Butterfly
Butterfly supports handwritten note-taking, drawing, and organizing ideas in an open-source endless workspace.
About Butterfly
Butterfly is an open-source note-taking and drawing app built around an endless workspace rather than a fixed page. Users can place handwritten notes, sketches, diagrams, images, and documents anywhere on the canvas. Input can come from a stylus, touch, or mouse, and text can be typed in plain text or Markdown. Work can be imported from PDFs, SVGs, and image files, and exported as PDF, SVG, images, or portable Butterfly files. The homepage states that it is available on phones, tablets, desktops, and the web.
Files can be stored locally, and the app can work offline. Users can choose a different data directory or connect WebDAV or Nextcloud for their own sync setup. Collaboration is listed as experimental and uses end-to-end encrypted sessions through Swamp or a self-hosted WebSocket server. The web app is recommended for Chromium-based browsers. The source does not state pricing, so the cost is unknown.
Key features
- Tunable pen settings for smoothing, thinning, pressure, and shape detection
- Mixed content on one canvas: handwriting, text, Markdown, shapes, images, PDFs, and SVGs
- Multi-page documents with page folders, layers, named areas, and waypoints
- Saved templates, palettes, stamps, and text styles for reuse
- Local file storage with a choice of data directory, plus optional WebDAV or Nextcloud connection
- Experimental collaboration using end-to-end encrypted sessions via Swamp or a self-hosted WebSocket server
Best for: Students, researchers, and planners who work visually and want open-source software with files stored on their own devices.
Good for
- Open source under the AGPL-3.0 license, with the code publicly developed
- The homepage states that no account, subscription, or proprietary cloud is required
- Works offline and stores files locally, with optional sync
Watch out for
- Collaboration is described as experimental
- The web app is recommended for Chromium-based browsers
Butterfly at a glance
- Category
- Productivity › Notes & Knowledge Management
- Type
- Open-source project
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Open source
- Yes · Source code
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 6, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Guides for Notes & Knowledge Management
Butterfly alternatives
Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.
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Xournal++ supports handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation on Linux, macOS, and Windows, including pen input from devices such as Wacom tablets.
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Org-roam is a Roam-inspired note-taking project built around Org-mode, as stated in its repository description.
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Butterfly FAQ
Does Butterfly require an account or subscription?
The homepage states that there is no required account, no required subscription, and no required proprietary cloud.
Can I use Butterfly offline?
Yes. The homepage states that users can work offline and store files on their device.
What formats can I export my work to?
Work can be exported as PDF, SVG, images, or portable Butterfly files.
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