Open in under a second. Every time.
No server round-trip. No spinner. A database with 10,000 files opens instantly and search results appear as you type — whether you're online or not.
A local-first knowledge database for serious work
Your knowledge system. Structured. Local. Yours.
Ordobase organizes your notes and files like a database — structured, fast, and fully offline. No cloud dependency, no vendor lock-in, no monthly bill. When your folders stop working and your notes app isn't enough anymore, this is what comes next.
Instant — even offline
Capture before you forget
Never leaves your machine
Export anytime, no lock-in
30-day free trial. No credit card required to download. · Available for macOS and Windows. · Older versions
Meeting notes — Q1 planning
Structure and ownership — the two things your current tool is missing
Keep context from falling apart
Write a note, attach a PDF, link to a related project. When you come back a month later, everything is still connected — not scattered across apps you barely remember opening.
Back up with tools you already have
Your database is one file on disk. Time Machine, Dropbox, iCloud, WebDAV — any backup you trust today works immediately. No new service, no new subscription.
Client work and personal ideas stay yours
Turn on encryption and your files, notes, and metadata are protected by your passphrase — unreadable by anyone without it, including us.
Change your mind later without losing your work
Import from DEVONthink, Obsidian, or Notion. Export to open formats at any point. Your knowledge survives every tool decision you make in the future.
Let the repetitive work run itself
Smart Rules file and tag new documents automatically. Watch Folders process incoming files without touching them. You set it up once and reclaim the time every week.
Four habits that compound over time — built in
No add-on store, no extra cost. Each extension ships with Ordobase and starts working the moment you download it.
Make your AI work permanent
That ChatGPT thread with the perfect answer? Import it. Ordobase pulls in conversations from ChatGPT, Claude, OpenWebUI, and others so hard-won insights stop disappearing in a chat scroll.
Six months from now, you'll thank yourself
Daily notes appear automatically, linked to everything you're working on. Decisions, wins, and lessons don't vanish — they become a searchable log you actually come back to.
No more "let me find the context for this task"
Tasks live right next to the notes that created them. You open one thing and have everything — the brief, the files, the next steps — not scattered across three apps.
Read it once. Remember it longer.
One click turns any note into a spaced-repetition card. Review for a few minutes a day and the concepts you study actually stick instead of fading by Friday.
Buy it once. Own it forever.
Try it free for 30 days — no credit card needed. When you're ready, pick a license. You keep it forever and get a full year of updates included.
Basic
Capture, organize, and find anything — fast and private. No automation features.
$79
one-time
Includes 1 year of updates.
- Instant full-text search across every file and note
- Backlinks and custom fields to keep related context together
- Journal, Tasks, Flashcards, and AI Chat Import — all included
- Fully local — your data never touches a server
- Export to open formats anytime, no lock-in
- Smart Rules, AI, OCR, and Watch Folder not included
After year one, updates are optional for $49/year.
Start Free TrialMost popular
Pro
Everything in Basic, plus automation that handles the repetitive work for you.
$99
one-time
Includes 1 year of updates.
- Everything in Basic
- Smart Rules — new files get tagged and filed automatically
- Watch Folder — drop files in a folder, Ordobase does the rest
- OCR — search the text inside scanned PDFs and photos
- AI features — faster tagging, smart retrieval, and synthesis
- Priority support
After year one, updates are optional for $49/year.
Start Free TrialBasic vs Pro
A direct side-by-side comparison of the two available licenses.
| Feature | Basic | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| All core features | ✓ | ✓ |
| Document & file management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linking between notes | ✓ | ✓ |
| Schema & custom fields | ✓ | ✓ |
| All bundled extensions | ✓ | ✓ |
| Smart Rules | — | ✓ |
| Watch folder import | — | ✓ |
| OCR — search inside scanned PDFs & images | — | ✓ |
| AI features | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Does it work without the internet?
Yes — completely. Everything runs on your machine. The only time internet is required is for your initial trial activation and license verification. After that, you could go dark forever and Ordobase would keep working.
I have more than just Markdown notes. Does it handle that?
Yes. Ordobase is built for mixed content: Markdown notes, PDFs, images, and other file types live side by side with shared tags, backlinks, and metadata. It's not a notes app that tolerates files — it's a system for both.
How do I make sure I never lose my data?
Your database is a single file on disk — not a proprietary cloud blob. Back it up with Time Machine, Dropbox, iCloud Drive, an external drive, WebDAV — whatever you already use. No new service required.
I'm already on Notion / Obsidian / DEVONthink. Can I move over?
Yes. Ordobase imports from DEVONthink, Obsidian, and Notion. If you decide to leave later, export at any time in open formats. Your work is never held hostage.
Is this a subscription I'll regret signing up for?
No. It's a one-time purchase. You pay once, you own the license, and it includes a full year of updates. After year one, updates are optional at $49/year — only worth it when there's something new you actually want.
What if my laptop gets stolen or someone accesses my machine?
Enable encryption and your database is protected by your passphrase. Metadata, file contents, and blobs are all encrypted — unreadable without the key, including by us.