Drafts

What it is for

Drafts is an Apple capture→Actions inbox: you type a first note, run a Directory action, and the core stays Free. Use it when the job is quick capture you start at a public $, not when you need Obsidian’s graph / Bases first.

Soft-note: Free (unlimited drafts / sync / Directory actions) + Drafts Pro US$2.99/mo or US$24.99/yr (7-day trial on annual; Family Sharing) — docs.getdrafts.com/draftspro. One Pro unlocks iPhone / iPad / Mac / Watch on the same iCloud account. Distinct from Heynote, Bear, and Obsidian.

What makes it unique: the cover is Drafts’ official dark Mac editor (# Edit Your Way, tappable tasks, **Syntax Highlighting** for Markdown / TaskPaper) — not a wordmark. The syntax-highlight row itself is ops of the editor.

Key features

• Capture editor — # Edit Your Way / task checkboxes / Markdown (cover still; product). One desk. Cover # Edit Your Way sits here.
• Syntax highlighting — Markdown / TaskPaper / other formats on the cover (cover). A highlight, not a Pro tile.
• Directory actions — run installed / Directory actions on Free (draftspro). An action, not a $2.99 meter.
• iCloud sync — unlimited drafts across Apple devices on Free (draftspro). A sync, not Get started.
• Workspaces — saved tag / query / sort (Pro) (draftspro). A workspace, not Enterprise.
• Mail Drop / Chat Console — email-in and AI chat (Pro) (draftspro). A drop, not SSO.

Download / Subscribe are CTAs (not desks). Pro $ stay in Pricing. Chat Console is a Pro extra — we list it as a gated desk, not an AI-padded KF. Action editing / themes / Workspaces sit behind Pro — see Limitations.

Who it's for

Best fit: Apple-only writers who will stay on Free while they capture a first draft + Directory action — then Pro at US$24.99/yr (or US$2.99/mo) when they need action editing / Workspaces / Mail Drop, not Obsidian Sync $4/user/mo first unless they want a PKM graph, and not if they need Windows / Android.

Pricing

Verified 2026-10-23 (Asia/Shanghai) from docs.getdrafts.com/draftspro. Soft-note: USD as printed. iOS and Mac App Store subscriptions are separate restore targets.

• Free — $0. Unlimited drafts, sync, and actions from the app / Directory.
• Drafts Pro (annual) — US$24.99/yr with a 7-day trial. Family Sharing.
• Drafts Pro (monthly) — US$2.99/mo. Family Sharing.
• Patron — a higher tip-jar price; no extra features over Pro (printed). Do not invent the Patron $.
• The product is not OSS. We omit a GitHub CTA.

Limitations / costs

• Apple platforms only (iPhone / iPad / Mac / Watch). No Windows / Android inbox.
• Pro gates action editing, themes/syntaxes, Workspaces, Chat Console, Mail Drop, advanced widgets/automation.
• A capture inbox, not Obsidian’s graph / Bases. For that PKM see Obsidian.
• Family Sharing restore follows the store you bought on (iOS vs Mac) — see the Pro docs.

Alternatives

• Heynote — a persistent block scratchpad when you want Free / MIT on Mac/Windows/Linux, not Apple Actions.
• Bear — Apple notes when you want Free local / Bear Pro US$2.99/mo or US$29.99/yr, not a capture→Actions inbox.
• Obsidian — a local vault when you want App $0 / Sync $4/user/mo yearly, not Drafts Directory actions.

Official tutorial

We resolved youtube.com/c/AgileTortoiseSupport (HTTP 200). Official written screencasts live at docs.getdrafts.com/docs/gettingstarted/screencasts. We did not oEmbed one first-party how-to ID we could treat as the single getting-started film. No official YouTube how-to to embed. Written path: getdrafts.com plus Drafts Pro and the screencasts index. Channel: Agile Tortoise.

Website

https://getdrafts.com

Source

Catalog row curated for AI Tools Nav. Cover is Drafts’ official dark Mac editor still (# Edit Your Way / Markdown). Dollars checked on docs.getdrafts.com/draftspro (Free $0; Pro US$2.99/mo or US$24.99/yr). No GitHub. No official YouTube embed.

Last verified

2026-10-23 (Asia/Shanghai) editorial check.