A note is a file.
Raven stores notes as ordinary .md files. You can open the same note in Raven, a text editor, Finder, Terminal, or another Markdown app.
Updated May 20, 2026 for Raven's current Mac and iPhone feature set.
Notes you can read without the app.
Raven is a plain-text Markdown notes app for Mac and iPhone. Every note is an ordinary .md file in a folder you control, with a native Apple app for writing and browsing.
Get Raven for .md notes
$14 lifetime until June 30. Apple refunds within 48 hours.
What is a plain-text notes app?
A plain-text notes app stores notes in readable text files instead of locking them inside a private database. Raven uses Markdown, so a heading still looks like a heading and a checklist still looks like a checklist, even with the app closed.
Export should not be the only way out.
If your notes are already files, you can leave the app without a cleanup project. You can keep writing, searching, backing up, or editing with other tools because the note itself is still text on disk.
Plain files make your notes more useful.
The folder is yours.
Your notes live in a folder you control instead of being locked inside an app database. Back it up, move it, rename it, or inspect it from the command line.
Developer tools still work.
Plain files can be searched with ripgrep, versioned with git, diffed in an editor, or handed directly to Claude and Cursor.
Writing stays readable.
Markdown keeps headings, lists, links, and tasks legible even before any app renders them.
Plain text keeps the app accountable.
| Criterion | Raven | Database-first notes |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | Plain .md files in a folder | App database or cloud workspace |
| Opening a note elsewhere | Open the same file directly | Export, copy, or use an API first |
| Long-term readability | Readable as text | Depends on the app and export format |
| Search and automation | Finder, grep, ripgrep, scripts, Claude, Cursor | Usually limited to app search or integrations |
| Formatting | Markdown syntax in plain text | App-specific document model |
| Best for | Personal writing, PKM, developer notes, folder-readable files | Team documents, shared databases, collaborative workspaces |
Raven is a good fit if...
- You want notes that survive if you stop using the app.
- You use Mac and iPhone and want a native writing surface around Markdown files.
- You care about Finder, folders, Terminal search, git, Claude, Cursor, or MCP tools.
- You want a daily Journal, tasks, templates, and backlinks without spending a weekend wiring up plugins.
Skip Raven if...
- You need Windows, Linux, Android, or a browser-first notes workspace.
- You want real-time team collaboration or shared databases.
- You want a graph-first PKM system with a large plugin ecosystem.
- You only need a free default notes app and do not care where the files live.
Plain text gives Claude and Cursor files to open.
Claude, Cursor, terminal scripts, and MCP filesystem tools do not need a custom Raven export. They can work with Markdown files because the notes are already readable text.
If that is the main reason you care about plain files, read the focused guide to notes Claude can read in Raven.
Plain-text notes, plainly answered.
What is a plain-text notes app?
A plain-text notes app stores notes in readable text files instead of hiding them inside an app database. Raven uses Markdown, so each note is a plain .md file. The formatting still makes sense when you open the file in any text editor.
Is Markdown the same as plain text?
Close enough. Markdown is plain text with a few formatting conventions on top. A Markdown note is still readable in any text editor; apps like Raven just render the symbols into headings, links, and tasks.
Can I open Raven notes in another app?
Yes. Raven notes are ordinary .md files in a local folder. Open them in another Markdown editor, poke at them in Finder, or move the folder somewhere else when you want to.
Does plain text mean ugly or bare bones?
No. Plain text is about the storage format, not how the app looks. Raven puts a native Mac and iPhone app around your Markdown files, with search, folders, backlinks, templates, and a daily Journal.
Why does plain text matter for Claude and Cursor?
Claude and Cursor are easier to use when the notes are already readable. A folder of Markdown files can be opened directly, without waiting for an export or a proprietary sync API.
Keep the app. Keep the files too.
Raven is a native Mac and iPhone app for plain Markdown notes.
Use plain-text notes
Apple refunds are available within 48 hours.