Heptabase
Visual whiteboard knowledge base with AI tutor and cited research over your sources
What is Heptabase?
Heptabase is a visual knowledge-base tool built around whiteboards of interlinked cards, with AI that can read your PDFs, YouTube videos, and notes to produce cited research answers. It is bought primarily by researchers, PhD students, and serious self-learners working through complex multi-source topics.
Markdown-native, local-first, docs, notes, and knowledge tools that are easy for people and AI agents to read.
See the full Markdown & Knowledge guide to compare more tools, buyer criteria, and related workflows.
Use cases to evaluate
Mapping out a literature review on a whiteboard with linked source cards
Asking AI to synthesize and cite passages from your imported PDFs
Annotating Zotero PDFs and pulling highlights into a research card
Running personalized study sessions through the AI Tutor
Fit to evaluate
PhD students and academic researchers
Self-directed learners tackling dense subjects (law, medicine, ML)
Knowledge workers doing multi-source competitive research
Visual thinkers who outgrew Obsidian's graph view
Business fit
Right for you if you do deep research across PDFs and want to spatially arrange ideas rather than stack them in a list. Skip if you need real team docs, lightweight quick capture, or cheap pricing, because Heptabase is premium and learning-focused. Native Zotero and Readwise integrations make it a strong fit for academic workflows specifically. The newer AI Tutor builds adaptive courses, which is unusual in this category.
How to evaluate Heptabase
Use this category when knowledge is scattered across chats, private documents, and tribal memory.
Confirm the exact workflow
Map Heptabase to one concrete workflow first, such as mapping out a literature review on a whiteboard with linked source cards. Avoid buying before the owner, trigger, output, and success metric are clear.
Check category fit
Compare file portability, linking, search, permissions, and export options.
Compare practical alternatives
Shortlist Heptabase against Obsidian, Logseq, Roam Research so the decision is based on fit, effort, and workflow ownership rather than brand recognition alone.
Validate cost and rollout effort
Free AI Tutor: $0 (limited sessions). Pro: $8.99/mo. Premium: $17.99/mo (1,800 AI credits). Premium+: $53.99/mo (8,100 credits). Yearly billing saves 25%. Also confirm implementation time, support needs, and whether the easy setup matches your team.
Compare Heptabase with alternatives
Use this quick comparison before booking demos or moving data into a new system.
| Primary workflow | Mapping out a literature review on a whiteboard with linked source cards, Asking AI to synthesize and cite passages from your imported PDFs |
|---|---|
| Best-fit team | PhD students and academic researchers, Self-directed learners tackling dense subjects (law, medicine, ML) |
| Implementation effort | Easy setup and maintenance profile |
| Pricing check | Free plan + paid plans |
| Closest alternatives | ObsidianLogseqRoam ResearchTana |
Heptabase pricing
| Model | Free plan + paid plans |
|---|---|
| Snapshot | Free AI Tutor: $0 (limited sessions). Pro: $8.99/mo. Premium: $17.99/mo (1,800 AI credits). Premium+: $53.99/mo (8,100 credits). Yearly billing saves 25%. |
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Common questions about Heptabase
What is Heptabase?
Heptabase is a visual knowledge-base tool built around whiteboards of interlinked cards, with AI that can read your PDFs, YouTube videos, and notes to produce cited research answers. It is bought primarily by researchers, PhD students, and serious self-learners working through complex multi-source topics.
What is Heptabase used for?
Common use cases: Mapping out a literature review on a whiteboard with linked source cards; Asking AI to synthesize and cite passages from your imported PDFs; Annotating Zotero PDFs and pulling highlights into a research card; Running personalized study sessions through the AI Tutor.
How much does Heptabase cost?
Free AI Tutor: $0 (limited sessions). Pro: $8.99/mo. Premium: $17.99/mo (1,800 AI credits). Premium+: $53.99/mo (8,100 credits). Yearly billing saves 25%.
Who is Heptabase best for?
Heptabase fits PhD students and academic researchers, Self-directed learners tackling dense subjects (law, medicine, ML), Knowledge workers doing multi-source competitive research, Visual thinkers who outgrew Obsidian's graph view. Right for you if you do deep research across PDFs and want to spatially arrange ideas rather than stack them in a list. Skip if you need real team docs, lightweight quick capture, or cheap pricing, because Heptabase is premium and learning-focused. Native Zotero and Readwise integrations make it a strong fit for academic workflows specifically. The newer AI Tutor builds adaptive courses, which is unusual in this category.
What are alternatives to Heptabase?
Common alternatives to Heptabase include Obsidian, Logseq, Roam Research, Tana, Capacities, Reflect.