Notes & knowledge
Set
A private, open source alternative to Notion and Obsidian with device-to-device sync and no account required
A simple offline notes app with a block editor, Markdown files, device-to-device sync, and no account or subscription required.
Overview
The Set homepage
Set is a free, open source notes application designed as a private alternative to Notion and Obsidian. It features a block editor with a slash menu and Markdown shortcuts, allowing you to write notes that are saved as Markdown files directly on your devices. The app syncs between macOS, Windows, and Linux without requiring any cloud service or user account. Set includes device-to-device sync capability, offline dictation in 15 languages, customizable themes and colors, and the ability to organize notes into separate workspaces called Contexts. The application includes a quick switcher for searching, support for to-dos, tables, toggles, linked pages, images, dates, equations, and code blocks. Set is fully open source and currently in beta, with phone apps coming soon.
Capabilities
- Block editor with slash menu and Markdown shortcuts
- Device-to-device sync without cloud or account
- On-device dictation in 15 languages
- Quick switcher for search and actions
- Customizable themes and colors
- Contexts for separate workspaces
- Support for linked pages, images, dates, and equations
- Local MCP server for AI assistant integration
- Markdown files on your device
- To-dos, tables, toggles and subpages
Pricing
Pricing model: Open source
Free. No paid plan. Optional support via Ko-fi.
Follow Set to get an email when they post a milestone, ship a new product or add a demo video.
Set fact sheet
| Community votes | 0 |
|---|---|
| Stage | MVP |
| Website | writewithset.com |
Set metrics
Vendor metrics for writewithset.com: Ahrefs Domain Rating and Majestic link data, with the delta since the last review.
- Domain Rating
- 1
- no change since last check
- Trust Flow
- 3
- no change since last check
- Citation Flow
- 19
- no change since last check
- Referring domains
- 46
- no change since last check
- External backlinks
- 205
- no change since last check
Vendor Domain Rating (Ahrefs) checked 6 Nov 2026, spec changed 1 Nov 2026. Vendor topic: Computers/Programming/Languages (3). Vendor Majestic data checked 1 Nov 2026, spec changed 1 Nov 2026. Link metrics supplied by Majestic. Trust Flow, Citation Flow and Topical Trust Flow are trademarks of Majestic-12 Ltd.
Set vendor domain
Open the vendor record
We read this from the registry's RDAP record on 6 Nov 2026, 13:06 UTC.
- Domain age
- 2 months
- Registered
- Expires
- Registrar
- NameCheap, Inc.
- DNSSEC
- Not signed
Set post-launch report
| Measure | At launch, then latest |
|---|---|
| Domain Rating (Ahrefs) | 1 to 1 no change since launch 1 Nov 2026, then 5 Nov 2026 |
| Trust Flow (Majestic) | 3 first measured 1 Nov 2026 |
| Referring domains (Majestic) | 46 first measured 1 Nov 2026 |
Day 4 since launch. Next receipt: day 30, 1 Dec 2026. Many things move these figures, so a change is not proof of cause. Only stored readings are shown.
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Compare and explore
See the alternatives to Set, Set vs Heptabase, Set vs Notebooker, Digital Notes vs Set, ReticulOS vs Set, Typehall vs Set, Set vs dol, more in Notes & knowledge.
Buyer questions
How is Set different from Notion or Obsidian?
Set has blocks like Notion and saves Markdown like Obsidian, but syncs for free without requiring a cloud service or account.
Is Set really free?
Yes, Set has no paid plan. You can optionally support the project through Ko-fi if you'd like to contribute.
How does sync work without a cloud?
You pair two devices with a code and they sync directly. If two edits clash, both versions are kept.
What happens to my notes if Set goes away?
Your notes remain as Markdown files on your devices, and the source code is public and open source.
Is there a phone app?
Not yet, but phone apps are coming soon.
Leave a review for Set
No customer reviews of Set yet. Write the first. Customer reviews are free and nobody can buy them.
Set has a free listing. The owner can unlock the full profile with a paid launch for $5:
- Founder story (locked)
- Milestones (locked)
- Demo video (locked)
- Dofollow website link (locked)
Compare with
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|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  HeptabaseMaster anything you learn. Do your best research with AI. |
64 +1 (up) since last check | 0 votes. Log in to vote for Heptabase as a buyer |
| 2 |  NotebookerA notebook that works for you |
1 no change since last check | 0 votes. Log in to vote for Notebooker as a buyer |
| 3 |  dolMarkdown notes that sync themselves |
18 −1 (down) since last check | 0 votes. Log in to vote for dol as a buyer |
| 4 |  ReticulOSYour computer, with context. Save from any app with one shortcut, find it by describing it, and ask AI about your notes. |
0 no change since last check | 0 votes. Log in to vote for ReticulOS as a buyer |