HillNote vs Binder

Hillnote is where you think. A local-first, markdown-native workspace that captures your work in AI-native formats - notes, plans, drafts, ideas, decisions. Built on plain markdown, stored on your device, paired with your desktop, and ready for the AI tools you already use. Built for builders, makers, writers, and small teams who think on the move and want their workspace to come with them. Write as you think, the way you think. A clean markdown editor designed for capture, not arrangement. A floating toolbar above the keyboard handles formatting; standard markdown shortcuts work out of the box. Quicknotes for everything in between. Tap + to capture an idea the moment it lands. Save and it's in your workspace; keep typing if you want to expand it. No friction between a thought and a file. Your thinking stays on your device. Every file lives locally as plain markdown. No rented database, no required account, no lock-in. Your work is yours from day one, and yours if you cancel. Free sync across iPhone, iPad, and desktop. The first 100MB syncs free -more than enough for years of notes. Capture on your phone, expand on your desktop, review anywhere. Talk to your knowledge base. Built-in chat reads your own files, edits them, creates new ones, and pulls context from your workspace. Upload images and have them read aloud. Auto mode picks the right model; switch manually when you want to. Supercharge your writing with Apple Intelligence. Native integration with Apple Intelligence writing tools - proofread, rewrite, reformat -via the AI button or text selection. Workspaces with all the context AI models need. Hillnote automatically generates context files (AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, document registries) so any AI tool you connect can navigate your workspace immediately - no setup, no plugins. Pairs with the agents you already work with. Claude, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, Cowork, Claude Code - connect via local or cloud MCP, or point them at the workspace folder directly. Plain markdown means no exports, no conversions. They read and edit the same files you do. Carry your tools, not just your notes. Build small HTML tools - pomodoro timers, day counters, focus checklists, anything else - that travel inside your workspace. Pin them as widgets. Your tools live next to the work they support. A different model. We separate what's a service from what's yours. You subscribe to the workspace and pay for cloud features (expanded sync, frontier AI, publishing, routines, BYO key) only when you need them. Free accounts include limited premium model usage. Your data stays on your device as plain markdown, always canonical, always portable. Start free. Sync free. Stay local. Add cloud when you outgrow it. Download Hillnote and bring your thinking with you.

Binder is your personal journal, diary, and life organiser — now on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Everything syncs seamlessly via iCloud. Capture every kind of moment in one place: notes, to-do lists, voice memos, links, events, recommendations, locations, photos, files, and daily mood entries. No other journal app gives you this much flexibility. YOUR PRIVATE DIARY Write freely in a beautiful, distraction-free editor. Binder is your space - private, personal, and always available. Use it as a daily diary, a gratitude journal, or a place to think out loud. TO-DO LISTS & DAILY PLANNER Create to-do lists with color-coded labels to prioritise at a glance. Set reminders on any entry so nothing slips through the cracks. Plan your day, track your habits, and organise your life — all in one app. FIND ANYTHING INSTANTLY Search across all your entries — notes, voice memo transcriptions, lists, links, and more. On iPhone, pull down to search. On Mac, use the dedicated Search tab with smart type suggestions. Even items inside Collections are searchable. ORGANISE WITH COLLECTIONS Group related entries into Collections — trip plans, project notes, reading lists, recipes, whatever you need. A beautiful card grid view keeps everything visual and easy to browse. CAPTURE MORE THAN TEXT - Voice memos - Photo galleries with cover images - Links that unfurl with rich previews - Locations with map thumbnails - Events with dates and details - Recommendations with star ratings - Daily mood tracking - File attachments ON EVERY DEVICE Your journal lives on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. iCloud sync was rebuilt from the ground up — changes propagate instantly and conflicts resolve gracefully. Browse from the Mac menu bar or save links straight from Safari with the Share Extension. SET REMINDERS, STAY ON TRACK Attach reminders to any entry. Reminder notifications sync across all your devices so you never miss what matters. Binder is free. No subscriptions, no ads, no tracking. Your data stays on your devices and in your private iCloud account — we never see it. Just your life, beautifully organised.