Best for: Mac and iPhone users who want private, local notes with optional AI
Price: Freemium
Free: Free on Mac
Platforms: Mac, iOS
Made by: Reflect App, LLC
App store ratings: iOS 4.7★ (87)

What it is

Reflect is now an open-source app that keeps backlinked notes and daily notes as local Markdown files, synced with iCloud Drive or Git. Its optional AI answers questions with links to your notes, summarises meetings and fixes your writing, but you connect your own AI provider's API key. The original version continues as Reflect Classic.

What the AI does

Ask your notes, with answers linked to sources
Key takeaways and action items from meeting notes
Grammar and writing improvements
Voice note transcription via your provider
Saved custom prompts

Pros and cons

Notes stay as local Markdown files you control
Free on Mac and open source
Private notes can be excluded from AI

AI needs your own API key and separate billing
Apple devices only
Few independent reviews of the relaunched app

How it scores

Note quality6.5

Ease of use7.5

Features6.5

Value for money7.5

Platforms4.5

Elegant and private, but AI is bring-your-own and it only runs on Apple devices.

Feature checklist · 5 of 9

Ask AI questions about your own notes (yes)
AI writing help (draft, rewrite or summarise) (yes)
Records and transcribes audio or meetings (yes)
Handwritten notes with a pen or stylus (no)
AI organises notes or surfaces related notes automatically (no)
Web clipper or quick capture from other apps (yes)
Works offline (no)
Useful free plan (yes)
Apps for iPhone, Android and desktop (no)

How we score apps →

Alternatives

See all Reflect alternatives, ranked →

Microsoft OneNote 8.2/10Students and Microsoft 365 users who want free notes with optional Copilot
Notion 8.1/10People and teams who want notes, docs and projects in one AI-powered workspace
Craft 8.1/10Apple users who want polished, well-structured notes and docs with AI
Goodnotes 8.0/10Students and tablet users who take notes by hand