Envy

Envy is a macOS note-taking app built around a single idea: your notes should be plain Markdown files in a folder you control. There's no proprietary database, no cloud sync requirement, and no account to create. You point it at a directory, and it reads and writes standard UTF-8 Markdown. If you stop using Envy tomorrow, your notes stay right where they are, readable by any text editor.

The problem it addresses is the slow accumulation of lock-in that comes with most note apps. Over years of use, you end up with thousands of notes trapped in a format that only one application can read. When that company folds, changes direction, or raises prices, you're stuck exporting and migrating. Envy sidesteps this entirely by never creating a proprietary format in the first place. The app is just an interface to Markdown files.

Search is handled through a single input box that doubles as a filter. You can search content, filter by tags, find notes with due dates, or locate tasks. Wiki-style linking connects notes together, and the app automatically updates links when you rename files. Tasks use standard checkbox syntax with date assignment through natural patterns like @monday or @2026-04-16. Subtasks nest via Tab, and completed tasks retire their dates automatically.

The interface is minimal. There's a global keyboard shortcut to summon the app from anywhere, optional menu bar pinning, and auto-hide when you click away. Fleeting notes let you capture quick thoughts into an inbox before filing them properly. The whole thing is 3.1 MB and requires macOS 14 or later. Nothing phones home, no analytics, no telemetry.

It's aimed at knowledge workers and anyone who has been burned by note app lock-in before. If you've ever exported thousands of notes from one app just to import them into another, only to worry about the next migration, Envy offers a simpler proposition: your notes are text files, full stop. Use them however you want.

Envy is free. There's no subscription, no paid tier, and no IAP. The developer is explicit about the philosophy: formats rot, companies fold, fashions turn, but plain text persists. The source code is available on GitHub for anyone who wants to verify that claim or contribute.