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EverFree
An IDE for your writing
EverFree is a free, open-source note editor with an AI assistant that works beside the draft — think Cursor, but for writing. Your notes stay plain Markdown files in a GitHub repo you own.
Editor demo
A Cursor for writing
Code editors got AI that understands the whole project. Writing tools mostly got a chatbot bolted onto the side. EverFree wires the assistant into the editor the way Cursor wires it into code: it reads the note you have open, takes the exact passage you select as context, and can search the web before it answers.
Assistant demo
- Quote a passage Select text and press ⌘L — the excerpt is attached to your next message, so "rewrite this" means exactly this.
- Work on the current note Continue a stalled draft, rewrite a section, summarize the whole note, or have it create a new one.
- Research while you write The assistant can run web searches and read pages before answering, so claims get checked without leaving the editor.
- Generate images Type /image and a prompt; the result lands in your note and syncs with it.
- Bring your own model Use an OpenRouter or Gemini key. The Mac app also runs fully local models through LM Studio.
- Keyboard-first ⌘K toggles the assistant, / opens commands, Ctrl+S saves the note.
Your notes are files you own
The web editor signs in with GitHub and commits every save to a private repository
you choose. The Mac app keeps the same notes as local Markdown files in
~/Documents/EverFree and syncs them through git.
There is no EverFree account and no EverFree database. If this project disappeared tomorrow, your notes would still be sitting in your repo as ordinary files. The same goes for AI keys: they are stored in your browser and only forwarded with the requests you make — nothing is retained server-side.
everfree-notes/ ← your private repo
├── Drafts/
│ ├── cursor-for-writing.md
│ └── renewal-note.md
├── Research/
│ └── evernote-pricing.md
└── assets/
└── header-sketch.png
Getting started
In the browser
- Open the web editor and sign in with GitHub — a one-time device code, no password.
- Choose a private repository for your workspace.
- Start writing. Add an OpenRouter or Gemini key in the assistant settings whenever you want the AI.
On the Mac
- Download the DMG and open it. It's signed and notarized, so no Gatekeeper workarounds.
- Connect GitHub — and optionally Evernote, to import your old notebooks as Markdown.
- Write locally; every save syncs through git, so the web and mobile editors see the same workspace.
Why I built this
I had to pay $100 for an Evernote renewal. For my notes. No way.
EverFree started as a script to get my notes out of Evernote, and grew into the writing tool I actually wanted: an editor where the assistant sits next to the draft — rewriting a paragraph, continuing where I stalled, checking a claim — while the notes themselves stay plain files in a repo I own. No subscription, no lock-in, nothing between me and my own writing.
It's MIT-licensed and free. If a Cursor for writing is the tool you've been missing too, I hope it's useful.
— Aditya Ganguli · @adi2907
FAQ
Is it really free?
Yes. EverFree is MIT-licensed open source. There's no account, no plan, and no trial — the only cost is the AI API usage on keys you bring yourself.
Do I need an API key?
The editor works without any. The assistant needs an OpenRouter or Gemini key, and web search needs a free Serper key. The Mac app can also use LM Studio to run local models with no key at all.
Where are my notes stored?
In the browser: as Markdown files in a private GitHub repo you choose. On the Mac: as local files in ~/Documents/EverFree, synced through git.
Can I import from Evernote?
Yes, in the Mac app. The setup wizard connects your Evernote account and converts notebooks to Markdown (using evernote2md).
Does EverFree see my notes or keys?
Notes sync between your browser and GitHub. AI keys stay in your browser and are only forwarded with the requests you make; nothing is stored on EverFree's servers.
Is there a mobile version?
Yes — everfree.vercel.app/mobile is a lightweight client for the same workspace, good for capture, reading, and light edits.