Kavya
A local-first writing app for people who think in Markdown.
Your vault is a folder. Every note is a .md file.
For You
Kavya adapts to how you write — not the other way around.
Writers & Authors
Organize chapters, scenes, and drafts in nested groups. Set word count goals. Export to PDF or DOCX when your manuscript is ready.Bloggers & Creators
Write in Markdown, preview instantly, export to HTML. Schedule Board helps you plan your content calendar.Students & Researchers
Drop PDFs and EPUBs into your vault. Take notes alongside your sources. Wikilinks connect ideas across subjects.Developers & Makers
You already think in Markdown. YAML frontmatter, wikilinks, plain files. It just works with git.Knowledge Workers
Capture meeting notes, project briefs, and ideas. AI chat helps you draft, summarize, and brainstorm.Journal Keepers
Daily notes with one shortcut. Your journal stays on your disk — private, portable, yours.Elegant
Three-panel layout. Your library, your sheets, your editor.
Plain Markdown
No proprietary format. Every sheet is a .md file with YAML frontmatter. Edit with Kavya, Obsidian, VS Code, or vim.Zero Lock-in
Your vault is an ordinary folder on disk. Groups are directories. Tags are in YAML. Take your files anywhere, anytime.Creative
Focus on your writing in a productive state of flow.
Nested Groups
Unlimited folder hierarchy mapped to real directories on disk. Drag-and-drop to reorder or nest. Blue line for reorder, green highlight for nesting.
Markdown Editor
CodeMirror 6 with syntax highlighting, smart typography (curly quotes, em dashes, ellipsis), list continuation, and smart HTML paste. Fast and accessible.
Focus & Typewriter
Focus mode dims everything except the current paragraph. Typewriter mode keeps the active line centered. Zen mode hides all panels for distraction-free writing.
Split View
Edit two sheets side by side. Or view a Markdown preview next to your source. Perfect for referencing notes while writing.
Tags & Keywords
Tag sheets with colored keywords. Filter by tag across the entire vault. Tags are stored in YAML frontmatter, so they work everywhere.
Dark & Light
Switch between dark and light themes with one click. Your eyes will thank you during late-night writing sessions.
AI Chat
Multi-model AI chat: Claude, OpenAI, Gemini, and Claude Code CLI. The AI sees your current document and can suggest edits, insert text, or rewrite sections. Streaming responses.
Schedule Board
Kanban columns: Inbox, Today, Week, Month, Someday. Calendar view for date-based planning. Drag sheets between columns. Share to Apple Notes or iCloud.
Outline & Navigate
Outline panel shows all headings. Click to jump. Drag to reorder sections. Quick switcher (Cmd+O) fuzzy-searches any sheet. Wikilinks connect your notes.
Writing Goals
Set word count targets per sheet. An animated progress ring tracks your progress. Live statistics: words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading time.
Export Anywhere
Export to Markdown, HTML, PDF, or DOCX. Formatted with proper headings, lists, and code blocks. Copy to clipboard or save to file.
Reference Files
Drop PDFs, EPUBs, and images into any group. Read them without leaving the app. EPUB reader with page navigation. Reference files stay separate from your notes.
Compare
See how Kavya stacks up against the rest.
| Kavya | Ulysses | Scrivener | iA Writer | Obsidian | Bear | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 once | $50/yr | $49 once | $50 once | Free* | $30/yr |
| Plain .md files | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| No lock-in | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| AI Chat | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | plugin | ✕ |
| PDF/EPUB reader | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ | plugin | ✕ |
| Wikilinks | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Export PDF/DOCX | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | plugin | ✕ |
| Schedule Board | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Split View | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Focus/Typewriter | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | plugin | ✓ |
| Tags | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| macOS native | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*Obsidian Sync costs $96/year extra
Fair
Start writing in seconds. No account. No credit card.
Fall in love first. Unlock later.
| Starter | Full Version | |
|---|---|---|
| Sheets | Up to 100 | Unlimited |
| All features included | ✔ | ✔ |
| AI Chat (Claude, GPT, Gemini) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Schedule Board & Calendar | ✔ | ✔ |
| Export (PDF, DOCX, HTML, MD) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Priority support & early access | ✘ | ✔ |
| Price | Free forever | $9.99 one-time |
100 sheets is enough to run a journal, manage a project, or write a short book. Most people never need more. But when you do, one payment unlocks everything — no subscription, no recurring fees, no surprises.
Early adopters get locked in at today's price. As Kavya grows, the price rises. Your purchase never expires. No paid upgrades. Ever.
