MCP note app

Short answer

An MCP note app connects notes to compatible assistants through an MCP server, for search and reading, plus writing where supported. The server can be official or community-maintained. Hjarni is one: hosted Markdown notes compatible web, desktop and phone assistants can retrieve and update, with an official server listed in both the ChatGPT and Claude directories and free apps for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android.

Hjarni MCP facts

Checked October 12, 2026. Each fact links to its plan details or documentation.

Free plan: 25 personal notes with full MCP and API access. No trial expiration. Plans and limits.
Read and write: Connected assistants can search, read, create and update notes through permitted tools. MCP tool reference.
Edit history: Review edits by you, ChatGPT, and Claude. Read earlier versions and restore one in a click without erasing the history. Note history.
Markdown export: Export your active notes as a ZIP of Markdown files, on every plan. Export and ownership.
Hosting: Hjarni is a hosted service running on Hetzner in Germany, in the EU. Security and hosting.
One account for both assistants: Connect ChatGPT and Claude to the same Hjarni account. No local MCP server needs to stay running. ChatGPT setup · Claude setup.

AI subscriptions are separate. Connecting and using tools depend on the assistant's plan and permissions; check the ChatGPT setup and Claude setup guides. Notes persist in Hjarni; an assistant must retrieve them to use them. Check client compatibility.

Review and undo changes made by ChatGPT or Claude

Choose an earlier version to compare its text with the current note. Hjarni highlights additions and removals and records who saved each version. Restore the earlier note body in one click; later edits stay in history, and the restored text becomes current. The current title and folder stay unchanged.

Follow the comparison and restore walkthrough. History reviews saved changes; approval before writing depends on your assistant's connection and settings.

A sample pilot decision in Hjarni's history, with additions and removals highlighted between an earlier version and the current note. — Read the changes before restoring

In this example, an illustrative assistant edit changes a pilot decision from email first to email and SMS. Selecting the earlier version shows the changed text above the original note.

Sample data in the real Hjarni interface. This is not a recording of a live ChatGPT or Claude conversation. The guide also shows the completed restore and preserved history.

What makes a note app an "MCP note app"

A normal note app stores text for you to read. An MCP note app adds a server that speaks the Model Context Protocol, so an AI assistant can connect and use your notes as tools: search them, read them, create new ones, and update existing ones. Saved notes remain available across conversations. The assistant needs to retrieve them through its connected tools to use them.

Which note apps have an MCP server

Support varies, and the important detail is whether the server is hosted (a remote assistant like ChatGPT on the web can reach it) or local (a compatible local client, or a separately reachable bridge).

Compare hosted MCP note apps for ChatGPT and Claude

These three services host their official MCP servers. You can connect compatible ChatGPT and Claude accounts without installing a note-app plugin or running a local server. Compare the tools, setup and access before choosing.

Scroll sideways to compare setup and access.

App	Search, read and write	Connect ChatGPT and Claude	Plan and access
Hjarni	Search and read notes; create, append and update Markdown notes. Tool reference.	Open Hjarni in each assistant's directory, click Connect, then sign in and allow access. ChatGPT setup · Claude setup.	MCP on every Hjarni plan; 25 personal notes free. OAuth keeps your account's access. Folder-scoped agent tokens are a separate setup for compatible clients.
Capacities	Search and read objects; create objects, update properties, append content and edit blocks. Tool capabilities.	Open its published connector in ChatGPT or Claude, click Connect, then authorize a space. Setup for both assistants.	Pro or Believer, with AI Assistant enabled for the space. Each connection accesses one selected space.
Notion	Search and fetch pages; create and update pages, databases and more. Supported tools.	Connect Notion from the assistant's integrations or add its remote MCP URL, then authorize the workspace. Connection guide · Manual setup.	Workspace permissions and admin controls apply. Search uses keywords when the plan lacks AI search; AI search requires Business or Enterprise with Notion AI.

Checked October 20, 2026 against the linked setup and tool guides. Assistant plans, enabled tools and approvals can affect read and write access. A connected assistant must retrieve saved notes to use them; connecting does not guarantee recall. The Hjarni compatibility guide covers other remote MCP clients.

More MCP note apps and connection routes

App	MCP	Reach
Hjarni	Official hosted MCP	Hosted: compatible ChatGPT, Claude and other MCP clients
Notion	Official hosted MCP	Hosted
Capacities	Official hosted MCP (Pro or Believer)	Hosted: ChatGPT, Claude and other compatible MCP clients
Bear	Official local MCP (macOS)	Local clients; remote access requires a separate bridge
Joplin	Official local HTTP MCP	Local clients; tools enabled individually
Anytype	Official local MCP	Local desktop API; server installed separately
Basic Memory	Local or hosted MCP	Local clients, or remote clients through Basic Memory Cloud
Obsidian	Community MCP; official CLI also available	Local files or a separately deployed server
Logseq DB	Official local MCP	DB desktop/CLI HTTP endpoint; DB beta
Tana	Official hosted MCP	Hosted OAuth; distinguish Tana from Tana Outliner
Mem	Official hosted MCP	Hosted OAuth; tool access depends on plan and permissions
Heptabase	Official hosted MCP	Hosted OAuth with read and write grants
Reflect Classic	Official local MCP	Local HTTP; Reflect Open instead uses local Markdown files

Capacities checked October 20, 2026: its connector guide documents search, read, create and edit tools, with one selected space per connection. Connectors require Pro or Believer, with AI Assistant enabled for the selected space in Capacities. Chats in external assistants do not use Capacities' in-app AI budget.

Other comparison facts rechecked 20 October 2026: Logseq DB, Tana, Mem, Heptabase, Bear, Joplin, Obsidian CLI, and Reflect Classic MCP.

How to pick

Start with where your notes live. A local server can suit a compatible desktop assistant on one computer. Check the connection details: Joplin's server listens on 127.0.0.1, so ChatGPT on the web cannot reach it directly. A hosted endpoint suits web and phone assistants without keeping a local server running. Hjarni, Capacities, Notion, Tana, Mem, Heptabase and Basic Memory Cloud offer hosted access. Check the exact product version and plan; Reflect Open and Classic, or Tana and Tana Outliner, have different connection models.

Then compare the way you organize notes and what the connection costs. Hjarni offers folders, tags, shared team knowledge and Markdown export, with MCP access for 25 personal notes free. Capacities suits personal notes organized as objects with types and properties; its connector needs Pro or Believer, and it does not offer team plans. Confirm the actions and approvals available in each assistant. See the best MCP knowledge base roundup for the other options.

See ChatGPT save a note, Claude update it, and a new ChatGPT chat retrieve the change. The walkthrough includes prompts you can try and checks to make on the saved note.

Give your AI a memory

Common questions

MCP note app questions

What is an MCP note app?

A note-taking app accessible through an MCP server, so compatible assistants can search and read notes, and create or edit them when the server and permissions allow. Servers may be official or community-maintained. Hjarni provides plain Markdown notes, folders, and tags through its official hosted MCP server.

Which note apps have an MCP server?

Hjarni, Capacities, Notion, Heptabase, Mem and current Tana document hosted MCP. Bear, Joplin, Anytype, Roam and Logseq’s database edition have official local options; Reflect Classic also documents local MCP editing. Obsidian has file, CLI and community MCP workflows. Check versions, plans and client requirements.

What is the best MCP note app?

Hjarni for hosted Markdown notes, folder instructions and shared team knowledge, with MCP access for 25 personal notes free. Capacities for personal notes organized as typed objects, with connectors on Pro or Believer. Basic Memory for a local Markdown workflow with an optional cloud service. Notion if you also need databases and project management. Check that each assistant connection permits the reads and edits you need.

Is there a free MCP note app?

Yes. Hjarni's free tier includes 25 personal notes with full MCP access and no first-party token meter. Joplin and the local version of Basic Memory are free and open source. AI subscriptions and connection permissions are separate.

Should I pick a local or a hosted MCP note app?

Local servers (Joplin, Bear) keep notes on your machine and connect desktop clients like Claude Desktop. A hosted service such as Hjarni, Capacities, Notion MCP, or Basic Memory Cloud gives compatible assistants a remote endpoint without a local server to maintain. Check client availability, plan requirements and read/write permissions.

Start here

Write once. You both remember.

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