Heptabase

What is Heptabase?

Heptabase is a visual knowledge management tool that relies on cards and infinite whiteboards. Users can break down long notes into concept cards, arrange them, group them, connect them, and nest them within one another in order to understand the overall structure of complex topics.

It covers data collection, PDF reading, tag databases, writing, and AI research. It remains synchronized across desktop, web, and mobile platforms; the desktop version also allows offline use, making it suitable for creating a long-term personal knowledge base.

Main functions of Heptabase

• Card notes:Use the block editor to record text, tasks, tables, formulas, code, images, and files.
• Visual whiteboard:Arrange cards, images, arrows, and blocks freely to illustrate conceptual relationships.
• Nested whiteboard:Continue to create sub-whiteboards within a theme in order to manage multi-layered knowledge structures.
• Tags and attributes:Convert papers, individuals, conferences, and tasks into structured data.
• Tables and dashboards:Filter cards by attributes and display them in a database or project view.
• PDF annotations:Highlight text or areas to create source notes that can be placed on the whiteboard.
• Bidirectional link:Connect cards, diaries, and whiteboards, and view the backlink context.
• AI Agent and Tutor:Read knowledge bases, answer questions, generate insights, and create or edit cards.
• Data integration:It supports Readwise, Zotero, as well as transcription of YouTube videos and audiovisual materials.

Core knowledge management components

Heptabase price

Heptabase does not offer a long-term free plan, but it provides a 7-day trial period. The company currently offers Pro, Premium, and Premium+ plans for new users; paying annually saves around 25% compared to monthly payment.

The price is in US dollars; VAT and local taxes may apply additionally. The early-bird status and the billing cycle are different from the different feature levels, and whether a user remains entitled to the early-bird price depends on the information on their account subscription page.

Comparison of Pro, Premium, and Premium+

AI credits and custom keys

• AI Agents, video transcription, Insight Generator, and Voice Notes consume credits;
• Pro costs 100 credits per month, Premium is 1800, and Premium+ is 8100;
• After the Premium quota is used up, it is still possible to use the basic model for unlimited read-only Q&A, but content creation or editing is not allowed.
• All subscription tiers allow continued use of Voice Note even after the quota has been exhausted, but such use is not free of charge;
• Pro users can connect their own OpenAI or Anthropic API keys to access more models;
• The cost of models that come with their own keys is charged by the respective supplier.

Create a tutorial on research whiteboards

1. Create a whiteboard for a specific research question, and outline the scope, objectives, and desired output format.
2. Break the content of the readings and interviews into separate cards, with each card conveying only one main idea.
3. Use Section to group the cards by topic, evidence, controversy, or time period.
4. Use arrows to indicate support, rejection, cause and effect, and sequence, rather than just as decorative connections.
5. Move complex subtopics to nested whiteboards to keep the main whiteboard readable.
6. Regularly create summary cards to transform fragmented information into one’s own judgments and identified next steps.

PDF and Zotero research tutorials

1. Upload the PDF for which you have access, or connect to Zotero and select the collection that needs to be synchronized.
2. Check that the title, author, year, and attachments are correct before starting to read.
3. Highlight key text or sections, and create a source card for each important piece of evidence.
4. Place the source card on the research whiteboard, and connect it to arguments, counterexamples, and unresolved issues.
5. When using AI to pose questions, it is required to receive the supporting evidence, and the original PDF should be opened to check the page numbers and context.
6. Organize the citation information before writing; an AI-generated summary cannot be used as a formal academic citation.

AI Agent and Tutor Tutorials

1. Select a specific card, whiteboard, or range of documents to prevent the AI from scanning irrelevant knowledge bases.
2. It involves posing questions that require comparison, explanation, or the identification of knowledge gaps, rather than merely asking for summaries.
3. Before enabling Agent Mode to create or edit cards, back up important content first.
4. Review the new cards, links, and attributes created by AI, and remove any incorrect or unfounded content.
5. After using AI Tutor to create learning materials, check the concepts, examples, and difficulty level.
6. Record valuable answers, but retain the source links and human judgment.

Platform, synchronization, and export

• Desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux;
• The web version, as well as iOS, iPad, and Android mobile versions;
• The desktop version can be used offline, and synchronization across devices takes place once the connection is re-established;
• Mobile devices support PDF highlighting and annotation;
• The content of the cards can be exported in standard Markdown format, which facilitates backup and migration.
• Heptabase CLI allows Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor to read from or edit knowledge bases.

Which users are it suitable for

• Researchers and graduate students:Read papers, organize evidence, and develop a thematic framework.
• Student:Transform courses, lectures, and textbooks into visual knowledge structures.
• Author:Connects materials, ideas, and outlines to support long-term content projects.
• Product and Strategy Specialists:Organize interviews, competitors, decision-making processes, and complex projects.
• Visual thinkers:Understand conceptual relationships through space, grouping, and connections.
• AI knowledge workers:Use Agent, Tutor, and CLI to manage personal knowledge bases.

Product advantages

• The whiteboard can not only display notes but also hold full-length text cards and nested topics;
• PDF highlighting allows direct access to the whiteboard, linking reading with thinking;
• Tags, attributes, tables, and dashboards enable both visual and structured management;
• It supports desktop offline use, real-time synchronization, and Markdown export;
• AI can provide responses based on cards, PDFs, and transcriptions, and it will gradually support writing as well;
• Zotero, Readwise, and CLI enhance research and agent workflows.

Usage restrictions and precautions

• There is no long-term free version – a subscription is required after the trial period ends.
• Pro is available only with 100 AI credits, and it is not suitable for large-scale transcription or Agent operations;
• Premium+ has a higher price, and its core note-taking features are not fundamentally different from those of Premium.
• The free whiteboard tends to have excessive layout, and it should be organized around actual research questions.
• AI may misinterpret PDFs, images, and links; the sources cited must be verified against the original texts.
• When both the Agent and CLI have write permissions, erroneous operations may lead to bulk modifications of the knowledge base;
• For collaboration and shared links, it is necessary to check the visibility settings for cards, attachments, and personal information.

Privacy, CLI, and open-source information

Heptabase is a cloud synchronization service for business use; users should assess the flow of data related to notes, files, AI processing, and third-party models in accordance with the privacy policy. The presence of API keys also means that the content may be processed in line with the terms set by the respective model providers.

The core desktop, web, and mobile versions of Heptabase are not fully open-source projects. The official GitHub repository contains the Android version as well as additional projects such as Heptabase CLI Skills, but this does not mean that the complete source code of the application is available publicly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Heptabase free?

There is no long-term free option; new users can usually try it out for 7 days. After the trial period ends, they must choose between Pro, Premium, or Premium+.

How much is Heptabase Pro?

The monthly cost is $11.99, while the annual cost is $107.88, which amounts to $8.99 per month. The early bird price is available only for accounts that meet the relevant eligibility criteria.

What is the difference between Premium and Premium+?

The core functions are the same; the main difference lies in the number of AI credits per month: 1800 for Premium, and 8100 for Premium+. Only users who make intensive use of AI features need Premium+.

Does Heptabase support offline use?

Desktop applications can be used offline and synchronized once connected to the internet. The offline functionality for mobile and web versions is determined by the current version.

Is Heptabase open source?

The core product is not open-source software; the developers have made available only some auxiliary repositories, CLI tools, and resources for mobile use.