Nothing leaves your computer. Not even by accident.
The app’s window is built so it cannot make network requests at all. Your notes, tasks and logs live in a database on your own disk. Pull the network cable and it works exactly the same.
Private by design · For Windows
Your notes.
Sorted.
Never uploaded.
Marginalia turns a messy page of thoughts into tasks, dates and categories, entirely on your own computer. No account. No cloud. No subscription.
“by Friday” → Oct 16Dates, resolved for you
0 bytes uploadedEverything stays here
4 actions filedFrom one messy paragraph
Marginalia
0accounts to create
0bytes sent to any server
30days to try it free
1×payment. No subscription.
Most note apps want your notes. Marginalia wants you to keep them. Write freely, and let it quietly turn the mess into a plan, on your own computer, where only you can read it.
See it work
A messy note becomes a plan.
Write the way you think. Marginalia finds what you actually need to do, reads the dates, and ignores the chatter.
The pageMonday, Oct 12
InboxFiled automatically
Call the vet about Biscuit’s shots
HealthTue, Oct 13Call landlord about leaking tap
PersonalFri, Oct 16UrgentBook flights to Halifax
GeneralSat, Nov 14Send invoice to Priya for Harlow logo job
Finance
“My sister says the new cafe on Main is great.” Skipped. It’s an opinion, not an action.
Real output from Marginalia using a local model (qwen2.5:3b), sped up. Dates are worked out by Marginalia itself, not guessed by the AI.
Reads like a person
It understands how you actually write a date.
“Tomorrow.” “By Friday.” “Next Wednesday.” Marginalia turns the words you naturally use into real calendar dates, and puts a dot on the day. No date pickers. No typing 2026-10-16.
Dates and urgency are worked out by dependable code, not left to an AI to guess, so “next Wednesday” always means the same thing.
If today isMonday, Oct 12
“tomorrow”Tue, Oct 13
“by Friday”Fri, Oct 16
“next Wednesday”Wed, Oct 21
“in 2 weeks”Mon, Oct 26
“before Nov 3rd”Tue, Nov 3
Everything it does
Built around one idea: your notes are yours.
Due dates, at a glance.
Every date it finds lands on the calendar. Click a day to see what’s due.
Works instantly. Gets smarter if you want.
Out of the box, built-in rules sort your notes in a blink. Add a free local AI model and it writes cleaner titles. Either way, it all runs on your machine.
Built-in rulesInstant. No setup.
DefaultLocal AI modelSmarter titles. Runs offline.
OptionalEncrypted backups, with your passphrase.
Export everything to a file you keep. Add a passphrase and it’s locked with AES-256 before it ever touches the disk.
{"encrypted": true,
"kdf": "PBKDF2-SHA256",
"ciphertext": "kT9fQ2xV7…m3Zp"}
"kdf": "PBKDF2-SHA256",
"ciphertext": "kT9fQ2xV7…m3Zp"}
Light & dark
Easy on the eyes, day or night.
A calm, editorial design with a theme for every hour.
Pay once. Keep it.
CA$49one-time
No subscription, no “upgrade to unlock”, no data held hostage. Plus applicable tax. Try it free for 30 days first.
Take a look
Quiet, focused, yours.
Real screenshots from the app. No clutter, no feed, no notifications asking for attention.
MarginaliaCommand centre. A distraction-free page that feels like a notebook, not a chat window.
Marginalia
Inbox. Every action it found, with category, due date and urgency already filled in.
MarginaliaDark mode. Follows your system, or switch with one click.
Marginalia
Agent log. A plain record of everything the app has done, each line confirming nothing left your device.
Marginalia
Engine & backup. Choose your engine, connect notes and files, and export an encrypted backup.
How it works
Three steps. No setup.
1
Write
Dump everything on the page: plans, loose ends, half-thoughts. No format required.
2
Organise
Press one button. It finds the actions, reads the dates and files everything by category.
3
Get it done
Work from your Inbox and calendar. Tick things off. Your notes never left the building.
Who it's for
For everyone whose notes aren’t for sharing.
If you’d be uneasy pasting it into a cloud app, it belongs in Marginalia.
Shop owners & tradespeople
Jobs, quotes, supplier calls and customer promises, captured the moment they come up and never lost in a text thread.
“Call the supplier tomorrow, quote Dana by Friday.”
Accountants, lawyers & consultants
Client matters stay on your machine. Meeting notes turn into dated follow-ups without a third party ever seeing them.
“File the return by Oct 31. Chase the signed engagement letter.”
Practitioners & coaches
Session reminders and personal follow-ups in one private place, with no account and no data held on someone else’s servers.
“Check in with the Thursday client. Order supplies.”
Managers & founders
Turn a rambling brain-dump after a meeting into owners, deadlines and a calendar, in the time it takes to press a key.
“Priya reviews the proposal next Wednesday.”
Writers & students
A quiet notebook that keeps your drafts and deadlines private, then reminds you what’s due and when.
“Essay draft by Nov 3. Read chapters 4 to 6.”
The privacy-minded
Anyone tired of feeding every thought to an app that might use it for something else. Offline, local, yours.
“Book the dentist. Renew my licence.”
The difference
Local is a different kind of app.
| Marginalia | Typical cloud AI notes app | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your notes live | On your computer only | On the provider’s servers |
| Account required | No | Yes |
| Works with no internet | Fully | Usually not for AI features |
| Who can read your notes | Only you | Depends on the provider’s terms |
| AI runs | On your machine, optional | In the cloud |
| Price | CA$49 once | Monthly or yearly subscription |
A general comparison with typical cloud-based AI note apps. Individual products vary.
Pricing
One price. No catch.
Try everything free for 30 days. Keep it for a single payment.
Marginalia for Windows
CA$49
one-time payment, for one computer, plus any tax that applies where you live
Choose your location to see your exact total.
Your Machine ID:
- Every feature, no tiers
- Unlimited notes and tasks
- Optional local AI, free to add
- Encrypted backups and restore
- Light and dark themes
- Your key arrives by email
Secure payment by Square. Your licence key works on one computer. A tax invoice comes with your key. Questions? admin@4cdigital.com
How licensing works
- Download and try itAll features, free, for 30 days. No card, no sign-up.
- Copy your Machine IDClick the Trial label at the top of the app. Marginalia shows an ID for your computer.
- Buy your licencePay once. Send us your Machine ID using the button in the app.
- Paste your keyWe email a key made for your computer. Paste it in and you’re done.
Questions
Good things to ask first.
Does Marginalia send my notes anywhere?
No. The app’s window is built so it can’t make network requests at all. The only thing it ever talks to is an optional AI model running on your own computer. You can test it yourself: turn off your internet and it works exactly the same.
Do I need the AI model?
No. Marginalia works the moment you install it, using built-in rules that read dates, find actions and sort categories. If you want smarter titles, you can add a free local AI model (through a free tool called Ollama). That’s a one-time download of about 2 GB, and we recommend 16 GB of RAM for it. Everything still runs on your computer.
What do I need to run it?
A Windows 10 or 11 computer (64-bit). The installer is about 107 MB and doesn’t need administrator rights. It runs offline.
How do the trial and licence work?
The trial is fully featured for 30 days. After that you buy a licence once for CA$49. Your key is made for your computer and emailed to you. When the trial ends, nothing is deleted: your notes stay, and you can export them even without a licence.
Do you charge tax?
Where the law requires it. In Canada, software downloads are taxable and the rate follows your province: 13% HST in Ontario, 14% in Nova Scotia, 15% in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island, and 5% GST elsewhere. Pick your location in the Pricing section to see your exact total. A tax invoice is emailed with your licence key. For customers outside Canada, please email us before buying.
What if I get a new computer?
Export an encrypted backup from the old one, then write to admin@4cdigital.com with the Machine ID of the new computer and we’ll sort it out.
Windows says “protected your PC”. Is it safe?
Marginalia is new and its installer isn’t code-signed yet, so Windows SmartScreen shows a cautious message for any unfamiliar app. Click More info, then Run anyway. To check the download is exactly ours, compare its SHA-256 fingerprint (listed at the bottom of this page) with the file you downloaded.
Can I back up or move my notes?
Yes. Export everything to a single file whenever you like. Add a passphrase and the file is encrypted with AES-256. Importing can merge into what you have, or replace it.
Is there a Mac, iPhone or Android version?
Not yet. Marginalia is Windows-only today.
Who makes Marginalia?
Marginalia is made by 4C Digital. Questions or feedback: admin@4cdigital.com.
Keep your thoughts yours.
Download Marginalia and try it free for 30 days. No account, no card, nothing uploaded.
Version 0.1.0 · 107 MB · Windows 10 & 11 (64-bit)