Comparison

Folio vs Noteline

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Folio

Features
Read full description

Folio is a local-first library for Markdown and plain text on Mac. Bring notes and docs into one place, organize them with folders and tags, explore connections with Link Map, and write with private on-device assistanceβ€”without juggling loose files in the Finder. Library & organization β€’ Import Markdown and text via the file picker, drag-and-drop, or Import from Git Link for public GitHub repositories and individual files. β€’ Needs Organizing gives new imports a clear inbox before you file them. β€’ Folders and nested structures help you group work the way you think. β€’ Tags cut across folders so you can filter by topic or project. β€’ Pinned favorites and Recently Opened put what you need one click away. Explore connections β€’ Link Map visualizes connections between your notes. β€’ Follow links to explore related ideas and navigate your library from a new perspective. Reading & writing β€’ Use Editor, Preview, or Split View to draft and see rendered Markdown side by side. β€’ Use Writing Assistant to refine drafts, improve wording, and turn rough ideas into clearer notes with private on-device help. β€’ Find text within the current document. β€’ Sort notes by title, date added, last opened, and more. β€’ Search across your library from the sidebar. Share & export β€’ Share notes as Markdown or plain text. β€’ Export documents to a folder you choose in Finder. Whether you’re collecting research, drafting READMEs, or building a personal knowledge base, Folio keeps your Markdown connected, organized, searchable, and easy to revisit.

About

Noteline

Features
Read full description

Noteline is a fast, minimal note app for people who write in Markdown. Type a # and it becomes a heading. Type **bold** and it turns bold β€” right where you typed it. Noteline gives you live preview: your formatting renders inline as you write, so there's no split-screen and no clutter. Just clean text that quietly becomes a clean document. Your notes are plain .md files stored on your device. No account, no sign-in, no servers of ours β€” and if you want them on your other devices, you can keep the folder in your own iCloud Drive. Open them, back them up, move them, or edit them in any other Markdown app. Noteline works fully offline and stays out of your way. Every note is plain Markdown β€” the same format AI tools read and write β€” so your notes stay usable by whatever you reach for next. It's the calm, focused place to think, take notes, and write. Features: β€’ Live preview Markdown β€” headings, bold, italics, lists, and checkboxes render inline as you type β€’ Local-first β€” your notes are plain .md files on your device β€’ Works fully offline β€” no connection required, ever β€’ No account, no sign-in β€” nothing to set up β€’ Open format β€” your files stay portable and yours β€’ The format AI speaks β€” plain Markdown that AI tools read and write directly β€’ Minimal, distraction-free interface β€’ Checklists and task lists for quick to-dos β€’ Fast and lightweight No ads. No tracking. No telemetry. Just notes.

Screenshots

Folio4 screens
Noteline4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Noteline at none against Folio's 1. Noteline also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Folio sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Noteline asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Folio versus Noteline: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFolioNoteline
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod β€” better
Requires iOS17.014.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size44 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDinh Bao Thang DuongFoo AI Corp.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Folio

One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$9.99
None

Noteline

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Folio free?
Folio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Noteline free?
Noteline is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Folio or Noteline have ads?
Neither Folio nor Noteline shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Folio or Noteline?
Folio ships an update every 3 weeks, and Noteline every 3 weeks. Most recently, Folio was updated on September 30, 2026 and Noteline on October 10, 2026.

Other comparisons