planando: Schedule list to do](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planando-schedule-list-to-do/id6475697645) - [Quick Notes to Notion](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quick-notes-to-notion/id6477696157) - [Milli Todo List & Week Planner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/milli-todo-list-and-week-planner/id6738017913) - [Hi Kindle Highlights](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hi-kindle-highlights/id6747167015) All apps by Thomas Sivilay: https://appshunter.io/developer/936509766 ## Related topics [thomas sivilay](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/thomas-sivilay) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*