A RemNote alternative for people who just want to write
Keep spaced repetition, skip the card syntax. In Breef you write notes the way you always have; each one comes back for review at growing intervals, and Breef asks the questions.
Why people try Breef instead
The same goal, remembering what you study, with less to manage.
Notes, not card syntax
Every note is reviewed as it is. Write a card only when you want one, as a “question :: answer” line.
Quizzes, written for you
When a note is due, Breef asks three questions from it and shows each answer beside the line of your note it comes from.
Lectures on the free plan
Record a lecture in a note and Breef writes it up: 2 hours a month free, 30 with Pro.
Every exam, free
Give each course its exam date and its notes come back more often until the day, on every plan.
Breef and RemNote, side by side
| Feature | Breef | RemNote |
|---|---|---|
| What you review | YesEach note as a whole, and any cards you write in it | YesFlashcards made inside your notes, in many card types |
| Making cards | YesOptional: every note is reviewed as it is, and Breef writes the quiz questions | In partYou mark up notes as cards; AI cards are counted per plan |
| Lecture recording | YesRecords a lecture and writes it up, 2 hours a month on Free | In partThe Lecture Recorder is in Pro with AI, the top plan |
| PDFs | YesWrites a PDF up as linked notes and keeps the file with them | YesHighlight and annotate PDFs beside your notes; 3 on Free |
| Exam dates | YesOne per course, free: reviews come closer together until the day | In partAn exam scheduler; 1 exam on Free |
| A map of what you know | YesEvery note and link as one map, coloured by how well you know it | In partReferences and tags between notes |
| Getting started | YesPlain text that formats as you type; nothing to learn first | In partPowerful, with its own card syntax and settings to learn |
| Apps and offline | In partIn the browser on any computer or phone, and installable as an app | YesDesktop, iOS and Android apps, with an offline mode |
| Price | YesFree to start; Pro is €6 a month or €48 a year | YesA free plan; Pro and Pro with AI are paid |
What’s said here about other apps comes from their own websites, as of October 2026, and may have changed since.
Where RemNote is stronger
Every app makes trade-offs. These are the ones Breef makes.
- Flashcards of many kinds, written right inside your notes.
- Highlighting and annotating PDFs beside your notes.
- Image occlusion for diagrams, and handwritten documents.
- Native apps on computers and phones, with an offline mode.
Moving from RemNote
Export your RemNote knowledge base as Markdown and import the files or a .zip of them into Breef: they arrive as notes. RemNote’s own card syntax doesn’t carry across, so rewrite the cards you want as “question :: answer” lines, or simply let Breef review each note as a whole.
Questions
Does Breef use spaced repetition?
Yes. A note is due a day after you write it, then after 3, 7, 21, 60 and 120 days for as long as you remember it. When it’s shaky, it comes back the next day.
Can I import from RemNote?
Yes, as Markdown: export from RemNote, then import the files or a .zip into Breef.
Can I annotate PDFs?
Not as RemNote does. Breef writes a PDF up as linked notes, an overview and a note per topic, and keeps the file with them.
How much does it cost?
Free to start, with reviews, exam dates, linking and your map free for good. Pro is €6 a month or €48 a year.
More comparisons
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