Reflect Notes is a solid AI-powered note-taking app that nails the balance between simplicity and power. The end-to-end encryption appeals to privacy-focused users, and the networked note approach helps build a personal knowledge base.
But maybe Reflect isn't quite right for you. The pricing sits at around $10 monthly, which adds up if you're a student or freelancer. Or maybe the minimalist design feels too sparse for your needs. Perhaps you want more AI features, better offline support, or a different approach to organizing knowledge.
We picked these Reflect alternatives with two main criteria in mind: security and AI capabilities. If you're exploring alternatives, you probably value at least one of these attributes. Some of these apps go deeper on encryption, others push AI features further, and a few take completely different approaches to note-taking that might click better with how your brain works.
Here are five strong alternatives to Reflect Notes, each bringing something different to the table.
Why People Leave Reflect Notes
Reflect does a lot right, but after testing it for several months alongside competitors, a few limitations stand out.
The pricing is straightforward but not cheap. At $10 per month (billed annually) or higher for monthly billing, Reflect costs more than several competitors offering similar or better feature sets. For casual note-takers, this feels steep compared to free alternatives.
End-to-end encryption is excellent for privacy, but it creates friction. You can't search your notes from the web version easily, sharing is more complicated than in non-encrypted apps, and collaboration features are limited by design. If you need to share notes frequently, the encryption becomes a trade-off rather than pure benefit.
The AI features are basic compared to newer competitors. Reflect has AI-powered search and some smart suggestions, but apps like Tana and Kortex offer more sophisticated AI integration. If you want AI to do more than basic search and summarization, Reflect feels limited.
Mobile apps work but aren't exceptional. The iOS and Android versions handle core note-taking fine, but the experience feels desktop-first. If you do significant work on mobile, other apps prioritize that experience better.
The networked note system is powerful but requires commitment. Reflect uses backlinks and daily notes similar to Roam Research. This approach works brilliantly once you build the habit, but some people prefer more traditional folder structures or object-based organization.
Integrations are limited. Reflect connects with Readwise and Kindle, which is great for readers. But if you need extensive third-party integrations or API access, competitors offer more flexibility.
If any of these pain points resonate, the alternatives below address different aspects while maintaining quality note-taking experiences.
What Makes a Good Reflect Notes Alternative?
When evaluating note-taking apps to replace Reflect, certain qualities matter more than others.
Security and privacy options. Not every alternative needs end-to-end encryption, but there should be clear data protection policies and optional security features. The best alternatives give you control over where your data lives and who can access it.
AI capabilities that go beyond search. Reflect offers AI search, which is useful but basic. Look for apps that let you interact with AI to generate content, reorganize notes automatically, transcribe voice input, or surface connections you didn't notice.
Flexible organization systems. Reflect locks you into networked notes with backlinks. Good alternatives either offer that same system or provide different organizational paradigms like folders, databases, or object-based structures that might suit your thinking better.
Reliable offline access. Reflect works offline on desktop but has limitations on mobile. The best alternatives sync seamlessly and let you work without connectivity across all devices.
Reasonable pricing relative to features. At $10 monthly, Reflect isn't outrageously expensive, but several competitors offer more features for less or comparable functionality for free. Your alternative should justify its cost.
Mobile experience that doesn't feel compromised. If you capture ideas on your phone regularly, the mobile app needs to be as capable as the desktop version, not a stripped-down afterthought.
The best Reflect alternative for you depends on which of these factors matters most. Prioritize security? Anytype or Notesnook. Want maximum AI features? Tana or Kortex. Need task management integration? Lunatask.
Tana
Best for Advanced AI & PKM
While Tana doesn't match Reflect's security focus, it absolutely demolishes Reflect on AI capabilities. If you're leaving Reflect because you want more AI power, Tana is where you land.
Tana is a PKM tool that treats everything as objects with properties rather than just text documents. This structure lets AI do more sophisticated work. You can ask Tana's AI to organize your notes, extract tasks, create summaries, or find patterns across your knowledge base in ways that feel genuinely intelligent.
The AI voice notes feature is stupidly good. Speak into your phone, and Tana transcribes it, tags it appropriately, and routes it to the right location in your knowledge system automatically. For capturing thoughts while walking or driving, this beats typing into Reflect's mobile app.
Tana can record and transcribe meetings in the background. The transcriptions become searchable notes that link to relevant topics in your system. This integration between meeting notes and your broader knowledge base creates connections that Reflect's simpler system misses.
The PKM abilities are more extensive than Reflect's networked notes. You get backlinks like Reflect, but also database views, custom fields, and query-based filters. Building a second brain in Tana feels more structured and powerful than Reflect's free-form approach.
There's no explicit focus on security like Reflect's E2E encryption. Tana's approach is standard cloud storage with reasonable security practices. If encryption is why you chose Reflect originally, Tana won't satisfy that requirement. But if you chose Reflect for the networked notes and AI features, Tana delivers those better.
Pricing is currently free during beta, which is a massive advantage over Reflect's $10 monthly. When Tana launches paid tiers, expect pricing similar to or higher than Reflect given the feature depth. Take advantage of the free access while it lasts.
The learning curve is steeper than Reflect. Reflect's simplicity is one of its strengths. Tana's object-based system requires understanding how to structure information differently. Plan to spend a few hours learning the system before it clicks.
Best for people who want AI to do more than basic search and are willing to learn a more complex system. If Reflect feels too simple and you want your note-taking app to actively help organize and surface information, Tana is the upgrade.
Kortex
Best for AI Model Flexibility
Kortex is another AI-heavy alternative that lets you choose which language model powers your notes. This flexibility is something Reflect doesn't offer.
The standout feature is LLM customization. Switch between GPT-4, Claude, Google's models, or Facebook's Llama depending on what you need. Different models excel at different tasks. Claude is better for long-form writing, GPT-4 handles code well, Llama runs locally for privacy. Having this choice means you're not locked into one company's AI approach.
Kortex positions itself in the second-brain market similar to Reflect. You build networked notes with backlinks, but the AI integration goes deeper. Ask questions about your notes, generate summaries of entire topic clusters, or have the AI suggest connections you missed.
The application resembles Reflect's clean design in many ways. If you like Reflect's aesthetic but want more AI control, Kortex delivers that combination. The interface won't require relearning your workflow significantly.
Pricing sits around $8-10 monthly depending on the plan, roughly comparable to Reflect. You're paying similar money but getting more AI flexibility and model choice. Whether that's valuable depends on how much you care about which LLM powers your features.
The security approach is standard cloud encryption, not end-to-end like Reflect. If E2E encryption was critical for you, Kortex won't match that. But the local LLM option (running Llama on your device) provides privacy for AI interactions even if the notes themselves aren't E2E encrypted.
Kortex is newer than Reflect and still evolving quickly. Features get added frequently, which is exciting but also means occasional instability. Reflect feels more polished and stable by comparison.
Mobile apps exist but aren't the focus yet. Like Reflect, Kortex works better on desktop. If mobile note-taking is your primary use case, neither Kortex nor Reflect excels there.
Best for people who want AI-powered note-taking with control over which language models do the work. If you're frustrated by Reflect's limited AI features and want to experiment with different models, Kortex provides that flexibility while maintaining a familiar networked note structure.
Lunatask
Best for Encrypted Productivity System
If you picked Reflect primarily for its encryption and security, Lunatask is worth examining. This one goes all-in on encrypted everything.
Lunatask encrypts your tasks, notes, journal, and habits all in one application. It's like if Reflect expanded to handle your entire productivity system while maintaining end-to-end encryption throughout. Everything is encrypted locally before syncing, similar to Reflect's approach.
The feature set extends beyond pure note-taking into full LifeOS territory. You get task management with GTD-style organization, habit tracking with streaks and analytics, daily journaling prompts, and note-taking all encrypted and integrated.
For users who want secure notes plus secure task management, Lunatask consolidates tools. Instead of Reflect for notes and a separate encrypted task manager, everything lives in one encrypted system. This integration creates fewer security vulnerabilities than spreading sensitive data across multiple apps.
The task management is more sophisticated than what Reflect offers. Projects, contexts, energy levels, time estimates - all the GTD features you'd want if you're serious about task organization. Reflect doesn't pretend to be a task manager, so if that's a gap you currently fill with another app, Lunatask might replace both.
Pricing is around $8 monthly or $60 annually, slightly cheaper than Reflect while offering more features. For the encryption alone, prices are comparable. Getting task management and habit tracking bundled makes Lunatask better value if you use those features.
The interface is denser than Reflect's minimalism. Lunatask shows more information on screen at once: tasks, notes, habits, journal entries. Some people prefer this information density, others find it cluttered compared to Reflect's spaciousness.
Mobile apps work well for encrypted apps. Not as polished as dedicated task managers like Things or Todoist, but functional for capturing tasks and reviewing your system on the go.
Backlinks and networked notes aren't Lunatask's focus. If that's what you loved about Reflect, Lunatask won't replicate it. The note-taking is more traditional: folders and tags rather than networked knowledge graphs.
Best for people who want end-to-end encryption across their entire productivity system, not just notes. If you chose Reflect for security and wish it also handled tasks and habits securely, Lunatask is the natural extension of that philosophy.
Anytype
Best for Maximum Privacy Control
If you're serious about privacy and want even more control than Reflect offers, Anytype is the hardcore option. This is for people who want local-first, open-source note-taking with strong privacy principles.
Anytype is privacy-focused by design. Data stores locally first, then optionally syncs peer-to-peer using end-to-end encryption. Unlike Reflect, which stores encrypted data on their servers, Anytype gives you complete ownership. Your notes live on your devices, backed up to infrastructure you control.
The open-source nature means you can audit exactly how encryption works and where data goes. Reflect is closed-source, requiring trust in the company's claims. Anytype lets you verify the security yourself or rely on the open-source community's scrutiny.
The object-based note-taking system is similar to Capacities and other modern PKM tools. Instead of documents, you create objects with properties and relationships. This structure is more flexible than Reflect's pages but requires learning a different mental model.
Setup requires more technical knowledge than Reflect. You need to understand local-first sync, backup strategies, and potentially self-hosting if you want complete control. Reflect's simplicity is a strength here: create account, start writing. Anytype demands more upfront investment.
AI features are minimal compared to Reflect, Tana, or Kortex. Anytype prioritizes privacy and local control over cloud-based AI integration. If you want AI-powered features, you're choosing between strong privacy (Anytype) or advanced AI (other alternatives).
Pricing is free currently, with plans to introduce paid tiers for advanced features eventually. Even future paid versions will likely cost less than Reflect while offering more privacy control.
Mobile apps work but feel less polished than desktop. Like most local-first tools, the mobile experience introduces sync complexity that cloud-native apps like Reflect avoid.
The community is smaller than Reflect's, which means fewer templates, plugins, and resources for learning. You're somewhat on your own figuring out workflows and best practices.
Best for people with strong privacy principles who want maximum control over their data. If Reflect's encryption is good but you want to go further with local-first, open-source architecture, Anytype delivers that at the cost of more complexity and setup work.
Notesnook
Best for Traditional Encrypted Notes
Our final recommendation is Notesnook, which matches Reflect's end-to-end encryption while taking a more traditional note-taking approach.
Notesnook is built specifically as a privacy-first note-taking app. End-to-end encryption covers everything: notes, attachments, notebooks, tags. The security setup is probably more thorough than Reflect's implementation. They publish detailed documentation about their encryption approach and undergo regular security audits.
The editor is excellent. Rich text formatting, markdown support, code blocks, checklists - all the standard features you'd want. Reflect's editor is solid, but Notesnook's feels more feature-complete for different types of content.
Organization uses traditional notebooks and tags rather than networked notes. If Reflect's backlink system never clicked for you, Notesnook's familiar structure might work better. Some people think better in hierarchical folders than graph relationships.
Notesnook lacks Reflect's signature integrations. No Readwise sync, no Kindle highlights import. If those integrations are why you use Reflect, losing them is a significant downgrade. But if you rarely use those features, they won't be missed.
Pricing is competitive at around $5 monthly or $50 annually. Cheaper than Reflect while offering comparable encryption and a more feature-rich editor. For pure note-taking with strong security, Notesnook delivers better value.
The mobile apps are actually quite good. Notesnook invested heavily in mobile experience, and it shows. Capture notes on your phone feels smoother than Reflect's mobile apps. If mobile is a pain point with Reflect, Notesnook improves that significantly.
Attachment handling is better than Reflect. Upload PDFs, images, audio recordings, and other files with the same encryption protecting your text notes. Reflect handles attachments but Notesnook makes it more seamless.
The interface isn't as minimal as Reflect's. Notesnook shows more UI elements and options, which provides more functionality at the cost of visual simplicity. Whether this is better depends on your preference for minimalism versus feature accessibility.
Sync is reliable and fast. One complaint some users have about Reflect is occasional sync delays. Notesnook's sync feels quicker and more consistent, probably because they don't have to deal with the complexity of networked backlinks.
No AI features currently. Notesnook focuses on core note-taking and privacy. If you want AI assistance, other alternatives serve that better. But if you're skeptical of AI in note-taking apps or prefer pure privacy, the absence of AI features is a plus.
Best for people who want Reflect's encryption quality with a more traditional, feature-rich note-taking experience. If you like the security of Reflect but find the networked notes and minimal feature set limiting, Notesnook provides better tooling while maintaining strong privacy.
Other Recommendations
Beyond these five alternatives, a few other apps deserve mention depending on your specific needs.
Lex is worth exploring if you're a writer who wants AI assistance. It's not really a note-taking app like Reflect, but more of an AI-powered word processor. The AI integration is deeper than any note-taking app, helping with drafting, editing, and restructuring writing in real-time.
Obsidian competes with Reflect on networked notes but takes a completely different technical approach. Notes are stored as markdown files on your device, giving you ultimate control. The plugin ecosystem is massive, letting you customize functionality far beyond what Reflect offers. But it requires more technical setup and doesn't include AI features natively.
Notion could replace Reflect if you want more structure and database capabilities. The flexibility is unmatched, but privacy is weaker: no end-to-end encryption. Trade flexibility for security depending on your priorities.
Roam Research pioneered the networked note concept that Reflect uses. It's more expensive and arguably less polished than Reflect, but the community and ecosystem are stronger if you want templates and workflows to copy.
How to Switch from Reflect Notes
Moving your notes out of Reflect takes some planning, but the process is manageable.
Export your data first. Reflect lets you export notes as markdown files. Do this before canceling your subscription so you have complete backups. The export preserves your content but loses some metadata like backlinks and daily note connections.
Backlinks won't transfer automatically to non-networked apps. If you're moving to Notesnook or Lunatask, those backlinks become regular text. Review your most important linked notes and manually recreate essential connections in your new system.
If moving to another networked note app like Tana or Obsidian, backlinks can often be preserved with some cleanup. The syntax differs between apps, so expect to do find-and-replace operations to convert Reflect's backlink format to your new app's format.
Daily notes are a core Reflect feature that not all alternatives support. Tana and Obsidian have daily note functionality. Notesnook and Lunatask don't emphasize this workflow. If daily notes are central to how you think, prioritize alternatives that support this pattern.
Test your new system before fully committing. Keep Reflect active for a month while building habits in the alternative. You might discover the new app doesn't work as well for your actual usage patterns, and having Reflect as backup prevents lost productivity.
Readwise and Kindle integrations are Reflect-specific. If these matter, check whether your alternative supports similar workflows. Readwise works with many apps but not all. Losing highlight sync could be a dealbreaker if reading notes are central to your system.
Plan for re-organization work. Moving to a new app is a good time to clean up old notes, archive outdated content, and restructure your system. Don't just dump everything into the new app: use migration as an opportunity to improve your organization.
Start with a limited import. Move one project or topic area first rather than your entire note collection. Learn the new app's features and quirks with a manageable amount of content before committing everything.
Reflect Notes Alternatives FAQ
Which alternative has the strongest encryption?
Anytype takes privacy furthest with local-first, open-source architecture. Notesnook runs a close second with thoroughly documented E2E encryption and regular security audits. Lunatask also offers E2E encryption across all features. All three match or exceed Reflect's security approach.
What's the best free alternative to Reflect?
Tana is currently free during beta and offers more features than Reflect, though pricing will come eventually. Anytype is also free with strong privacy. For long-term free options, Obsidian gives you networked notes without subscriptions, though you handle sync yourself.
Which alternative is best for AI features?
Tana wins here. The AI voice notes, automatic organization, and meeting transcription go way beyond Reflect's capabilities. Kortex is second if you want control over which AI models power your features. Both offer substantially more AI integration than Reflect.
Can I import my Reflect notes to these alternatives?
Yes, with varying ease. Reflect exports to markdown, which most alternatives can import. The import preserves text content but you'll lose some Reflect-specific features like backlink connections. Apps with networked notes (Tana, Obsidian) can recreate those connections with some manual work. Traditional note apps (Notesnook, Lunatask) import the content but not the graph structure.
Which alternative works best on mobile?
Notesnook has the strongest mobile apps among these alternatives. The iOS and Android versions are polished and feature-complete. Lunatask's mobile apps are solid for task management plus notes. Tana, Kortex, and Anytype all work on mobile but feel desktop-first, similar to Reflect.
Do any alternatives integrate with Readwise like Reflect does?
Obsidian has a Readwise plugin that works well. Notion also integrates with Readwise. Among the alternatives listed here, none emphasize Readwise integration as strongly as Reflect does. This is one of Reflect's genuine differentiators that you'll miss if reading notes are central to your workflow.
Which alternative is closest to Reflect's overall experience?
Kortex probably comes closest: networked notes, clean design, AI features, similar pricing. It doesn't match Reflect's encryption but the user experience feels most comparable. If you like Reflect but want better AI, Kortex is the smallest leap.
Choosing Your Reflect Notes Alternative
Reflect Notes does a lot well: clean design, solid encryption, useful integrations. But these alternatives each improve on different aspects.
Pick Tana if AI capabilities matter more than encryption. The voice notes, automatic organization, and PKM depth exceed what Reflect offers. Free during beta makes it risk-free to try.
Choose Kortex if you want Reflect's style with better AI and model flexibility. The ability to switch between language models provides control that Reflect doesn't offer.
Go with Lunatask if you want encryption across your entire productivity system. Getting encrypted tasks, habits, and notes in one app simplifies your security model.
Take Anytype if privacy is paramount and you're willing to deal with more complexity. The local-first, open-source approach gives maximum control over your data.
Use Notesnook if you want Reflect's encryption with a more traditional, feature-rich note-taking experience. Better mobile apps and a richer editor make daily usage smoother.
Test free tiers before paying. Most alternatives offer free access or trials. Spend a week with each to see which approach fits how you actually think and work. Reflect's networked notes work brilliantly for some people and feel awkward for others. Same applies to these alternatives. Your brain's organizational preferences should guide the choice more than feature lists.