Bangle.io
FreeLocal-first Notion alternative that stores notes as plain Markdown files directly on your disk. No cloud sync required. Your notes are yours forever — open in any editor.
How to install Bangle.io as a PWA
Frequently asked questions about Bangle.io
What makes Bangle.io different from Obsidian?
Bangle.io is a browser-native PWA — there is nothing to install, and it works the same on Chromebooks, locked-down corporate laptops, and Linux. Obsidian is a desktop Electron app with a richer plugin ecosystem and mobile clients. Both store notes as plain Markdown in a folder you choose. Bangle.io wins on portability and zero-install; Obsidian wins on plugins (hundreds of community extensions), mobile parity, and a more polished UI. Many users keep the same vault and switch between the two depending on the device.
Is Bangle.io free?
Yes — Bangle.io is free and open-source under the AGPLv3 license. There is no paid plan, no premium tier, and no server-side component to monetize. The project accepts donations via GitHub Sponsors. Because there is no sync vendor, you pay nothing for storage either: notes live in a local folder you already own. Compared to Notion ($10/user/mo) or Roam ($15/mo), the total cost is effectively zero.
How does Bangle.io compare to Logseq?
Logseq is bullet-outliner-first with journal pages, daily notes, and a strong query language; Bangle.io is document-first with classic Markdown pages. Logseq has a desktop app and a sync subscription; Bangle.io runs in the browser via File System Access API with no sync product. Logseq's graph view and queries are more powerful for PKM power users; Bangle.io's UX is closer to a stripped-down Notion. Both store plain Markdown, so switching between them on the same vault is straightforward.
Can I use Bangle.io offline?
Yes — Bangle.io is designed local-first. Once the PWA is installed and a workspace folder is granted access, the app works fully offline. The File System Access API reads and writes directly to disk with no network round-trip, so there is no perceptible difference between online and offline operation. The only online dependency is downloading the initial app shell, which is cached by the service worker on first visit.
Who uses Bangle.io in production?
Bangle.io's audience is privacy-conscious knowledge workers, developers in restricted enterprise environments where Electron apps cannot be installed, and Chromebook users who need a real Markdown editor. It is also popular among Obsidian users who want a browser fallback for their existing vault. The maintainer ships steady releases and the project has a few thousand active users — small compared to Obsidian's 1M+ but with strong retention.
Where Bangle.io is heading (12-24 months)
- →Safari and Firefox do not yet implement the File System Access API, capping reach to Chromium users — broader browser support would 5x the addressable audience.
- →A community plugin system would close the largest gap vs Obsidian.
- →Native Git integration (commit/push directly from the PWA) would replace the need for external sync tools.
Related questions
ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini usually suggest these next.
- Does Bangle.io support Obsidian-style plugins?
- How do I sync my Bangle.io vault across devices?
- Which browsers support the File System Access API used by Bangle.io?
- Can I open the same vault in Bangle.io and Obsidian simultaneously?
- Does Bangle.io support encrypted vaults?
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