Visual Thinking with YC-Level Traction
Heptabase was founded in 2021 by Alan Chan, Yeefun Lin, and Ethan Wu in Taiwan. After going through Y Combinator (W22) and raising ~$2.2M in seed funding from HOF Capital, YC, and Kleiner Perkins, the team built a product that has reached an estimated ~$7M ARR with just 8 people — profitable since its first year.
The traction speaks to Heptabase's core insight: knowledge makes more sense when you can see it. Its whiteboard canvases let you arrange cards spatially, creating visual maps of how concepts relate. Users from 61+ countries spend an average of 40 minutes per day in the app, with 28% year-over-year user growth. Many describe it as the closest digital equivalent to spreading notes across a large physical desk.
The design is focused and polished. Heptabase does one thing — visual knowledge mapping — and the engagement numbers show it does it exceptionally well.
Heptabase users average 40 minutes per day in the app — among the highest engagement rates in the PKM category.
AI Depth: Canvas Assistance vs Autonomous Agents
Heptabase has introduced AI features that help summarize cards, answer questions about your content, and assist with writing. These work within the whiteboard context and are useful for processing existing content — a natural complement to the spatial thinking model.
Moryflow takes a different approach to AI entirely. Instead of assisting within a visual canvas, agents autonomously plan multi-step research, synthesize information from multiple sources, and maintain persistent memory across sessions. The knowledge workspace accumulates intelligence over time — every interaction makes the system more useful for your specific projects. You bring your own API keys to choose the right model per task.
Both tools use AI, but the scope is different. Heptabase's AI enhances visual thinking. Moryflow's AI drives the entire research-to-output workflow, from gathering sources to publishing finished content.
Architecture and Openness
Moryflow is local-first and open source under the MIT license. Notes stay on your device, the app works offline, and you can self-host, audit the code, or contribute. Cloud sync is optional.
Heptabase stores data locally with cloud sync for cross-device access. The product is closed source, and there is no self-hosting option. While local caching provides offline access to recently viewed content, the sync layer depends on Heptabase's infrastructure.
For users who value open-source transparency, full data control, and the ability to self-host, Moryflow's architecture offers stronger guarantees.
Publishing and Output
Moryflow includes a built-in publishing pipeline. Any note or collection becomes a live website with SEO metadata, custom domains, and digital garden aesthetics. Notes become first-class web content.
Heptabase has no publishing feature. Whiteboards and cards are private, with sharing limited to collaboration features. To publish Heptabase content, you would export and use a separate platform.
For knowledge workers who want their research to reach an audience — as blogs, documentation, or portfolios — Moryflow's publishing eliminates the gap between thinking and sharing.
Pricing and Access Philosophy
Heptabase has no free plan — only a 7-day trial. After that, Pro costs $8.99/month (annual), Premium is $17.99/month, and Premium+ is $53.99/month. This reflects the team's confidence in the product (and with 40-minute daily sessions and ~$7M ARR from an 8-person team, that confidence appears justified).
Moryflow takes a different approach: a permanent free tier with local AI, unlimited notes, and no storage cap on local data. The Pro plan adds cloud sync, advanced agents, and one-click publishing. The open-source codebase means you can self-host and use Moryflow indefinitely without paying.
If you are a visual learner who thinks in spatial maps and can commit to a paid plan, Heptabase's whiteboard model is uniquely powerful. If you want a free starting point with AI agents that handle research and organization, Moryflow offers more breadth at no upfront cost.