Use cases · Students

Notes that keep up
with the lecture.

For lecture notes, research, and thesis writing. Real math, diagrams, and charts in the same document; linked notes you can actually find later; and a free tier that lasts the whole degree.

From seminar to submission

Every subject,
one calm notebook

Math, science, and the humanities all live comfortably in the same plain-markdown notes.

Real math with KaTeX

Write inline $a^2 + b^2$ or a display block with $$…$$ and see it typeset instantly. Equations stay readable in the file and beautiful on the page.

Diagrams from text

Sketch a process, a proof tree, or a system with mermaid — described in plain text, rendered as a clean diagram right in your notes.

Charts from data

Drop a Vega-Lite spec to turn lab results or survey data into a chart, without leaving the document or opening a spreadsheet.

Calc worksheets

A live calculation block with variables, units, and running totals — perfect for problem sets, conversions, and budgets that update as you type.

Linked notes & search

Build a Zettelkasten with [[wiki-links]] and backlinks, tag every concept, and find anything across every course with instant vault search.

Submit with confidence

Export a clean PDF or an editable Word .docx — with your math, diagrams, and charts intact — ready to hand in.

calculus.md
## The fundamental theorem

$$
\int_a^b f(x)\,dx = F(b) - F(a)
$$

For the normal distribution:

$$
f(x) = \frac{1}{\sigma\sqrt{2\pi}}
       e^{-\frac{(x-\mu)^2}{2\sigma^2}}
$$
Typeset as you think

Equations that
read like the textbook

Write LaTeX math in line with your prose or as a centered display block and watch it typeset instantly with KaTeX. It stays plain text on disk, so a formula you write in first year still opens — and still renders — in your final thesis.
  • Inline and display math
  • Instant KaTeX rendering
  • Exports cleanly to PDF and Word
A system that scales

Start a template,
build a second brain

Spin up a lecture or reading note from a template, link ideas across courses, and tag the concepts you will need at exam time. By finals, you have a searchable knowledge base — not a folder of files you forgot you wrote.

  • Templates for lectures, readings & labs
  • Import an existing Notion workspace
  • Tags and instant search across courses
  • Wiki-links for a linked knowledge base
  • PDF and Word export for submissions
  • Works fully offline, wherever you study
Works with no connection
Local AI, generated on-device
[[Linked notes]] across courses
Import from Notion, Obsidian, Word
Private by default

Your research
stays your research

Notes are plain files on your own Mac, and the app works with the wifi off — in the library, on a train, mid-exam. When you want a hand, run a local model through Ollama so summaries and drafts are generated on-device and nothing is uploaded anywhere.
  • Fully offline
  • On-device AI via Ollama
  • No account, no cloud required

Notes you can keep for a lifetime

Coursework outlasts most apps. Because Ampersand saves standard markdown to a folder you own, the notes you take this semester will open in anything, anywhere, years after you graduate — no subscription to keep paying, no export you forgot to run.
Questions

Good to know

Can I write proper math and equations?

Yes. Ampersand renders LaTeX math with KaTeX — inline with single dollar signs and as display blocks with $$…$$. It stays plain text in the file, typesets live as you write, and exports cleanly to PDF and Word for your assignments and thesis.

I have years of notes in Notion — can I bring them over?

Import a Notion export and Ampersand converts it into plain markdown in your own folder, de-hashing filenames and mapping callouts along the way. It also imports from Obsidian and Word, so you are never starting from zero.

Is there really a free version for students?

The full editor — math, diagrams, charts, calc, tags, search, wiki-links, and templates — is free forever, not a trial. Pro is an optional one-time $29 launch price (regularly $49) with a 14-day money-back guarantee, so there is no subscription eating your budget.

Can I keep my notes private and work without wifi?

Absolutely. Your notes are plain files on your Mac and the app works fully offline. When you want AI help, you can run a local, on-device model through Ollama so your research and drafts never leave your machine.

Get started

Take better notes
starting this week.

Free forever for the full editor — math, diagrams, search, and templates included. Download it and be ready before your next lecture.

Free to start · macOS 13+ · No account required