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
Quick Markdown capture
Never leaves your machine
Export anytime, no lock-in
What it keeps simple
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.
Use cases
For people who need their notes to stay useful.
Research stays fast, private, and easy to move when the folder structure matters.
Teams can document decisions without turning every note into another cloud workflow.
Personal archives remain readable and portable years after a project ends.
Pricing
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
- 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
Complete edition
Pro
Everything in Basic, plus automation that handles the repetitive work for you.
$99 one-time
- 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
Try it with your own notes.
Download Ordobase, import a small folder, and see whether the local-first workflow fits how you work.